achromatic grays
grays that are created by mixing black and white.
black and white are also achromatic (without hue).
balance
the distribution of visual weight in a composition.
chiaroscuro
the use of light/dark contrast to achieve a sense of volume in two dimensional art.
chromatic darks
very dark colors that have a slightly discernible hue.
color scheme
the color combination used in a composition (monochromatic, primary, triadic, complementary, analogous, etc…).
focal area
the center of interest in a composition.
grayscale
a graduated representation of steps of achromatic grays ranging from black to white in even, progressive increments.
a simpler way to visualize the value scale is with a three-part version of the grayscale divided into dark/low, medium/middle and light/high values.
high key
an image is said to be in high key when the colors in it are predominantly light in value.
low key
an image is in low key when the colors in it are predominantly dark in value.
middle key
an image is in low key when the colors in it are predominantly medium in value.
monochromatic
a color scheme based on one hue.
range of value
overall configuration of values in a given image.
the range of value in a piece of art or design can be described as broad, medium, or narrow. for example, we say an image has a broad value range when values from all keys (high, middle and low) are represented.
shade
a hue that has been made darker.
tint
a hue that has been made lighter.
value
the relative lightness or darkness of a color.
light values are referred to as high, dark ones as low.
value contrast
the farther apart two colors are on the value scale, the higher is their value contrast.
visual path
a visual linkage created when similarly valued shapes are placed next to each other.
Sources: Color – A Workshop Approach by David Hornung and Understanding Color by Linda Holtzschue
Color Glossary II
