Optical Abstraction
type: Concept
alternative label: Light-driven Abstraction
broader: Optical Composition Strategy
definition: A passage or zone in an otherwise representational painting where the behavior of light reduces objects to color, pattern, and gesture rather than legible description. The subject becomes the optical event rather than the depicted thing.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Broader updated to OpticalCompositionStrategy.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Selective economy
related: Reflective Symmetry
related: Acqua Alta
scope note: In the St. Mark's painting, the foreground reflections constitute optical abstraction: the basilica and figures are reduced to vertical color signatures and broken strokes.

Phthalo Green
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: phthalo-green-pigment.html
ARGB: FF004A39
symbol: PG
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Phthalo Green
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 8

Strathmore Toned Gray
type: WatercolorPaper
type: Concept
has paper finish: rough surface
has paper weight: 80
broader: Art Paper
definition: A toothy finish drawing surface.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
position: 3
size: 9x12

Presentation and Installation
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Display, site selection, mounting, and environmental considerations for exhibition.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Documentation

SVG (vector)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: XML-based vector graphics format with support for interactivity and scalability.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Vector Graphics

Drying, Flattening and Surface Protection
type: Concept
order: 9
alternative label: Cure and Flatten
broader: watercolor process
definition: Allow full dry time, flatten if needed, and apply optional fixatives or varnish protocols.
editorial note: Patience here prevents surface damage and preserves the clarity earned in earlier steps.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Presentation and Archival
scope note: Heavy sheets may need minimal flattening; consider no-varnish if presenting under glazing.

Cadmium Red Medium
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF831F27
symbol: CRM
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cadmium Red Medium
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 51

Strathmore Mixed Media
type: WatercolorPaper
type: Concept
has paper finish: Vellum
has paper weight: 184
broader: Art Paper
definition: A vellum finish multi-media drawing and painting surface.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
position: 3
size: 11x14

Development Through Layering
type: Concept
order: 5
alternative label: Glazing and Negative Painting
broader: watercolor process
definition: Building mid-tones and transitions with transparent glazes, managing edges, carving lights negatively.
editorial note: Form emerges here. Reserve darks for the end and let edges do more of the modeling than outlines.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: lost and found edges
related: Texture and Emphasis
related: Accents and Detailing
related: wet on dry
related: watercolor glazing
related: wet-into-wet wash
scope note: Alternate wet-on-dry for control with wet-into-wet for atmosphere; keep glazing transparent and clean.

Public Gathering
type: Concept
alternative label: Civic Assembly
broader: Crowd Scene
definition: People assembled in a public or ceremonial space, typically without directed collective purpose ? the milling, non-directional social activity characteristic of tourist sites, plazas, and cultural monuments.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Civic Space
related: Monumental Architecture
scope note: The public gathering as subject situates ordinary human presence within frameworks of cultural, historical, or religious significance.

Painting Terms
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Terms used to describe the materials, techniques, tools and related concepts used in painting.
has top concept: painting term

watercolor paper preparation
type: Concept
broader: substrate preparation
definition: The process includes steps for soaking the paper, stretching it and taping the paper to a stable panel to support it during painting.
in scheme: Painting processes

casein
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: A fast-drying, water-soluble paint derived from milk protein with properties similar to gouache.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

painting preparation
type: Concept
broader: painting process
definition: The process of preparing to create a painting.
in scheme: Painting processes

PBR (Physically Based Rendering)
type: Concept
alternative label: Physically Based Shading
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Material and lighting framework using measurable parameters (albedo, roughness, metallic) for realism.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Normal Map
related: Displacement Map
related: HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)

pressing into wet paper
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Pressing objects (brush handles, empty ballpoint pens, blunt knives) into paper while a wash is still wet. The compressed areas absorb more pigment than the surrounding paper, leaving interesting dark marks.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

pigment
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: The substance that gives paint its color; natural or synthetic, usually an insoluble powder. In watercolor, pigment is mixed with water and gum arabic to create paint.
in scheme: Painting Terms
note: A colored material, typically an insoluble particulate, used to impart hue and other optical properties to a paint or ink.

Brush Engine
type: Concept
alternative label: Brush Dynamics
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Software system controlling stroke behavior (pressure, tilt, spacing, opacity, flow).
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Masking (digital)
related: Adjustment Layer

Reversibility Principle
type: Concept
broader: Historical and Conceptual Terms
definition: The concept that tension and compression roles can be interchanged in complementary structural forms, as seen in Gaudi's hanging-chain models and later explored in tensegrity practice.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

candle wax resist
type: Concept
broader: assisted wash
definition: Candle wax applied to the painting surface permanently repels all subsequent paint. Used to preserve white paper or underlying color before painting; unlike masking fluid, waxed areas cannot be painted over later.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Ultramarine Shadows
type: Concept
broader: Shadow Color
definition: The use of ultramarine blue as the primary shadow color, providing chromatic depth and visual weight.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Chromatic Shadows
scope note: A bolder choice than Payne's gray or neutral mixes; requires confidence that the saturated blue will integrate with the overall palette.

Digital Sculpture Process
type: Concept
broader: Digital Process
definition: The process of creating a 3D sculpture using digital media.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

alcohol texture
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Isopropyl alcohol dropped onto a wet watercolor wash evacuates significant pigment from the treated area, creating a halo of color around each drop.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Deployable Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Types and Variants
definition: A tensegrity structure designed to fold and expand, used in space structures and robotics.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

informationalism
type: Concept
broader: computer art term
definition: Informationalism is a concept of strengthening the capacity of information processing and communication, made possible by technological innovations.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/399706

Google Gemini Source
type: Concept
link: https://gemini.google.com/
broader: Interpretation Source
definition: The source of the interpretation of the artwork is Google Gemini

natural patterns
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: A pattern is a design in which lines, shapes, forms or colours are repeated. The part that is repeated is called a motif. Natural patterns echo forms and patterns found in nature.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms
note: gracefulness

Cropping
type: Concept
alternative label: Framing
broader: Composition
definition: The selection of what to include and exclude at the edges of a composition.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
scope note: Adventurous cropping is cutting into forms at the edges to create dynamism and imply continuation beyond the frame.

Chinese White
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
symbol: CW
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Chinese White
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 49

Foundational Washes
type: Concept
order: 4
alternative label: Big Shape Establishment
broader: watercolor process
definition: Initial graded and variegated washes to set overall light, atmosphere, and major value masses.
editorial note: This is the painting's breath. A single decisive pass often reads better than piecemeal local color.
example: One coherent sky-to-ground wash that locks the value horizon and dominant temperature.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: wet-into-wet wash
related: Development Through Layering
related: wash
related: gradated wash
related: Corrections and Cleanup
related: variegated wash

Hobbyist
type: Concept
broader: Practitioner Types
definition: A practitioner who engages in art-making casually, without sustained commitment to skill development or artistic standards.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Serious Amateur
scope note: Not pejorative; describes orientation toward the activity rather than skill level.

Lamp black
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PBk7
broader: Black Group
definition: Carbon black produced from incomplete combustion of oils or resins; deep masstone, slow drying in oil.

Ultramarine Blue Light
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: ultramarine-blue-light-pigment.html
ARGB: FF194AA8
symbol: UBLL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Ultramarine Blue Light
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 43

frisket
type: Concept
broader: masking fluid
definition: A liquid latex-and-ammonia composition or adhesive film used to mask areas where paint is not wanted, preserving white space. Liquid frisket dries quickly and peels or rubs off easily when no longer needed; adhesive film must be cut to shape and is removed via its low-tack adhesive.
editorial note: This could be considered a material, as well
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Figure-Ground Relationship
type: Concept
alternative label: Figure and Ground
broader: Composition
definition: The perceptual distinction between a subject (figure) and its surrounding area (ground), and the compositional interplay between them.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Negative Painting

Violet
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FF713380
symbol: VI
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 38

Tensile Network Morphology
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: The overall spatial pattern formed by all tension elements considered as a single organism: how cables sweep, cluster, and define voids. This pattern often governs both structural behavior and visual identity.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Human Activity Frieze
type: Concept
broader: Horizontal Frieze Banding
definition: A compositional band in which figures form a continuous or semi-continuous horizontal grouping across the picture plane, often mediating between foreground space and architectural structures.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source as a useful child of HorizontalFriezeBanding. Adds specificity for figure-dominated middle registers.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Crowd Scene
related: Middle Band Dominance

value
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A color's relative lightness or darkness
in scheme: Painting Terms

Art Material Scheme
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Materials used in the production of art.
has top concept: Art Paper

canvas
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: Popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Safety and Handling
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Practices that mitigate risk to people and works during fabrication, transport, and installation.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Materials for Sculpture

Complementary Mixed Gray
type: Concept
alternative label: Optical Gray
alternative label: Chromatic Neutral
broader: Color Theory
definition: A gray produced by mixing two complementary or near-complementary pigments rather than using a neutral gray or black. The resulting gray retains chromatic memory ? oscillating between warm and cool ? and integrates more naturally into a color-driven painting than a pre-mixed neutral.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. No ChatGPT equivalent.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Color Harmony
related: Chromatic Variation in Wash
scope note: Example from practice: turquoise mixed with a touch of Indian red produces a variegated gray well suited to sunlit stonework, allowing the architecture to participate in the painting's overall color warmth.

Materials for Sculpture
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Substances and stock used in constructing sculpture, physical or digital.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Includes digital assets as immaterial materials when used as primary modeling matter.
related: Tools
related: Safety and Handling

Artistic Signature
type: Concept
alternative label: Visual Voice
alternative label: Recognizable Style
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The combination of recurring choices in palette, technique, subject, and handling that make an artist's work recognizable.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Signature Palette
scope note: A signature can be a strength (identity) or a constraint (predictability).

Cadmium Green
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: cadmium-green-pigment.html
ARGB: FF2F6823
symbol: CDG
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cadmium Green
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 47

Verdigris
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PG20
broader: Green Group
definition: Copper acetate complex; transparent bluish-green noted for reactivity and historical stability issues in oil.

Blocking
type: Concept
broader: Concept & Design
definition: Coarse placement of forms and value masses to resolve staging before detail.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production

Naples Yellow Dark
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: naples-yellow-dark-pigment.html
ARGB: FFDCBD31
symbol: NYDL
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 12

gesso underpainting
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Rough gesso brushstrokes applied before painting to add textural interest beyond standard watercolor paper. Watercolor gesso or absorbent ground works best; must be fully dry before painting. Sedimentary colors settle into the crevasses, enhancing the texture.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Interpretation Source
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: The source of the interpretation of the artwork

overworking
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: Continuing to add to a painting past the point where stopping would have produced a livelier, fresher result. Subjective and difficult to judge; evaluate each brushstroke's purpose before applying it.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Japanese rice paper
type: Concept
broader: assisted wash
definition: Torn Japanese rice paper adhered to the painting surface with dilute PVA glue, matte acrylic varnish, or a neutral-pH adhesive, producing interesting and unpredictable textural results depending on the paper type.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

staining colors
type: Concept
alternative label: Staining
broader: watercolor term
definition: Pigments that absorb into the paper before the water evaporates, making them difficult to lift and prone to leaving a permanent stain. Staining is a property of the pigment itself, not an indicator of paint quality. Pthalo colors are common examples; viridian is a non-staining, sedimentary alternative.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Retopology
type: Concept
alternative label: Retopo
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Rebuilding dense or sculpted meshes into cleaner, animation-friendly topology.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Topology
related: Rigging

watercolor design preparation
type: Concept
broader: painting preparation
definition: The process includes compositional layout, palette choices and selection of techniques.
in scheme: Painting processes

bubbles
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Mix a small quantity of dish soap with water and paint in a deep dish. Using a straw, blow bubbles in the soapy paint mixture until they fill the dish, then scrape the pigment-traced bubbles onto the paper. The resulting texture replicates the bubble shapes that formed and popped.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

stretching
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: Taping a sheet of watercolor paper to a rigid support on all sides to prevent buckling and warping; keeps the surface flat during painting and ensures the finished work dries flat. Any paper under 300lb will warp if unstretched; stretching is unnecessary with synthetic papers or a watercolor block.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: buckle
related: cockling
related: block

antiprism
type: Concept
source: Antiprism
alternative label: n-gonal antiprism
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: A polyhedron with two parallel, congruent n-gon bases rotated relative to one another and connected by an alternating band of 2n triangles.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms
note: For n = 3, the regular triangular antiprism is the octahedron.
related: Chirality
related: Prism

Conceptual Primary Subject
type: Concept
alternative label: Generative Idea
alternative label: Underlying Motivation
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The artist's true organizing subject or motivation for a painting, which may differ from its apparent descriptive subject. The conceptual primary subject drives compositional, technical, and sequencing decisions even when the visible subject appears to be something else.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Example: in St. Mark's, the acqua alta reflections are the conceptual primary subject, while the basilica facade and crowd are descriptive content. The painting was begun and concluded with the reflections; all other passages were structured around them.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Artistic Signature
related: Observational Fidelity

Dynamic Stability
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: The ability of a tensegrity structure to absorb disturbances (impact, vibration, shock) and return to a stable configuration while maintaining structural integrity. This is crucial in robotics and deployable systems.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Left-Handed
type: Concept
broader: Chirality
definition: Descriptions of the sense of twist in a tensegrity prism or module. A left-handed prism twists counterclockwise. Alternating handedness can produce symmetrical towers or balanced toroidal forms.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

wash
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: A large, smooth area of color without visible brushstrokes. May be a single color, a dark-to-light gradation of one color, or a gradation from one color to another.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Visual Art Terms
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Terms used to describe visual arts creative works.
has top concept: visual art term

L. Cornelissen & Son
type: Concept
alternative label: LCS
broader: Art Supply Provider
definition: A pigment manufacturer(?) and retailer

Structural organization
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: the underlying framework, composition, and arrangement of a work's visual elements according to specific principles to create a unified and meaningful whole.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Viewer Positioning Strategy
type: Concept
broader: Composition
definition: A compositional approach that determines the implied spatial or psychological relationship between the viewer and the depicted scene.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source. Provides useful parent for ContemplativeWitnessPosition and related viewpoint concepts.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Mars Violet
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FF754E49
symbol: MV
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 37

Two-Color Grey 6
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
contains paint: Burnt Sienna
contains paint: Indigo Blue
ARGB: FF484848
symbol: 2CG6
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1007

Color Confidence
type: Concept
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: Willingness to use bold, saturated colors decisively rather than defaulting to safe, muted choices.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: intensity
related: Chromatic Shadows

backrun
type: Concept
alternative label: back run
alternative label: backwash
alternative label: blooming
alternative label: cauliflower
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: Occurs when a more dilute mix of paint is applied into a wet area, causing the paint to spread outward and typically dry in a cauliflower-shaped pattern. Often considered undesirable but also deliberately created to suggest clouds, foliage, flowers, or abstract texture.
editorial note: The mixing of colours in a semi-controlled way by adding new colour to a wash that hasn't dried; backruns can be an unwelcome accident, but are also deliberately created by some artists to represent abstracted clouds, foliage or flowers, or just to create a specific mood and for visual interest.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: wet-into-wet wash

Helicity
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: The degree or rate of rotational twist along an axis. In tensegrities, helicity governs how strongly one polygonal end of a module is rotated relative to the other, affecting both structural response and visual energy.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Integration of Figures and Structural System (RS)
type: Concept
order: 4
broader: Integration of Figures and Structural System
definition: Bind figures to tensegrity nodes and axes; balance symmetry, asymmetry, and chirality; reveal readable lines of tension.
editorial note: This is the point at which the work becomes unmistakably yours. When figure placements feel inevitable and the tension network reads at a glance, the sculpture acquires the calm of necessity rather than the noise of options.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup (RS)

Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
type: ConceptScheme
label: Digital Sculpture Process
source: Mapping synthesized from prior chats; user practice summary, Nov 2025.
source: Compiled by ChatGPT per user request, Nov 2025.
definition: Top-level digital sculpture processes mapped to Rick Spates practice; kept discrete and aligned to general concepts.
definition: Top-level processes for digital 3D sculpture focused on tensegrity-oriented practice.
editorial note: This scheme offers a sculptor-centered, geometry-aware view of digital practice. It emphasizes structural logic and experiential presentation rather than a film or VFX style pipeline. The intent is to keep the categories tight enough to remain useful for tensegrity-inspired work while still general enough for other structurally driven sculpture.
editorial note: This scheme treats model-viewer and HDRI selection as integral parts of the artwork, not merely display layers. The sculptures assert tensegrity as both structural metaphor and viewing discipline: attention is the medium that completes the piece.
note: Categories are indicative and may iterate; not a rigid production line.
note: Related properties suggest a loose flow; implement actual order per project needs.
note: Close matches maintain semantic alignment while allowing personal evolution of terms.

tint
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: A color diluted by adding water; the more water added, the weaker the intensity.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Color Theory
type: Concept
broader: Art Criticism
definition: Principles governing the use, interaction, and perception of color in visual art.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Value Compression
type: Concept
alternative label: Tonal Compression
broader: Value Structure
definition: A condition in which the range of values is narrowed, often resulting in reduced contrast and diminished sense of depth.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
scope note: Can occur intentionally for atmospheric effect or unintentionally as a technical limitation. Mid-tone compression is particularly common.

blotting paper
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: A highly absorbent paper used to soak up excess liquid (ink or paint) from the substrate.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Continuous Tension Network
type: Concept
broader: Structural Elements
definition: The web of cables that connects all struts, maintaining the structural form.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Burnt Umber
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FF785D40
symbol: BU
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 26

visual arts process
type: Concept
definition: A process used in the production of a creative work in the visual arts.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

wash flat
type: Concept
broader: wash
definition: The technique of laying down a large area of even, consistent color by applying successive strokes side by side on a wet or dry surface.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Concept & Design
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: Early-phase activities that establish intent, mood, and composition prior to detailed production.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
top concept of: Digital Fine Art Production

Phthalo Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: phthalo-blue-pigment.html
ARGB: FF166298
symbol: PHB
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Phthalo Blue
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 44

watercolor term
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A term of art in watercolor painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Orpiment
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PY39
broader: Yellow Group
definition: Arsenic trisulfide; brilliant lemon to golden yellow with known incompatibilities (e.g., with lead and copper pigments).

Ultramarine
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FF003BA3
symbol: UBD
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 34

Interpretation
type: Concept
type: VisualAnalysis
definition: the process of analyzing a work of art and assigning it meaning.
editorial note: The vad:VisualAnalysis annotation makes art interpretation synonymous with art visual analysis. To say they are not synonymous in practice and are separate steps is a false dichotomy, a pedagogical convention. The moment you choose to describe a composition as "tense" rather than "balanced" you've already interpreted.

Cellular Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Types and Variants
definition: A complex structure built from repeating tensegrity cells, analogous to biological systems.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Chromatic Shadows
type: Concept
alternative label: Colorful Shadows
broader: Color Theory
definition: Shadows rendered using saturated colors (typically blues or violets) rather than neutral grays or black.
editorial note: Contrast with 'dead' shadows created by adding black or Payne's gray.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Luminosity
related: Shadow Color
scope note: Keeps shadows luminous and integrated with overall color harmony; a characteristic of Impressionist and post-Impressionist practice now standard in watercolor.

computer art term
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: A term of art in computer art.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms

gradated wash
type: Concept
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: A wash that transitions gradually from dark to light by incrementally adding more water as it progresses. Useful for painting skies and seas.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Knowing When to Stop
type: Concept
alternative label: Restraint
alternative label: Not Overworking
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The judgment to cease work on a painting before overworking diminishes its freshness or luminosity.
editorial note: One of watercolor's hardest lessons; a sign of experience and discipline.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Selective economy
related: watercolor technique

UV Mapping
type: Concept
alternative label: Unwrapping
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Projection of a 3D surface to 2D coordinates for precise texture placement.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Normal Map
related: Displacement Map
related: PBR (Physically Based Rendering)

opaque
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Paint characteristic; the ability of certain paints and/or certain colours to cover completely, not allowing you to see through to lower layers; the opposite of transparent & translucent; ideal for over-painting.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Artistic Ambition
type: Concept
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The scope, risk, and complexity an artist pursues in their work.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Technical Strength
related: Developmental Edge

Place Painting
type: Concept
alternative label: Painting of Place
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Work characterized by depiction of specific, visited, remembered locations rather than invented or studio compositions.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Veduta tradition
related: Observational Fidelity
scope note: Has a travel-journal quality; records of encounter with particular sites.

Parametric Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: A design approach in which geometric, material, and prestress parameters (angles, lengths, force densities) are exposed as variables. Parametric tensegrity allows systematic exploration of families of forms rather than a single fixed object.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

mop brush
type: Concept
alternative label: Mop
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A round brush with a thick base tapering to a very fine tip. Highly versatile and capable of producing many different types of strokes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Bio-Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Applications and Contexts
definition: The application of tensegrity principles to biological systems, explaining how cells, muscles, and skeletons maintain form and function.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Value-Compressed Reflection
type: Concept
broader: Optical Reflection Field
definition: A treatment of reflective passages in which tonal contrast is deliberately restrained so that reflections remain visually active without overpowering the larger compositional hierarchy.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source as a child of OpticalReflectionField. Useful precision for describing how reflections are subordinated to composition.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

digital
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: (of signals or data) expressed as series of the digits 0 and 1.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: digital

Warm Colors
type: Concept
broader: Color Temperature
definition: Colors in the red, orange, and yellow range that appear to advance visually and evoke warmth.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Cool Colors

Watercolor Painting Process
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Processes in watercolor painting.

dagger brush
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A brush with one straight edge and one sloping edge resembling a knife blade, ideal for painting thin or tapering lines.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

PDF (document/vector)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Document container supporting vector and raster content for print and delivery.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Vector Graphics
related: TIFF (archival raster)

pen nib painting
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Dipping a pen nib into watercolor paint and drawing on paper creates controlled, potentially very fine lines. A glass dip pen offers similar results with greater paint capacity.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

removing paint
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: The removal of paint with a tool.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Art movement
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: a trend or tendency in art, defined by a group of artists sharing a common philosophy, style, or goal
in scheme: Painting Terms

Lemon Yellow
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: lemon-yellow-pigment.html
ARGB: FFD9E167
symbol: LY
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Lemon Yellow
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 10

Colour Index Code
type: Property
comment: Standardized Colour Index designation for a pigment (e.g., PB29, PR106, NR9).

sprayed ink
type: Concept
broader: paint diffusion
definition: Permanent artists ink applied to a painting, then misted with a fine water spray while still wet to create soft, spidery textures that add an ancient, weathered quality.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

synthetic brushes
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: Brushes made from nylon, polyester, or Taklon. Generally stiffer and springier than natural-hair brushes.
in scheme: Painting Terms

ink wash
type: Concept
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: A watercolor wash of ink.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Ambient Occlusion (AO)
type: Concept
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Approximation of soft contact shadows caused by occluded ambient light.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Normal Map
related: Global Illumination (GI)

EPS (vector)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Legacy PostScript-based vector document format used for print and interchange.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Vector Graphics
related: PDF (document/vector)

stochasticism
type: Concept
broader: computer art term
definition: randomly determined; having a random probability distribution or pattern that may be analyzed statistically but may not be predicted precisely.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: http://www.stats.org.uk/stochastic-processes/

Manganese Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: manganese-blue-pigment.html
ARGB: FF1591C5
symbol: MBL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Manganese Blue
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 4

analogous Colors
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Analogous colors are colors that are adjacent on the Color Wheel. e.g. blue, blue/green, green.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Rendering and Lighting Evaluation
type: Concept
broader: Documentation
definition: Image generation and lighting tests used to evaluate form, material response, and legibility.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Presentation and Installation
related: Digital Materials

Drying, Flattening and Surface Protection (RS)
type: Concept
order: 9
alternative label: Cure and Flatten (RS)
broader: Drying, Flattening and Surface Protection
definition: Minimal flattening on 300 lb paper; patient observation during drying to identify final adjustments.
editorial note: Silence in this step is productive: it protects the freshness you built earlier.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Presentation and Archival (RS)
scope note: Use the slow dry to judge whether the focal path still reads from across the room.

Simplex Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Types and Variants
definition: The simplest tensegrity prism, usually with three struts and nine cables (a T3).
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Temperature Shift
type: Concept
alternative label: Warm-to-Cool Transition
broader: Color Temperature
definition: The deliberate progression from warm colors in the foreground to cool colors in the distance, creating spatial depth.
editorial note: A fundamental technique for establishing pictorial depth without relying solely on linear perspective.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Spatial Recession
related: aerial perspective

Structural Transparency
type: Concept
broader: Artistic and Conceptual Terms
definition: The visual effect by which the tension network and compression members reveal their own load paths. Structural transparency is central to the aesthetic appeal of many tensegrity sculptures and installations.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

T3 prism (right-handed)
type: Concept
has chirality: Right-Handed
alternative label: right-handed T3
alternative label: RH T3
broader: T3 prism
definition: Right-handed 3-strut tensegrity antiprism: upper ring rotated relative to the lower so that helical cross-cables trace a right-handed twist.
related: Chirality

Cadmium Yellow
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FFE5C407
symbol: CY
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 25

vertex count
type: Property
comment: Number of distinct vertices in the configuration.
range: int

Tensegrity Prism (Tn)
type: Concept
broader: Types and Variants
definition: A family of tensegrity structures with n struts arranged in a twisted, prismatic form.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Two-Color Grey 1
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
contains paint: Burnt Sienna
contains paint: Cerulean Blue
ARGB: FF87897C
symbol: 2CG1
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1002

Signature Palette
type: Concept
broader: Palette Construction
definition: A characteristic, recurring selection of colors that becomes recognizable as part of an artist's visual identity.
editorial note: Can be a strength (instant recognizability) or a limitation (predictability).
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Artistic Signature

computer graphics process
type: Concept
broader: visual arts process
definition: Computer graphics process is a step or set of steps performed in the creation of a computer graphics creative work.
in scheme: Computer Graphics Processes

Watercolour Terminology (article)
type: Collection
member: coldPressed
member: gum arabic
member: body colour
member: buckle
member: transparent
member: dry brush technique
member: mop brush
member: cat's tongue
member: stretching
member: underdrawing
member: wetOnWet
member: frisket
member: atomiser
member: backrun
member: over-painting
member: liner rigger
member: blotting
member: stipple
member: ox gall
member: staining colors
member: scraping dry paint
member: granulation
member: shader
member: fan
member: watercolor glazing
member: wash
member: opaque
member: resist
member: painting tool
member: impressing
member: spattering
member: sizing
member: atmosphericPerspective
member: hot pressed paper
member: lifting paint
member: indenting

Strathmore Bristol Vellum
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaper
has paper finish: vellum surface
has paper weight: 1000
broader: Art Paper
definition: A vellum finish drawing surface.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
position: 3
size: 9x12

Azurite
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PB30
broader: Blue Group
definition: Basic copper carbonate mineral used since antiquity; coarse particles yield bright azure, finer grades shift greener.
related: Malachite
related: Ultramarine blue, natural

Vermilion
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FFD05F4F
symbol: VD
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 20

Viridian
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PG18
broader: Green Group
definition: Hydrated chromium oxide; cool, transparent green introduced in the 19th century; good permanence in watercolor.

Node-Based Editing
type: Concept
alternative label: Node Graph
broader: Conceptual / Workflow
definition: Visual programming paradigm connecting operators as nodes for materials, compositing, or geometry.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Procedural Workflow
related: Compositing

Oriental Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: orient-blue-pigment.html
ARGB: FF062C95
symbol: OB
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Oriental Blue
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 45

Optical Reflection Field
type: Concept
broader: Optical Composition Strategy
definition: A compositional area in which reflected light and color patterns become the dominant visual phenomenon, often reducing depicted objects into abstract chromatic signatures.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source. Genuinely distinct from OpticalAbstraction: this is about a compositional zone defined by reflection; OpticalAbstraction is about the perceptual event of light dissolving description. Both are needed.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Optical Abstraction
related: Reflective Symmetry
related: Acqua Alta

loose painting style
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: A style characterized by free-flowing, spontaneous brushstrokes that capture the essence of a subject rather than precise detail, allowing colors to blend naturally and form soft edges.
editorial note: This video seems the epitome of loose painting style.
example: https://www.youtube.com/watch
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Fundamental Concepts
definition: A structural system that achieves stability by balancing isolated compression elements within a continuous tension network.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Symmetry Group
type: Concept
alternative label: Group symmetry
alternative label: Geometric symmetry group
broader: Fundamental Concepts
definition: A mathematical group describing the full set of symmetries of a geometric or structural object, including rotations, reflections, or other operations that leave the object unchanged.
editorial note: Do not conflate with informal descriptions of visual balance. Reserve this concept for group theoretic symmetry as applied to geometry and tensegrity configuration.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms
scope note: Used for recording symmetry classifications of tensegrity structures, including groups such as A5, D3, or other point groups relevant to strut and cable arrangements.

sizing
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: A gelatin-based substance used in watercolor paper manufacture, canvas stretching, and panel preparation. Slows paint absorption so most pigment remains on the surface; maintains structural integrity when wet, reduces buckling and warping, and encourages paper to return to its original shape when dry.
editorial note: Some references to sizing consider it a process/tool
in scheme: Painting Terms
related: cold-pressed paper
related: hot pressed paper
related: stretching

scraping
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: In a wet color wash, scrape small areas with the edge of a plastic piece or knife blade to produce an effect resembling sunlit rock faces.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Sculptural Modeling of Figures and Form Elements
type: Concept
order: 3
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Model figures and forms with sculptural intent, refine silhouette and negative space, prepare topology for integration.
editorial note: Modeling choices should serve force readability. Silhouette, proportion, and the treatment of negative space all contribute to whether tension and compression read as legible structure rather than decoration.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Integration of Figures and Structural System
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

Yellow Ochre Dark
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FFBE8E3A
symbol: YOD
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 23

binder
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: A substance that holds watercolor pigment in suspension, generally gum arabic or synthetic glycol.
in scheme: Painting Terms

3D Modeling & Sculpting
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: Creation and preparation of three-dimensional forms for visualization, animation, or fabrication.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
top concept of: Digital Fine Art Production

Low Key
type: Concept
broader: Value Structure
definition: A value structure dominated by dark values, creating a somber or dramatic effect.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

T4 prism (left-handed)
type: Concept
has chirality: Left-Handed
alternative label: left-handed T4
alternative label: LH T4
broader: T4 prism
definition: Left-handed 4-strut tensegrity antiprism with left-handed helical cross-cables.
related: Chirality

Cerulean
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: https://www.utrechtart.com/items/02993-5170/
ARGB: FF3475AF
symbol: CBS
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: Sennelier
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 31

Azure
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: https://www.utrechtart.com/items/02993-5910/
ARGB: FF0F4FA7
symbol: ABS
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: Sennelier
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 33

Watercolor Paints
type: ConceptScheme
definition: A collection of watercolor paints.

Burnt Sienna
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FFA86A51
symbol: BS
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 18

Axis of Symmetry
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: The central line about which a tensegrity structure is organized. In many prisms this axis aligns with the 'vertical' direction of stacking, setting both structural hierarchy and visual reading.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Antichiral Arrangement
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: A configuration in which alternating modules have opposite chirality. Antichiral patterns can produce toroidal, wave-like, or lattice forms with global balance even when each unit is individually twisted.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Serious Amateur
type: Concept
broader: Practitioner Types
definition: A practitioner who works with rigor, accumulated skill, and high internal standards, but for the love of the work rather than professional advancement.
editorial note: Distinguished from hobbyist by level of commitment and skill; from professional by motivation and livelihood.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Hobbyist
related: Professional Artist
scope note: From Latin 'amare' (to love). Historically respected category, now often undervalued due to semantic drift of 'amateur' toward 'unskilled'.

Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: Simulation of light, image synthesis, and multi-pass assembly into finalized imagery.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
top concept of: Digital Fine Art Production

charging
type: Concept
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: Dropping a new wet color into an existing wash to blend directly on the paper, creating interesting variations in color or tonal value rather than pre-mixing on a palette.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

abstract
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: The term "Abstract" is used to describe a painting that is non-representational. i.e the subject matter of the painting is not about the depiction of reality.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Digital Fine Art Production
type: ConceptScheme
source: Structured overview compiled by ChatGPT, November 4, 2025.
definition: A scheme covering common terminology used across contemporary digital fine art workflows from concept to output.
note: Relationships are indicative (not exhaustive) and aim to aid discovery across adjacent practices.

substrate preparation
type: Concept
broader: painting preparation
definition: The process of preparing the surface to receive the painting medium.
in scheme: Painting processes

Topology
type: Concept
broader: Mathematical and Mechanical Terms
definition: The connectivity pattern of cables and struts independent of their specific geometry.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

TIFF (archival raster)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Flexible, high-bit-depth raster format favored for archival and print workflows.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Raster Graphics
related: Color Management

Kolinsky (sable)
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A species of weasel from Siberia. Tail hairs from the male are used to make the most highly prized and expensive watercolor brushes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

painting material
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A material used in painting.
in scheme: Painting Terms

perspective
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point.
editorial note: your point of view--how you see, understand, and interpret things, shaped by your experiences, beliefs, or location
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

strut count
type: Property
comment: Number of compression members (discontinuous compression) in the configuration.
range: int

Practitioner Types
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: Categories describing different orientations toward artistic practice.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Watercolor Criticism Scheme
type: ConceptScheme

Hybrid concepts: critical conversation + ChatGPT critique, 2026-03-10
contributor: visualartsdna.org
description: Merged SKOS concepts from two sources: (1) concepts_20260309.ttl derived from a critical dialogue (Claude), and (2) concepts_20260310.ttl derived from a ChatGPT critique of Saint Mark's. Overlap in compositional structure has been resolved by retaining the richer definition in each case. New organizing parents and granular children from ChatGPT have been adopted where they add genuine structure without redundancy. See editorial notes for derivation decisions.
issued: 2026-03-10T12:00:00Z
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
version info: v 1.0

Red ocher
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PR102
broader: Red Group
definition: Iron oxide earth; warm to deep red-brown; stable and widely used since prehistory.

Naples Yellow
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FFDCB745
symbol: NY
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 21

Ultramarine
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: ultramarine-pb32-pigment.html
ARGB: FF0A3399
symbol: UBL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Ultramarine
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 42

Weight Painting
type: Concept
alternative label: Vertex Weights
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Assignment of per-vertex influence values that determine how bones deform a mesh.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Rigging

Archival Print (Giclee)
type: Concept
alternative label: Giclee Print
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: High-resolution, pigment-based inkjet print on archival media for fine art reproduction.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Proofing
related: Color Management

Visual Weight
type: Concept
broader: Composition
definition: The perceived heaviness or importance of an element within a composition, determined by size, color, value, position, and density.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Visual Hierarchy
related: Compositional Balance

Ultramarine blue, natural
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PB29
broader: Blue Group
definition: Sodium aluminosilicate sulfur chromophore from lapis lazuli; historic blue with characteristic warm masstone and reddish violet bias in tints.
related: Azurite
related: Prussian blue

Van Dyke Brown
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF342F2C
symbol: VDB
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Van Dyke Brown
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
position: 48

White Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical white pigments.

Three Color Black
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
contains paint: Cadmium Yellow
contains paint: Ultramarine
contains paint: Alizarin Crimson
ARGB: FF595C65
symbol: 3CB
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1001

Magic Eraser
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Rubbed on dry watercolor paint, a Magic Eraser acts as fine sandpaper to lift and trap pigment, useful for effects such as creating a horizon line with deeper color below and lighter color above.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Kinetic Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Artistic and Conceptual Terms
definition: A tensegrity system deliberately designed for controlled motion or reconfiguration. Used in responsive architecture, adaptive mechanisms, and time-based sculpture.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Layer Blending Modes
type: Concept
alternative label: Blend Modes
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Mathematical operations that combine layer pixels to achieve compositing effects.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Compositing

l-system
type: Concept
alternative label: Lindenmayer System
broader: computer art term
definition: a parallel rewriting system and a type of formal grammar. An L-system consists of an alphabet of symbols that can be used to make strings, a collection of production rules that expand each symbol into some larger string of symbols, an initial "axiom" string from which to begin construction, and a mechanism for translating the generated strings into geometric structures. L-systems were introduced and developed in 1968 by Aristid Lindenmayer, a Hungarian theoretical biologist and botanist at the University of Utrecht..
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: L-system

Post-Processing
type: Concept
alternative label: Color Grading
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Final adjustments after rendering: color grading, sharpening, denoise, and stylistic effects.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Compositing
related: Adjustment Layer

Rigging
type: Concept
alternative label: Armature Setup
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Creating skeletal controls and constraints to deform and animate a model.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Weight Painting
related: Topology

Foreground Threshold Band
type: Concept
alternative label: Stage Apron
alternative label: Threshold Zone
broader: Spatial Composition Strategy
definition: A horizontal zone at the base of a composition that separates the viewer's implied space from the depicted gathering or social field. Functions as both an entry point for the eye and a structural hinge between observer and scene.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Broader updated to SpatialCompositionStrategy. Identified as a recurring compositional habit across multiple paintings: Alhambra courtyard (dark pavement), Seoul palace (sandy ground with shadows), St. Mark's (acqua alta reflections). ChatGPT's EdgeObserverViewpoint discarded as a thinner restatement.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Water and Reflections
related: Horizontal Frieze Banding
related: Contemplative Witness Position
scope note: Can manifest as empty pavement, shadow pattern, or reflective water. When the threshold zone becomes the primary optical subject, it transitions from structural device to conceptual center.

watercolor material
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: A material used in watercolor painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

attunement
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: to bring into accord, harmony, or sympathetic relationship; adjustment or alignment.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

intensity
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: This refers to the brightness or dullness of a particular color. A color's saturation, brightness or strength
in scheme: Painting Terms

Cobalt Green Deep
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: cobalt-green-deep-pigment.html
ARGB: FF1853AD
symbol: COGD
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cobalt Green Deep
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 6

has chirality
type: Property
comment: Links a tensegrity configuration to its chirality value (left-handed or right-handed).
range: Chirality

flat brush
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A short-haired brush with a straight edge. Useful for laying down washes of all kinds and particularly suited to hard-edged shapes such as mountains, tree trunks, buildings, and figures.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

bead
type: Concept
broader: wash
definition: The pool of water that forms at the base of a wash. Maintaining the bead is essential for a consistent wash, as streaks form if it dries out too quickly.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

mixed media technique
type: Concept
type: WatercolorTechnique
broader: watercolor technique
definition: A watercolor painting technique that intentionally incorporates non-watercolor media ? such as gouache, acrylic ink, casein, ink, pastel, or collage ? to extend the range of surface effects or exploit contrast between transparent and opaque, wet and dry, or fluid and fixed media.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

line and wash
type: Concept
broader: ink wash
definition: A technique combining ink pen drawing with watercolor washes. Traditionally done with dip pens but also achievable with markers, biros, or Rapidograph-style pens.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

Yellow Ochre Light
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FFAD8233
symbol: YOL
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 22

Two-Color Grey 7
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
contains paint: Cobalt Turquoise
contains paint: Burnt Sienna
ARGB: FF3C4A44
symbol: 2CG7
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1008

watercolor process
type: Concept
broader: painting process
definition: A process used in watercolor painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process

Canson Mixed Media
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaper
has paper finish: Smooth
has paper weight: 98
broader: Art Paper
definition: A smooth drawing paper in a pad.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
related: hot pressed paper
position: 3
size: 11x14

Perceptual Realism
type: Concept
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: An approach to representation that captures how things appear to human vision rather than their objective physical properties.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Observational Fidelity
related: lost and found edges
scope note: Distinguished from photorealism; emphasizes the experience of seeing over mechanical reproduction.

transparent paint
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: consists of pigment mixed with gum arabic, glycerin and a wetting agent
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

A-Z Glossary Of Watercolor Terms (article)
type: Collection
member: binder
member: chroma
member: intensity
member: mud
member: plein air
member: neutral color
member: wet on dry
member: watercolor glazing
member: frame mat
member: charging
member: masking tape
member: complementary colors
member: bead
member: Soft Edge
member: tint
member: granulation
member: temperature color
member: happy accident
member: cold-pressed paper
member: Kolinsky (sable)
member: bamboo brush
member: fan brush
member: Hard Edge
member: rough paper
member: casein
member: masking fluid
member: wash
member: cockling
member: primary color
member: scrubbing
member: round brush
member: deckled edges
member: loose painting style
member: lost and found edges
member: sizing
member: value
member: pigment
member: hake brush
member: line and wash
member: watercolor ground
member: thumbnail
member: backrun
member: watercolor canvas
member: abstract
member: split primaries palette
member: lifting paint
member: mop brush
member: hue
member: relatedBlogPosts
member: gum arabic
member: dagger brush
member: gouache
member: vegan brushes
member: tube color
member: natural hair brushes
member: palette
member: stretching
member: dry brush technique
member: layering
member: wet-into-wet wash
member: not paper
member: color wheel
member: synthetic brushes
member: wash flat
member: staining colors
member: watercolor easel
member: bloom
member: weight
member: overworking
member: palette knife
member: pan
member: analogous Colors
member: block
member: watercolor medium
member: flat brush
member: hot pressed paper

T3 prism
type: Concept
cable count: 9
member count: 12
strut count: 3
vertex count: 6
alternative label: triangular tensegrity antiprism
alternative label: 3-strut tensegrity prism
broader: Tensegrity Prism (Tn)
definition: A 3-strut tensegrity antiprism with two parallel triangular vertex rings, mutually rotated; a continuous cable network forms two 3-edge rings and three helical cross-cables, stabilizing three isolated struts in self-stress.
note: Chiral: realizable in left-handed or right-handed forms depending on ring rotation; typical cable layout = 2n (ring) + n (helical) with n=3.
related: Chirality
related: antiprism

Ivory Black
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF23221E
symbol: IVB
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 38

Normal Map
type: Concept
alternative label: Tangent-Space Normal Map
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Texture encoding per-pixel normals to fake small-scale relief without altering geometry.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: UV Mapping
related: PBR (Physically Based Rendering)
related: Ambient Occlusion (AO)

Right-Handed
type: Concept
broader: Chirality
definition: Descriptions of the sense of twist in a tensegrity prism or module. A right-handed prism twists clockwise when viewed from above. Alternating handedness can produce symmetrical towers or balanced toroidal forms.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Hard Edge
type: Concept
alternative label: Sharp Edge
alternative label: Crisp Edge
broader: Edge Handling
definition: A clearly defined boundary between adjacent areas, created by painting onto dry paper or allowing previous washes to dry completely.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Architectural Subjects

watercolor canvas
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: A canvas similar to oil painting canvas but treated with Gesso to accept water-based paints.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: canvas

Drawing and Masking Setup
type: Concept
order: 3
alternative label: Under-drawing and Reserves
broader: watercolor process
definition: Light drawing or transfer, masking fluid placement, planning hard and soft edges.
editorial note: The more the pencil dictates, the less the wash can discover. Let paint lead whenever possible.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: masking
related: masking fluid
related: Accents and Detailing
related: underdrawing
related: pen nib mask
related: Development Through Layering
scope note: Keep lines minimal; think scaffolding, not blueprint. Mask selectively to preserve crucial highlights.

gouache
type: Concept
alternative label: gouache (or body color)
broader: watercolor material
definition: An opaque water-based paint similar to watercolor but significantly more opaque; can be applied thick or thin.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

Soft Edge
type: Concept
type: WatercolorTechnique
alternative label: Blended Edge
alternative label: Diffused Edge
broader: Edge Handling
definition: A gradual transition between areas with no distinct boundary, typically achieved through wet-into-wet application.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: wet-into-wet wash
related: aerial perspective

Chirality
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: The property of a structure being non-superimposable on its mirror image. In tensegrity prisms, chirality defines whether the twist between upper and lower bases is right-handed or left-handed. Opposite chiralities can influence torque, stability, and the visual rhythm of the structure.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Azure Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: azure-blue-pigment.html
ARGB: FF3198C5
symbol: ABL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Azure Blue
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 2

Buckminster Fuller
type: Concept
broader: Historical and Conceptual Terms
definition: Architect and inventor who coined the term 'tensegrity' and advanced its theoretical foundations.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Discontinuous Compression Network
type: Concept
broader: Structural Elements
definition: The system of struts that do not touch each other but are stabilized by the surrounding tension network.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Digital Art Terms
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Terms used to describe digital art.
has top concept: digital art term

Corrections and Cleanup
type: Concept
order: 8
broader: watercolor process
definition: Lifting, soft scrubbing, and re-glazing to unify; remove masking; resolve value hierarchy.
editorial note: This is where the painting often clicks: the hierarchy becomes legible and the mood locks in.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Drying, Flattening and Surface Protection
related: lifting paint
related: Accents and Detailing
related: masking
related: scrubbing
related: watercolor glazing
scope note: Use lifting to reclaim light and re-glazes to bind passages into coherent atmosphere.

Art Evaluation
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: Evaluation in art is the process of assessing the value, quality, or significance of a work of art. It involves analyzing the work's techniques, elements, and overall impact. Evaluation can help to understand the cultural relevance, effectiveness, and artistic intention of a work. An artistic evaluation tends to focus on a more subjective judgment of an artwork's overall quality, meaning and impact

nature
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A reference to the representation of things found in nature.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Horizontal Frieze Banding
type: Concept
alternative label: RegisterComposition
alternative label: Stratified Horizontal Bands
alternative label: Register Composition
broader: Spatial Composition Strategy
definition: A compositional organization in which the picture plane is structured as stacked horizontal layers or registers, each carrying a distinct visual identity: foreground ground plane, human activity band, architectural frame, upper atmospheric field. Produces a decorative surface pattern alongside implied depth.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Broader updated from the:Composition to the:SpatialCompositionStrategy. ChatGPT's SpatialBanding discarded as redundant with this concept.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Foreground Threshold Band
related: Tonal Stratification
scope note: Related to Byzantine and medieval mosaic register composition, and to the organization of narrative friezes on architectural facades. Distinguished from strict tonal stratification by its emphasis on social and spatial layering rather than purely tonal depth.

Red Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical red pigments.

Digital Tools
type: Concept
broader: Tools
definition: Software and computational utilities used in digital 3D sculpture practice.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Digital Modeling and Assembly

Art Criticism
type: Concept
type: ArtCriticism
broader: Interpretation
definition: Art criticism is the analysis and evaluation of art, including its significance in art history and its communication with the audience

watercolor technique
type: Concept
type: WatercolorTechnique
broader: painting technique
definition: A technique used in watercolor painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Composition Formats
type: Concept
broader: Composition
definition: Standard orientations and proportions of the picture plane.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

parchment
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Apply paint to an area then, while wet, press a piece of parchment paper onto the surface. Areas in full contact with the wash and areas held off by parchment bubbles produce a contrasting texture when lifted. Experiment with wetness levels; crumpled plastic cling wrap is an alternative.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Tensegrity Tower
type: Concept
broader: Types and Variants
definition: A vertical stacking of prisms, often forming a repeating module.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Palette Construction
type: Concept
alternative label: Color Palette
alternative label: Working Palette
broader: Color Theory
definition: The selection and organization of colors an artist uses, either for a specific work or as a characteristic practice.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Static Determinacy
type: Concept
broader: Mathematical and Mechanical Terms
definition: A condition where the structure's internal forces can be calculated purely from equilibrium equations.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

masking tape
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: Sticky paper tape used to mask off a white border or preserve areas of a painting.
in scheme: Painting Terms

visual art term
type: Concept
definition: A term of art in the visual arts.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

Artistic and Conceptual Terms
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Terms describing perceptual, aesthetic, and generative aspects of tensegrity as art and design practice.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Render Passes
type: Concept
alternative label: AOVs
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Separately computed image channels (for example, diffuse, specular, shadow) for flexible compositing.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Compositing
related: Depth Map / Z-Depth

Observational Fidelity
type: Concept
alternative label: Fidelity to Observation
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: Commitment to accurate representation of what is seen, as opposed to invention or idealization.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Perceptual Realism
related: Place Painting

watercolor glazing
type: Concept
alternative label: layering
broader: wet on dry
definition: Applying a thin wash of color over a fully dried layer. The transparency of watercolor creates a third color optically or darkens the existing one.
hidden label: watercolour glazing
hidden label: colour glazing
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Alizarin Crimson
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: alizarine-crimson-pigment.html
ARGB: FF89293C
symbol: ACL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Alizarin Crimson
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 46

Interactive Presentation on the Web
type: Concept
broader: Presentation and Installation
definition: Real time viewing and interaction for sculpture models in browsers or kiosks.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Covers viewer components, environment maps, and performance considerations.
related: Exchange and Publishing

mud
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: Dull, earthy neutral colors resulting from mixing a color with too much of its complement (e.g. red mixed with green).
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Drawing and Masking Setup (RS)
type: Concept
order: 3
alternative label: Under-drawing and Reserves (RS)
broader: Drawing and Masking Setup
definition: Light, economical under-drawing; occasional masking only for tight highlights or architectural edges.
editorial note: You paint best when the drawing invites discovery rather than dictates outcome.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Accents and Detailing (RS)
related: pen nib mask
related: masking fluid
related: Development Through Layering (RS)
related: underdrawing
related: masking
scope note: Use gesture for organics and sparing line for architecture; let paint do most of the describing.

JPEG (compressed raster)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Lossy compressed raster format balancing file size and quality; not ideal for heavy edits.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Raster Graphics

Cobalt Green Light
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: cobalt-green-light-pigment.html
ARGB: FF346A5A
symbol: COGL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cobalt Green Light
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 7

Digital Process
type: Concept
broader: visual arts process
definition: The process of producing a creative work using digital media.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

T4 prism
type: Concept
cable count: 12
member count: 16
strut count: 4
vertex count: 8
alternative label: square tensegrity antiprism
alternative label: 4-strut tensegrity prism
broader: Tensegrity Prism (Tn)
definition: A 4-strut tensegrity antiprism with two parallel square vertex rings in relative rotation; cables form two 4-edge rings and four helical cross-cables to stabilize four isolated struts.
note: Chiral: left-handed or right-handed according to the sense of ring rotation; canonical cable topology totals 3n for n=4.
related: antiprism
related: Chirality

Professional Artist
type: Concept
broader: Practitioner Types
definition: A practitioner who derives income from artistic work and/or identifies publicly as an artist.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Serious Amateur

Naples yellow
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PY41
broader: Yellow Group
definition: Lead antimonate yellow; historical warm opaque yellow with characteristic orange cast.

Sculpture Term
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: A term of art in sculpture creation.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Category head for all sculpture related concepts in this scheme.

Parametric and Constraint Solving
type: Concept
broader: Techniques
definition: Rule driven modeling and numerical solving to maintain geometric or structural relationships.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Structural Design for Tensegrity

Water and Reflections
type: Concept
broader: Subject Matter
definition: The depiction of water surfaces and their reflective properties.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Reserved Whites
related: transparent
scope note: A challenging subject requiring understanding of both transparency and reflection, often testing an artist's full technical range.

Surface and Materials Preparation (RS)
type: Concept
order: 2
alternative label: Paper and Palette Setup (RS)
broader: Surface and Materials Preparation
definition: 11x15 in on 300 lb cold-press as default; 9x12 in on 140 lb occasionally; tape edges, test swatches; proceed to immediate wet work.
editorial note: This robust surface lets you paint decisively; it forgives correction without dulling the paper's breath.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: stretching
related: block
related: cold-pressed paper
related: Foundational Washes (RS)
scope note: 300 lb supports assertive lifting and multi-glaze sequences without fatigue.

FBX (3D scene interchange)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Proprietary scene format supporting meshes, rigs, animation, and materials.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Rigging
related: Mesh

Two-Color Grey 2
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
contains paint: Potters Pink
contains paint: Azure
ARGB: FF8EA1A7
symbol: 2CG2
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1003

Edge Handling
type: Concept
alternative label: Edge Quality
broader: watercolor technique
definition: The deliberate treatment of transitions between forms, ranging from hard (sharp) to soft (diffused) to lost (merged).
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Composition
related: Visual Hierarchy

Prussian Blue
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: prussian-blue-pigment.html
ARGB: FF5A849E
symbol: PBL
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 40

Color Management
type: Concept
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: Policies and conversions (ICC) that keep colors consistent across devices and media.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Color Profile / Color Space
related: Proofing
related: TIFF (archival raster)

Color Script
type: Concept
broader: Concept & Design
definition: A sequence of frames mapping intended color and lighting beats across a narrative or series.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Dynamic Range
related: HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)

Viridian
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF4D9592
symbol: VGD
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 30

algorithmicism
type: Concept
broader: computer art term
definition: (T)he digital age has ushered in an era of "algorithmicism"--the increasingly steadfast belief that everything in the world, from business processes to financial markets to interpersonal interactions and more, can be analyzed and broken down into discrete model that are representable and manipulable by mathematical/digital processes.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: https://books.google.com/books

Technical Strength
type: Concept
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: An area of demonstrated competence and reliability in an artist's practice.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Developmental Edge
scope note: What the artist does well and can depend upon.

T5 prism (right-handed)
type: Concept
has chirality: Right-Handed
alternative label: right-handed T5
alternative label: RH T5
broader: T5 prism
definition: Right-handed 5-strut tensegrity antiprism with right-handed helical cross-cables.
related: Chirality

Raw umber
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PBr7
broader: Brown and Earth Group
definition: Iron oxide and manganese oxide earth; cool dark brown with greenish cast.

Painting Sequence
type: Concept
alternative label: Order of Work
broader: watercolor technique
definition: The order in which a painter addresses different passages of a watercolor: which areas are laid in first, which are held in reserve, and which are completed last. In watercolor, sequence is partly determined by wet/dry requirements and partly by the artist's conceptual priorities.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Conceptual Primary Subject
related: Reserved Whites
scope note: Sequence decisions encode conceptual priorities: beginning with the most technically demanding or conceptually central passage differs meaningfully from conventional dark-to-light or background-to-foreground ordering.

lost and found edges
type: Concept
alternative label: Lost & Found Edges
broader: watercolor technique
definition: When a foreground object's edge matches the tonal value of its background, the edge becomes indiscernible even though the brain still perceives it. Used deliberately to suggest movement or depth. A found edge is the reverse effect.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Prestress
type: Concept
broader: Fundamental Concepts
definition: The internal tension or compression introduced into a tensegrity structure before any external load is applied.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Topology
type: Concept
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Connectivity pattern and flow of polygons affecting deformation and efficiency.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Retopology
related: Subdivision Surface (SubD)

wet on dry
type: Concept
broader: wash
definition: Painting wet paint onto dry paper, producing crisp, hard-edged shapes. Also known as a glaze or layering wash.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Ultramarine Blue Dark
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: ultramarine-blue-dark-pigment.html
ARGB: FF1446AD
symbol: UBDL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Ultramarine Blue Dark
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
position: 41

Manganese
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF0B7BA1
symbol: MBD
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 32

Gallery Artwork Description
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: Technique or style: The technique or style used to create the artwork Subject matter: The subject matter of the artwork Inspiration: What inspired the artist to create the piece Meaning: What the artwork means to the artist Context: The historical background, location, and time of the artwork

Elastic Tendon
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: A tension member intentionally allowed to stretch under load. Elastic tendons are common in soft tensegrity and biomimetic models, where controlled compliance is desirable.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Conceptual / Workflow
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: Process philosophies, organizational methods, and computational paradigms guiding production.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
top concept of: Digital Fine Art Production

Schmincke & Company
type: Concept
alternative label: SCC
broader: Art Supply Provider
definition: A pigment manufacturer

Adjustment Layer
type: Concept
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Layer that applies tonal or color operations non-destructively to layers beneath it.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Color Profile / Color Space
related: Color Management

Dynamic Range
type: Concept
alternative label: Tonal Range
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Range between darkest and brightest reproducible tones in an image or device.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)

Painting processes
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Painting processes are the steps combining materials, techniques, tools and related concepts to produce a painting or to complete a part of the production of a painting.
has top concept: painting process

Accents and Detailing
type: Concept
order: 7
broader: watercolor process
definition: Dark accents, crisp passages, calligraphic marks, and controlled lifting to refine edges and emphasis.
editorial note: Late, minimal, and precise accents keep the painting fresh and prevent overworking.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: lifting paint
related: over-painting
related: pen nib painting
related: Corrections and Cleanup
scope note: Place the sharpest edges and deepest darks only where they serve the focal path.

Form-Finding
type: Concept
broader: Mathematical and Mechanical Terms
definition: The process of determining the equilibrium geometry of a tensegrity given its topology and element properties.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Fundamental Concepts
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Core ideas that define what tensegrity is and how it attains stability through balanced tension and compression.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Presentation and Archival (RS)
type: Concept
order: 10
alternative label: Matting and Framing (RS)
broader: Presentation and Archival
definition: Clean borders, archival matting and framing under glazing; consistent documentation and metadata capture.
editorial note: Your archival discipline supports the public reading of the work and its long-term care.

Alpha Channel
type: Concept
alternative label: Transparency Channel
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Per-pixel opacity data used to control transparency during compositing.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Masking (digital)
related: Clipping Mask

hot pressed paper
type: Concept
alternative label: Hot Pressed
broader: watercolor material
definition: Paper type; a heavy-weight, slow-to-absorb paper featuring a very smooth finish; manufactured using steam, heat and/or pressure to to help the fibres (wood pulp and/or cotton) nestle very close together, making the paper very slow to absorb; sized for water media.
hidden label: hot press
hidden label: HP paper
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

painting tool
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A tool used in painting.
in scheme: Painting Terms

easel
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: A stable stand, supporting an artist's painting .
in scheme: Painting Terms

Development Through Layering (RS)
type: Concept
order: 5
alternative label: Glazing and Negative Painting (RS)
broader: Development Through Layering
definition: Transparent glazes for form and atmosphere; strong use of negative painting; edges moving in and out of focus.
editorial note: This is your voice zone: where abstraction and depiction negotiate in real time.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Accents and Detailing (RS)
related: wet on dry
related: wet-into-wet wash
related: lost and found edges
related: Texture and Emphasis (RS)
related: watercolor glazing
scope note: Favor transparency; let value and edge quality shape the form more than contour lines.

hake brush
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A traditional wide, short-haired, long-handled Japanese brush with stitched goat hair, useful for natural-looking foliage and skies. Popularized by artist/author Ron Ranson.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Color Temperature
type: Concept
alternative label: Warm and Cool
broader: Color Theory
definition: The perceived warmth (toward red/yellow) or coolness (toward blue/green) of a color, used to create spatial depth and atmospheric effects.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Spatial Recession
related: aerial perspective

Cool Colors
type: Concept
broader: Color Temperature
definition: Colors in the blue, green, and violet range that appear to recede visually and evoke coolness.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Warm Colors

Homemade Watercolor Medium
type: Concept
type: Recipe
broader: Watercolor Medium
definition: A gum-arabic based watercolor binding medium.
recipe ingredient: gum arabic powder, distilled water, glycerine (humectant), essential oil of clove, essential oild of rosemary
recipe instructions: 1. Dissolve the gum Arabic powder: Dissolve two-part gum Arabic powder in four parts warm distilled water. Pour slowly and stir continuously for 10-15 minutes. 2. Add Humectant: Add one part of honey or glycerine (humectant) into the binder mixture at this stage. 3. Natural preservative: Add a couple of drops of essential oil (clove/rosemary) to the binder solution. 4. Let the solution stand for 24-48hrs to allow complete hydration of the gum arabic particles before use.

Tools
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Implements and software used to create, manipulate, join, or finish sculpture.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Materials for Sculpture
related: Techniques

Chromatic Architectural Wash
type: Concept
broader: Chromatic Variation in Wash
definition: A watercolor technique in which large architectural surfaces are constructed through layered washes of mixed warm and cool pigments, producing chromatically varied but tonally unified stone or wall surfaces.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source as a child of ChromaticVariationInWash. Narrows the broader concept to architectural application specifically.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: Complementary Mixed Gray

Tensegrity Term
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: The root term for all tensegrity terms.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Texture and Emphasis (RS)
type: Concept
order: 6
broader: Texture and Emphasis
definition: Structural textures preferred: drybrush for architecture, granulation for botanical surfaces, restrained spatter.
editorial note: Texture supports breath and structure; it should never upstage the value design.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: spattering
related: Texture Technique
related: Accents and Detailing (RS)
related: dry brush technique
related: granulation
scope note: Let pigment separation and paper tooth do the work before reaching for effects.

deckled edges
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: The rough, untrimmed edges of certain brands of watercolor paper.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Export, Optimization and File Preparation (.glb) (RS)
type: Concept
order: 6
alternative label: GLB Preparation (RS)
broader: Export, Optimization and File Preparation (.glb)
definition: Consolidate, bake transforms, reduce heavy meshes, confirm PBR maps, export glb with RDF hooks for cataloging.
editorial note: The quieter this step is, the better. Clean exports and stable metadata keep the experience consistent across platforms, so curatorial attention remains on the sculpture and not on file idiosyncrasies.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization (RS)

Texture and Emphasis
type: Concept
order: 6
broader: watercolor process
definition: Selective textures such as drybrush, spatter, and granulation to support form and focal contrasts.
editorial note: Texture reads best when it rides on good value design. Without that, it becomes noise.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Accents and Detailing
related: dry brush technique
related: Texture Technique
related: spattering
related: granulation
scope note: Use texture to amplify structure, not to decorate. Favor pigment behavior and paper surface over tricks.

Fabriano Artistico Grana Fina cold press
type: WatercolorPaper
type: Concept
has paper finish: Cold press
has paper weight: 300
broader: Art Paper
definition: A cold-press watercolor paper in sheets.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
related: cold-pressed paper
position: 1
size: 22x30

Opinion
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: An opinion of a work of art is a personal interpretation or judgment about its aesthetic qualities, meaning, and impact, based on an individual's subjective experience and perspective when viewing the piece; essentially, how someone feels about the artwork and what they think it conveys, which can vary greatly from person to person.

Advanced Watercolor Techniques (article)
type: Collection
definition: Once you have mastered the basic skills of color mixing, applying washes, softening edges, dropping in color etc. there are a number of more advanced watercolor techniques you can incorporate into your work.
member: washed ink
member: dragging paint
member: gesso underpainting
member: scraping dry paint
member: Japanese rice paper
member: paper blotting
member: pressingintowetpaper
member: pastel scrape
member: candle wax resist
member: opaque gouache contrast
member: sprayed ink
member: washed ink with gouache mask
member: cling wrap wash
member: paper masking
member: masking

Acqua Alta
type: Concept
alternative label: Venetian Flooding
alternative label: High Water
broader: Water and Reflections
definition: The periodic tidal flooding of Venice's Piazza San Marco and surrounding areas, producing shallow standing water that reflects architecture, figures, and sky. A recurring subject in Venetian painting that combines documentary, atmospheric, and symbolic registers.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Optical Abstraction
related: Reflective Symmetry
related: Impermanence Theme
scope note: The depth distribution of acqua alta governs crowd behavior: figures cluster where water is shallow enough to keep feet dry, and the crowd's edge maps the depth threshold. This can be encoded compositionally rather than described.

Lead white
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PW1
broader: White Group
definition: Basic lead carbonate; historic staple white with high opacity and warm tone.

Linear Perspective
type: Concept
broader: Spatial Recession
definition: A mathematical system for representing three-dimensional space on a flat surface using converging lines and vanishing points.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Architectural Subjects

Historical and Conceptual Terms
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: People, theories, and framing ideas that shaped the development and cultural reading of tensegrity.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Middle Band Dominance
type: Concept
alternative label: Center-weighted Composition
broader: Spatial Composition Strategy
definition: A compositional risk in which the primary narrative or visual activity is concentrated in the central horizontal band rather than anchored at the base or directed toward the top. Avoided by many painters due to risk of static or split composition; effective when the middle band functions as a chromatic membrane linking contrasting upper and lower registers.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. No ChatGPT equivalent. Succeeds when figures absorb and transmit color from both the ground plane below and the architectural field above, making the crowd a visual intermediary rather than a static centerpiece.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Horizontal Frieze Banding
related: Crowd Scene

Kenneth Snelson
type: Concept
broader: Historical and Conceptual Terms
definition: Sculptor who first realized tensegrity structures in physical form, notably works such as 'Needle Tower' and 'X-Piece'.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

granulation
type: Concept
alternative label: sedimentary colours
alternative label: sedimentary colors
alternative label: sedimentary pigment
alternative label: granulating colours
alternative label: granulating
alternative label: sedimentary
alternative label: granulating colors
broader: Texture Technique
definition: The natural precipitation of some pigments when water is added, producing a granular, speckled texture. Not indicative of poor quality or misuse; only certain colors granulate. Granulation medium can be applied to a dry or wet area, or mixed directly with paint, to introduce this fine-grained particle effect.
hidden label: granulation medium
hidden label: granulating medium
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: staining colors

Output & Presentation
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: Preparation for display, print, archival, or distribution, including file formats and color management.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
top concept of: Digital Fine Art Production

Naples Yellow Light
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: naples-yellow-light-pigment.html
ARGB: FFCCC22C
symbol: NYLL
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 13

Chromatic Variation in Wash
type: Concept
alternative label: Active Architectural Surface
broader: watercolor technique
definition: The technique of sustaining large architectural or ground-plane surfaces through subtle color shifts within a single value family rather than flat wash or detailed line modeling. Surfaces appear to breathe and absorb surrounding light rather than presenting as inert background.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Requires confidence in wash timing and pigment behavior; magnifies mistakes on large surfaces. Distinguished from granulation as a deliberate color rather than texture strategy. ChatGPT's ChromaticSurfaceModeling discarded as a thinner restatement of this concept.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Complementary Mixed Gray
related: Luminosity

parallax
type: Concept
broader: perspective
definition: the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions, e.g. through the viewfinder and the lens of a camera.
editorial note: the apparent shift in an object's position when viewed from different locations
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

Two-Color Grey 8
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
contains paint: Ultramarine
contains paint: Burnt Sienna
ARGB: FF7C8089
symbol: 2CG8
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1010

frame mat
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: A Mat is a 'Window' of card that sits inside a picture frame between the glass and the painting. It has the aesthetic function of creating a clean border around your painting and the practical function of separating the surface of the painting from the glass.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Tensegrity Robotics
type: Concept
broader: Applications and Contexts
definition: Robots that use tensegrity frameworks for mobility, flexibility, and shock absorption.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization (RS)
type: Concept
order: 7
alternative label: Interactive Presentation (RS)
broader: Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization
definition: Model-viewer as part of the work; environment presets as expressive devices; documentation to frame attention as medium.
editorial note: Presentation completes the circuit. By inviting the viewer to orbit and re-orient, the sculpture unfolds as a timed experience. Attention is not a byproduct; it is a structural material on par with light and metal.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup (RS)
related: Conceptual Structuring and Formal Logic (RS)

masking fluid
type: Concept
type: WatercolorAdditive
alternative label: frisket
broader: watercolor material
definition: Liquid latex used to preserve the white of the paper and to create textures
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: masking

Blue Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical blue pigments.

watercolor easel
type: Concept
broader: easel
definition: A stable stand, with an angled board that supports an artist's painting .
in scheme: Painting Terms
related: watercolor tool

split primaries palette
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A six-color palette comprising three warm and three cool primaries (e.g. Cadmium Red, New Gamboge, Ultramarine, Alizarin Crimson, Lemon Yellow, Cerulean Blue). Provides the widest range of warm and cool color-mixing options with the fewest pigments.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Prussian Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: https://www.dickblick.com/products/schmincke-pigments/
ARGB: FF306D9C
symbol: PB
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: Schmincke & Company
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 39

salt water
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Mix table salt with water before painting, then apply the salt-water wash and paint colors into it; the salt causes pigment to disperse more broadly. Experiment with different salt-to-water ratios for varied results.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Buckling
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: The loss of stability in a compression member when the compressive force exceeds a critical threshold. Buckling sets an upper limit on how slender tensegrity struts may be before failure or large deformation.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

chroma
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: The brightness or hue of a color. Paint straight from the tube is at maximum chroma.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Synergetics
type: Concept
broader: Historical and Conceptual Terms
definition: Buckminster Fuller's theoretical framework describing how systems gain stability and order through the interaction of independent components; tensegrity exemplifies this principle.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

AI-Assisted Criticism
type: Concept
alternative label: Computational Art Criticism
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The use of large language model systems to generate formal art criticism, compositional analysis, or developmental feedback on visual artworks.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Contemplative Practice
related: Critical Voice
scope note: AI-generated criticism tends toward structural completeness and rhetorical fluency at the expense of genuine risk-taking, hierarchy of observations, or authentic perceptual engagement. Useful as a scaffold or as a prompt for the artist's own reflection rather than as authoritative evaluation.

Procedural Workflow
type: Concept
alternative label: Generative Workflow
broader: Conceptual / Workflow
definition: Rule- and node-based methods that generate results from inputs and parameters, enabling reuse.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Parametric Design
related: Node-Based Editing

Luminosity
type: Concept
alternative label: Luminousness
broader: Value Structure
definition: The quality of emitting or reflecting light; in watercolor, often achieved through transparent washes over white paper.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Reserved Whites
related: transparent
related: Chromatic Shadows

Conceptual Structuring and Formal Logic
type: Concept
order: 1
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Define structural logic, tensegrity intent, figure-to-structure relations, geometry family, and expressive aims.
editorial note: This stage frames meaning before any mesh is committed. Decisions about tensegrity, figure orientation, and geometric language act as constraints that later steps elaborate rather than correct. Clarity here shortens the entire project.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Computational Geometry and Parametric Construction
related: Integration of Figures and Structural System
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

Cerulean Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: cerulean-blue-pigment.html
ARGB: FF2571A2
symbol: CBL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cerulean Blue
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 3

Developmental Edge
type: Concept
alternative label: Growth Edge
alternative label: Area for Development
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: An aspect of practice where growth is possible; a challenge or limitation that reappears across works.
editorial note: Framed constructively as opportunity rather than deficit.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Technical Strength

Indigo
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: schmincke-pigment-indigo-100-ml-jar
ARGB: FF081C37
symbol: IBS
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: Schmincke & Company
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 36

Cobalt Turquoise
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: cobalt-turquoise-pigment.html
ARGB: FF6FB9A8
symbol: CT
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cobalt Turquoise
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 1

Corrections and Cleanup (RS)
type: Concept
order: 8
broader: Corrections and Cleanup
definition: Selective lifting and edge softening on heavy paper; re-glazing to unify; remove masking; finalize value hierarchy.
editorial note: This is where your paintings often lock: the structure clarifies and the mood coheres.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: scrubbing
related: masking
related: Drying, Flattening and Surface Protection (RS)
related: watercolor glazing
related: lifting paint
related: Accents and Detailing (RS)
scope note: If a passage feels overbuilt, lift lightly and re-glaze to rejoin the painting's atmosphere.

rough paper
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: Heavily textured watercolor paper
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Sculptural Modeling of Figures and Form Elements (RS)
type: Concept
order: 3
broader: Sculptural Modeling of Figures and Form Elements
definition: Model figures as agents of tension; pose to express force vectors; refine silhouette and negative space for structural read.
editorial note: Figures neither dominate nor decorate; they participate. The success of this step is measured by whether a pose clarifies the force diagram of the whole. If the pose can be swapped without loss, the modeling is not yet specific enough.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Integration of Figures and Structural System (RS)

alcohol
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: Rubbing alcohol applied to wet watercolor paint repels and displaces pigment, creating lighter areas, textures, and effects such as bubbles, swirling patterns, or abstract designs.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Proofing
type: Concept
alternative label: Soft Proofing
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: Previewing how an image will reproduce on a specific device or substrate before final output.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Color Management
related: Archival Print (Giclee)

Minimal Path System
type: Concept
broader: Artistic and Conceptual Terms
definition: A configuration that achieves maximum apparent stability or span with the fewest necessary members. The term highlights tensegrity's economy of means as an aesthetic as well as an engineering goal.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Form-Active Structure
type: Concept
broader: Applications and Contexts
definition: A system where the geometry itself resists loads efficiently, of which tensegrity is an example.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Botanical Subjects
type: Concept
alternative label: Floral Subjects
alternative label: Garden Subjects
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Depictions of plants, flowers, and garden settings as primary subject matter.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Negative Painting

Black Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical black pigments.

liner rigger
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A round brush with hairs twice the usual length, ideal for long, continuous thin lines. Available in small sizes only (typically up to #3). Liners and riggers are functionally identical despite the differing names used by manufacturers.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

atomiser
type: Concept
alternative label: diffuser
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A manual, mouth-operated paint spraying tool that produces a fine mist, similar in effect to an airbrush or aerosol spray can.
editorial note: Sometimes referred to as an atomiser sprayer
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

body colour
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: Opaque water-based paint such as gouache or tempera. Used to add solid color to transparent watercolors, and opaque white is used to restore highlights in muddy or over-saturated areas.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

painting process
type: Concept
broader: visual arts process
definition: A process used in the production of a painting as a creative work.
in scheme: Painting Terms

watercolor ground
type: Concept
type: WatercolorAdditive
broader: watercolor material
definition: An acrylic-based primer with controlled absorbency that enables watercolor painting on non-traditional surfaces such as printer paper, thin card, wood, or stone.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Documentation
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Records describing the work, its provenance, process, and technical details.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Creation Process
related: Presentation and Installation

paper blotting
type: Concept
broader: lifting paint
definition: Lifting pigment from a wet wash using crumpled paper towel or absorbent tissue in a soft, predictable way. Rotate and re-crumple the paper to avoid repeating patterns. Effective for lifting clouds from a wet sky wash.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Computer Graphics Processes
type: ConceptScheme
definition: The steps performed in the creation of a computer graphics creative work.
has top concept: computer graphics process

washed ink
type: Concept
broader: ink wash
definition: Waterproof ink applied to paper, allowed to almost dry, then scrubbed back with a water spray and rough bristle brush, producing interesting, unpredictable textures and shapes. Permanent once applied; best used before adding watercolor washes.

Brown and Earth Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical brown and earth pigments.

scraping dry paint
type: Concept
alternative label: Sgraffito
broader: removing paint
definition: Gently scraping dried (or partially dried) paint off the paper using a razor blade, craft knife, sandpaper, cardboard, or credit card to reveal subtle details, irregular textures, or restored white space.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Parametric Design
type: Concept
broader: Conceptual / Workflow
definition: Design approach driven by adjustable parameters to explore families of solutions.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Procedural Workflow

Indigo Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: indigo-blue-genuine-pigment.html
ARGB: FF0C1534
symbol: IBL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Indigo Blue
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 5

Foundational Washes (RS)
type: Concept
order: 4
alternative label: Big Shape Establishment (RS)
broader: Foundational Washes
definition: Single coherent atmospheric washes establishing temperature shifts and a global light scaffold.
editorial note: When this pass is confident, later passages feel inevitable rather than labored.
example: Elephant Ear: warm vegetal gradient in one pass. Court of Myrtles: cool architectural field unified early.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Development Through Layering (RS)
related: gradated wash
related: wash
related: wet-into-wet wash
related: Corrections and Cleanup (RS)
related: variegated wash

Mood Board
type: Concept
alternative label: Reference Board
broader: Concept & Design
definition: A curated collage of references establishing aesthetic, palette, material, and lighting cues.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Color Profile / Color Space
related: Color Script

acrylic ink
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Colored acrylic ink applied to watercolor causes pigment separation similar to oil in water. Other high-pigment watercolor alternatives such as Brusho produce comparable results. The outcome is a mixed-media creation with a distinctive dispersed appearance.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

sponge
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Painting with a damp sea sponge dipped in watercolor produces a highly varied, rough texture on the paper.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Subject Matter
type: Concept
alternative label: Genre
broader: Art Criticism
definition: The category or type of content depicted in a work of art.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

T3 prism (left-handed)
type: Concept
has chirality: Left-Handed
alternative label: left-handed T3
alternative label: LH T3
broader: T3 prism
definition: Left-handed 3-strut tensegrity antiprism: upper ring rotated relative to the lower so that helical cross-cables trace a left-handed twist.
related: Chirality

block
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaper
broader: watercolor material
definition: Watercolor paper sold as multiple sheets glued around all edges, minimizing cockling and eliminating the need to stretch paper.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Limited Palette
type: Concept
alternative label: Restricted Palette
broader: Palette Construction
definition: A deliberately constrained selection of colors, typically three to six, from which all mixtures are derived.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Color Harmony
scope note: Often used as a learning exercise or to achieve unified color harmony.

Types and Variants
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Named classes, modules, and families of tensegrity configurations and how they repeat or scale.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Swatch Book
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A book of swatches for all the paint colors in the palette. The swatch book paper is 140 lb. cold press.

Spatial Recession
type: Concept
alternative label: Pictorial Depth
alternative label: Depth Illusion
broader: Composition
definition: The techniques by which a two-dimensional picture plane creates the illusion of three-dimensional space extending into the distance.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Temperature Shift

Portrait Format
type: Concept
alternative label: Vertical Format
broader: Composition Formats
definition: A composition oriented with the height greater than the width.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Prussian blue
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PB27
broader: Blue Group
definition: Iron(III) hexacyanoferrate; first modern synthetic blue (early 18th c.); deep greenish-blue undertone and strong tinting strength.
related: Ultramarine blue, natural

Sennelier
type: Concept
alternative label: SEN
broader: Art Supply Provider
definition: A pigment manufacturer

Equilibrium
type: Concept
broader: Fundamental Concepts
definition: The condition where all forces in a tensegrity structure balance so that it is stable and motionless under given loads.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

landscape painting
type: Concept
alternative label: landscape art
broader: nature
definition: The depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view with its elements arranged into a coherent composition.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Digital Art Notes
type: ConceptScheme
comment: This is a rather flat scheme. Mostly an operational aid.
definition: All google Keep note instances for digital artworks belong to this scheme.

Thesaurus for the Visual Arts
comment: A thesaurus aligned with the CWVA creative-process domain ontology for the visual arts
label: Thesaurus for the process in the Visual Arts
contributor: visualartsdna.org
description: This thesaurus provides a vocabulary for describing process modeled by the CWVA ontology, http://visualartsdna.org/model/. Visit visualartsdna.org for more information.
description: This thesaurus provides a vocabulary for describing data modeled by the CWVA ontology, http://visualartsdna.org/model/. Visit visualartsdna.org for more information.
issued: 2025-11-02T12:00:00Z
issued: 2022-07-16T12:00:00Z
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
modified: 2025-11-02T12:00:00Z
modified: 2025-06-22T12:00:00Z
publisher: visualartsdna.org
rights: copyright
title: Thesaurus for process in the Visual Arts
version info: v 2.0

Two-Color Grey 3
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
contains paint: Burnt Sienna
contains paint: Manganese Blue
ARGB: FF8A8581
symbol: 2CG3
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1004

Geometric and Symmetry Terms
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Terms describing twist, handedness, rotational order, and other geometric/symmetry properties of tensegrity structures.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

GLB (glTF binary)
type: Concept
alternative label: glTF Binary
broader: File Formats
definition: Binary form of glTF optimized for compact delivery of PBR-ready 3D assets on the web.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: PBR (Physically Based Rendering)
related: HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)

watercolor paint preparation
type: Concept
broader: painting preparation
definition: The process includes hydrating paint cakes, creating mixes and dilutions. The process can include creating new watercolor paint from raw pigment and watercolor binder solution. This involves mulling the paints and binder together. The mixture is then allowed to dry forming a 'cake'.
in scheme: Painting processes

High Key
type: Concept
broader: Value Structure
definition: A value structure dominated by light values, creating a bright, luminous effect.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Luminosity
related: Reserved Whites

Aspect Ratio
type: Concept
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: Proportional relationship of width to height that determines framing and composition.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: File Formats

pan paint
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
broader: watercolor material
definition: small cakes of watercolor paint that come in half-pan or whole-pan sizes
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

David Davis
type: Concept
alternative label: DD
broader: Art Supply Provider
definition: A bulk pigment retailer.

Reflection Symmetry
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: A condition in which one half of a structure is the mirror image of the other. Pure tensegrity prisms are typically chiral and therefore lack reflection symmetry, unless paired with an oppositely handed mate.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Malachite
type: Concept
broader: Green Group
definition: Basic copper carbonate green mineral; granular particles give characteristic pale, slightly bluish green.

Architectural Subjects
type: Concept
alternative label: Architectural Painting
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Depictions of buildings, monuments, and built environments as primary subject matter.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Linear Perspective
related: hardEdge
related: Veduta tradition

Render Farm
type: Concept
broader: Conceptual / Workflow
definition: Pool of networked machines distributing render jobs for speed and scale.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Ray Tracing
related: Render Passes

Non-Destructive Editing
type: Concept
broader: Conceptual / Workflow
definition: Workflow approach that preserves source data via layers, masks, and parametric nodes.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Adjustment Layer
related: Node-Based Editing

Still Life
type: Concept
alternative label: Nature Morte
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Depictions of inanimate objects, typically arranged on a tabletop.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Raw Umber
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
ARGB: FF63523E
symbol: RU
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 27

Clipping Mask
type: Concept
alternative label: Clipping Group
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Constrains a layer's visibility to the shape of another layer below.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Masking (digital)

Node (Joint)
type: Concept
broader: Structural Elements
definition: A point where cables and struts connect, transmitting forces between elements.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

STL (3D print mesh)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Triangulated surface format commonly used in additive manufacturing; no color or materials.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Mesh

Crowd Hinge Band
type: Concept
broader: Human Activity Frieze
definition: A band of human figures positioned between contrasting spatial systems ? such as a reflective foreground surface and an architectural backdrop ? functioning as a visual and chromatic hinge linking the two domains. Figures absorb and transmit color from both adjacent registers.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source. Definition lightly expanded to include the chromatic transmission role identified in conversation.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Middle Band Dominance
related: Reflective Symmetry

Critical Voice
type: Concept
alternative label: Authorial Perspective in Criticism
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The presence of a distinct, risk-taking perspective in art criticism that makes unexpected observations, establishes hierarchies of importance, and demonstrates genuine perceptual engagement with the work rather than formal structural analysis alone.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: AI-Assisted Criticism
scope note: Distinguished from technically accurate but voiceless criticism by its willingness to prioritize some observations over others, to be surprised, and to revise positions when corrected by the artist. The absence of critical voice is a characteristic limitation of AI-generated criticism.

Masking (digital)
type: Concept
alternative label: Layer Mask
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Non-destructive technique to reveal or hide parts of a layer using grayscale control.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Alpha Channel
related: Clipping Mask

Structural Elements
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Named physical components of a tensegrity system and how they interact to carry load.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

paper masking
type: Concept
broader: assisted wash
definition: Torn cartridge paper placed on the painting; the exposed area is wiped with a damp brush or sponge to lift pigment. Works best with sedimentary, non-staining colors. Straight-edged paper can also be used for formal, geometric tonal changes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

temperature color
type: Concept
alternative label: temperature
broader: painting term
definition: Colors are divided into cool and warm. Colors that lean towards Red/Yellow are considered to be warm colors and colors that lean towards Blue/Green are classified as cool.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization
type: Concept
order: 7
alternative label: Interactive Presentation
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Deploy in model-viewer, tune tone mapping and exposure, set environment presets, document concept and viewing logic.
editorial note: Interaction is part of the medium. Allow rotation and context to reveal the work over time, but maintain a disciplined lighting and exposure envelope so the sculpture does not become a lighting demo.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup
related: Conceptual Structuring and Formal Logic
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

Exchange and Publishing
type: Concept
broader: Documentation
definition: Packaging and distributing models and media for archival, review, or exhibition.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Includes glTF, USD, and related formats and manifests.
related: Interactive Presentation on the Web

File Formats
type: Concept
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: Encodings for storing and exchanging raster, vector, and 3D data.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production

Raw Sienna
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FFC79743
symbol: RS
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 24

impasto
type: Concept
broader: painting technique
definition: Paint that is applied to a canvas or panel in quantities that make it stand out from the surface.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Surface and Materials Preparation
type: Concept
order: 2
alternative label: Paper and Palette Setup
broader: watercolor process
definition: Paper choice and prep, taping or stretching, palette layout, water containers, test swatches.
editorial note: A disciplined prep step protects spontaneity: fewer mechanical problems means freer painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Foundational Washes
related: cold-pressed paper
related: block
related: stretching
scope note: Heavier sheets (for example, 300 lb) reduce cockling and support assertive wet-in-wet work.

Sculpture Terms
type: ConceptScheme
source: Q860861
definition: Terms related to the creation of sculpture.
note: Concept scheme for sculpture creation, tools, materials, and practice specific digital 3D terms.

palette
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: A surface for mixing paint, typically with wells or depressions to prevent paint from running. Best watercolor palettes are pure white porcelain. Also refers to an artist's chosen color scheme or selection of colors.
in scheme: Painting Terms

cling wrap wash
type: Concept
broader: assisted wash
definition: Cling wrap arranged over a wet wash and left until fully dry produces fairly predictable rock-like textures.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

color wheel
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: The color wheel is a visual representation of the colors of the visible spectrum in order of Temperature laid out in the form of a circle. Color wheels can be useful to artists as they show the relationship of colors to each other. Color wheels can be used to develop color schemes.
in scheme: Painting Terms

bamboo brush
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: An inexpensive Chinese-style brush with a bamboo handle and natural hair (often squirrel), suited to loose, painterly strokes such as natural-looking foliage and skies.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Cobalt Blue
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF058A9B
symbol: COB
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 35

Self-Stress State
type: Concept
broader: Mathematical and Mechanical Terms
definition: A set of internal forces that maintains equilibrium without any external load.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Accents and Detailing (RS)
type: Concept
order: 7
broader: Accents and Detailing
definition: Late, selective sharpening; clean transparent darks; calligraphic marks confined to focal zones.
editorial note: Placed sparingly, your darks operate like a signature: necessary, unmistakable, and final.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: lifting paint
related: over-painting
related: Corrections and Cleanup (RS)
related: pen nib painting
scope note: Aim for the minimum number of hard edges needed to seal the focal path.

Bone black
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PBk9
broader: Black Group
definition: Carbonized animal bone containing hydroxyapatite; slightly warmer undertone than lamp black.

Green Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical green pigments.

stipple
type: Concept
broader: brushing paint
definition: Creating imagery through a series of dots applied with a brush tip; dimension is built by layering dots in various hues to create light and shadow, allowing colors to mix optically. Traditionally ideal for miniature-scale work.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Pipeline
type: Concept
alternative label: Production Pipeline
broader: Conceptual / Workflow
definition: Coordinated sequence of tools, data formats, and handoffs moving work from concept to delivery.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: File Formats
related: Metadata / IPTC / EXIF
related: Render Farm

Metadata / IPTC / EXIF
type: Concept
alternative label: XMP Metadata
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: Embedded technical and rights information enabling attribution, search, and workflow automation.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: PDF (document/vector)
related: TIFF (archival raster)

Tensegrity Bridge
type: Concept
broader: Applications and Contexts
definition: An architectural tensegrity system used to span distances with minimal material.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Vernacular Architecture
type: Concept
broader: Architectural Subjects
definition: Ordinary, local, or traditional buildings constructed without formal architectural design.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
scope note: Examples include barns, farmhouses, rural structures.

pan
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: Small, thumbnail-sized paint containers that slot into portable trays, most often used for painting in sketchbooks and outdoors.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Vermilion (cinnabar)
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PR106
broader: Red Group
definition: Mercuric sulfide red, natural or synthetic; brilliant warm red with historic darkening issues in some conditions.
related: Red ocher
related: Rose madder

Cable (Tension Member)
type: Concept
broader: Structural Elements
definition: A flexible or tensile element that resists stretching forces and connects the structure's nodes.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

cold-pressed paper
type: Concept
alternative label: Cold Pressed
broader: watercolor material
definition: The most commonly used type of watercolour paper; a heavy weight; absorbent paper featuring a pronounced toothy finish and sized to accept watermedia (see; sizing).Highest quality cold pressed papers may be hand-made and will contain 100% cotton fibres; they're loved for their irregular rough texture and reliable performance and absorbency
hidden label: cold press
hidden label: NOT paper
hidden label: not-pressed
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Structural Design for Tensegrity
type: Concept
broader: Creation Process
definition: Design and verification activities for tension and compression systems where compression members do not touch and the network is in self stress.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Includes topology selection, routing, parameter sweeps, and solver assisted self stress search.
related: Parametric and Constraint Solving
related: Materials for Sculpture

Depth Map / Z-Depth
type: Concept
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Grayscale image encoding distance from the camera, used for depth-of-field and atmospheric effects.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Compositing
related: Render Passes

Vision and Planning (RS)
type: Concept
order: 1
alternative label: Intent and Value Studies (RS)
broader: Vision and Planning
definition: Memory-driven scenes with light in motion; abstract passages inside representational subjects; small value studies as needed to stabilize focal energy before paint.
editorial note: Your strongest starts happen when composition and value hierarchy are decided in miniature, so big washes can stay bold and un-fussy.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Drawing and Masking Setup (RS)
related: Foundational Washes (RS)
scope note: When a subject risks over-control, a 1 to 3 inch value thumbnail clarifies the sharpest edges and deepest darks.

neutral color
type: Concept
alternative label: neutral (colour)
broader: painting term
definition: Dull, muted grays and browns mixed by combining three evenly spaced color-wheel colors or complementary pairs.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup
type: Concept
order: 5
alternative label: Materials and HDRI Setup
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Select materials, control reflectance, choose HDRI environments, and configure lighting to reveal tension and form.
editorial note: Materials and light are not afterthoughts. Reflectance and HDRI selection can either collapse subtle tension lines or make them sing. Treat this step as a sculptural decision made with photons.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization
related: Export, Optimization and File Preparation (.glb)
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

thumbnail
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: A small sketch or painting produced in preparation for the creation of a larger work.
in scheme: Painting Terms

cockling
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: Uneven undulations or ridges that form when watercolor paper gets wet, causing painting problems. Minimized by stretching the paper, using heavier paper (140lb/300gsm or above), or using a watercolor block.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Presentation and Archival
type: Concept
order: 10
alternative label: Matting and Framing
broader: watercolor process
definition: Mounting, matting, framing under glazing; documentation, metadata, archival storage conditions.
editorial note: A strong frame and accurate documentation reinforce the painting's authority and provenance.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Vision and Planning
scope note: Use archival mats and UV-protective glazing; document pigments, paper, and process notes.

Compositional Balance
type: Concept
alternative label: Balance
broader: Composition
definition: The distribution of visual weight within a composition to achieve equilibrium, whether symmetrical or asymmetrical.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Fabriano Artistico Grana Fina hot press
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaper
has paper finish: Hot press
has paper weight: 300
broader: Art Paper
definition: A hot-press watercolor paper in sheets.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
related: hot pressed paper
position: 2
size: 22x30

paint diffusion
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: To spread over an area with paint in an aerosol form.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Painting Notes
type: ConceptScheme
comment: This is a rather flat scheme. Mostly an operational aid.
definition: All KeepNote instances for painting belong to this scheme.

watercolor medium
type: Concept
type: WatercolorAdditive
broader: watercolor material
definition: A substance added to watercolor paint to produce effects not achievable with water alone, such as texture, gloss, or glitter.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

gum arabic
type: Concept
type: WatercolorAdditive
broader: watercolor material
definition: A natural, non-toxic gum from acacia tree sap used as the binder in watercolor paint. Added to paint to increase viscosity and intensify color; diluted with water and applied to paper as a sealant to reduce absorbency, or applied over a finished painting as a varnish.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Indian Red
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF542424
symbol: IR
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 17

Reflective Symmetry
type: Concept
alternative label: Vertical Mirror Structure
broader: Optical Composition Strategy
definition: A compositional structure in which the lower portion of a picture echoes or mirrors the upper portion through water reflections, creating two competing but related visual systems: the solid architectural reality above and its optical reinterpretation below.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Broader updated to OpticalCompositionStrategy. ChatGPT's ReflectiveSpatialSymmetry covers the same ground with a thinner definition and is discarded.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Acqua Alta
related: Foreground Threshold Band
related: Optical Abstraction
scope note: Distinguished from simple symmetrical balance; here the lower register transforms the upper into color fragments and broken strokes, approaching abstraction while remaining referential.

Color Harmony
type: Concept
broader: Color Theory
definition: The pleasing arrangement of colors based on their relationships on the color wheel or through repetition and variation.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Palette Construction

hue
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Quite simply, a hue is a color. This is independent of it's intensity or brightness. A color's common name (for example, cadmium red)
in scheme: Painting Terms

Fabriano Artistico Grana Fina Rough
type: WatercolorPaper
type: Concept
has paper finish: Rough
has paper weight: 300
broader: Art Paper
definition: A cold-press watercolor paper in sheets with an extra rough surface.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
related: rough paper
position: 2
size: 22x30

scrubbing
type: Concept
broader: removing paint
definition: A dry brush technique used to lift paint from or add color to an area of the surface
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

underdrawing
type: Concept
broader: painting technique
definition: Sketching the intended composition on the substrate before applying paint. Pencil lines may be lightly erased after blocking in with paint or left in place.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Raw sienna
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PBr7
broader: Brown and Earth Group
definition: Yellow-brown iron oxide earth; semi-transparent and stable.

round brush
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A commonly used watercolor brush with hairs tapering to a fine point. Highly versatile: suitable for washes, fine details, and broad strokes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Global Illumination (GI)
type: Concept
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Simulation of indirect light transport via interreflections and color bleeding.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Ray Tracing
related: Ambient Occlusion (AO)

Watercolor Paint
type: Concept
alternative label: watercolour paint
alternative label: hand-ground paint
alternative label: milled watercolor
alternative label: milled watercolour
broader: paint
definition: A paint made from combining gum arabic watercolor medium with a dry pigment color using a muller to create a smooth paste which is stored in a pan and allowed to dry. The pigment is identified by the label name and brand, and the binder is identified by material.

Shadow Color
type: Concept
broader: Color Theory
definition: The specific hue chosen to represent shadows in a painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Chromatic Shadows
related: Ultramarine Shadows
scope note: Shadow color choice significantly affects a painting's overall mood and luminosity.

Selective economy
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: passages are left economical while focal areas receive full attention. a design principle that emphasizes using only the necessary elements to communicate a subject or feeling effectively. It is the practice of achieving maximum impact with minimal descriptive details, colors, or lines.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Civic Space
type: Concept
alternative label: Piazza
alternative label: Public Space
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Open, publicly shared urban or ceremonial space ? plazas, palace forecourts, temple grounds ? where monumental architecture frames ordinary human activity. A recurring subject type in which everyday presence inhabits spaces historically associated with power, religion, or ceremony.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Monumental Architecture
related: Place Painting
related: Public Gathering
scope note: The tension between monumental civic framework and unremarkable daily activity is a productive subject for watercolor, which naturally captures both structural permanence and atmospheric transience.

T5 prism
type: Concept
cable count: 15
member count: 20
strut count: 5
vertex count: 10
alternative label: pentagonal tensegrity antiprism
alternative label: 5-strut tensegrity prism
broader: Tensegrity Prism (Tn)
definition: A 5-strut tensegrity antiprism with two parallel pentagonal vertex rings in relative rotation; cables form two 5-edge rings and five helical cross-cables to stabilize five isolated struts.
note: Chiral: left-handed or right-handed variants; canonical cable topology totals 3n for n=5.
related: antiprism
related: Chirality

tensegrity antiprism
type: Concept
alternative label: n-strut tensegrity prism
alternative label: tensegrity prism
broader: TensegrityTerm
definition: A tensegrity configuration with two parallel n-gon vertex rings rotated relative to each other, where discontinuous compression members span between rings and a continuous cable network links each vertex to two adjacent vertices on the opposite ring, yielding a chiral, self-stressed system.
editorial note: For an n-strut tensegrity antiprism under this node: vertices = 2n; struts = n; cables = 3n (comprised of 2n ring cables + n helical cross-cables). Chirality is determined by the sense of relative rotation between vertex rings.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms
related: antiprism
related: Chirality
related: SelfStress
related: Tensegrity Prism (Tn)
scope note: Describes topology independent of metric regularity; commonly realized as the canonical n-strut tensegrity prism (e.g., T3, T4, T5).

Conceptual Structuring and Formal Logic (RS)
type: Concept
order: 1
alternative label: Formal Logic and Intent (RS)
broader: Conceptual Structuring and Formal Logic
definition: Tension and attention as core; figure orientation inward or outward; icosahedral and prism logics; viewer rotation as part of meaning.
editorial note: Concept drives everything here. The decision to let figures address each other instead of the viewer recasts the sculpture as a field the viewer must orbit and read. The work asks for time and rewards it with shifting alignments of force and gaze.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Computational Geometry and Parametric Construction (RS)
related: Integration of Figures and Structural System (RS)

Symmetrical Balance
type: Concept
broader: Compositional Balance
definition: Balance achieved through mirror-like arrangement of elements on either side of a central axis.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

washed ink with gouache mask
type: Concept
broader: ink wash
definition: Thick white gouache is painted to preserve white paper areas and allowed to dry, then completely covered with pigment ink. Once the ink dries, a water spray and bristle brush dissolve the gouache, revealing white paper beneath.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

Structural and Analytical Terms
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Terms describing mechanical behavior, analysis methods, and quantitative descriptors of tensegrity systems.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

salt
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Salt or rice added to a wet color wash acts as a desiccant, absorbing pigment from the surrounding area and leaving lighter marks when dry and brushed off. Add after the sheen disappears from the wet wash for best results.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Critical Concepts
type: Concept
broader: Art Criticism
definition: Terminology and frameworks used in the analysis and evaluation of visual art.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

watercolor tool
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: A tool used in watercolor painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

sandpaper
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: produced in a range of grit sizes and is used to remove material from surfaces, either to make them smoother or to remove a layer of material
editorial note: This is both a tool and material
in scheme: Painting Terms
related: sanding dry paper

Tonal Stratification
type: Concept
broader: Value Structure
definition: The organization of value layers to imply depth, with distinct tonal zones corresponding to spatial planes.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: watercolor glazing
related: Spatial Recession

Vertical Iconographic Axis
type: Concept
alternative label: Sacred Vertical
broader: Iconographic Content
definition: A compositional structure in which upper and lower registers carry contrasting symbolic registers ? the transcendent or permanent above, the mundane or transient below ? creating a vertical hierarchy of meaning that mirrors theological or philosophical frameworks.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Impermanence Theme
related: Reflective Symmetry
related: Horizontal Frieze Banding
scope note: Example: St. Mark's Basilica facade, where Last Judgment mosaics preside over the crowd in the piazza, and acqua alta reflections dissolve both into impermanence. Three levels: sacred imagery above / human activity in the middle / optical dissolution below.

Composition
type: Concept
alternative label: Pictorial Composition
broader: Interpretation
definition: The arrangement and organization of visual elements within a picture plane.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Structural organization

Monumental Architecture
type: Concept
broader: Architectural Subjects
definition: Significant historical or cultural buildings such as palaces, churches, and public monuments.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
scope note: Examples include the Alhambra, Venetian churches, Korean palaces.

technicalism
type: Concept
broader: computer art term
definition: Technical method or treatment; (excessive) use of or reliance on technical terms or procedure.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: technicalism

Integration of Figures and Structural System
type: Concept
order: 4
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Fuse figures with tensegrity elements, balance symmetry and chirality, and make tension lines legible as form.
editorial note: This is the inflection point where the work either coheres or fragments. Integration must preserve structural clarity while allowing expressive deviations. Successful pieces feel inevitable at this stage, as if the figures could not be placed otherwise.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Sculptural Modeling of Figures and Form Elements
related: Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

Terre Verte
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: https://www.utrechtart.com/items/02993-7920/
ARGB: FF9FB181
symbol: TV
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: Sennelier
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 29

Rose madder
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: NR9
broader: Red Group
definition: Natural madder lake from Rubia tinctorum roots; transparent cool red noted for delicate glazing and historical fading concerns.
related: AlizarinCrimson
related: Vermilion (cinnabar)

Landscape Format
type: Concept
alternative label: Horizontal Format
broader: Composition Formats
definition: A composition oriented with the width greater than the height.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Strathmore Heavyweight Mixed Media
type: WatercolorPaper
type: Concept
has paper finish: Vellum
has paper weight: 350
broader: Art Paper
definition: A smooth finish multi-media drawing and painting surface.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
position: 3
size: 11x14

Raster Graphics
type: Concept
alternative label: Bitmap
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Pixel-based images whose resolution directly determines detail and print size.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: PNG (lossless raster)
related: Resolution / DPI
related: JPEG (compressed raster)
related: TIFF (archival raster)

Ray Tracing
type: Concept
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Image synthesis method tracing rays to compute reflection, refraction, and shadows.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Global Illumination (GI)

Narrative Device
type: Concept
alternative label: Compositional Narrative
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: An element introduced into a composition to imply story, time, or psychological context beyond what is literally depicted. Distinct from purely formal composition strategies in its intent to generate meaning through implied sequence or situation.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Examples: a figure mid-jump implying imminent transformation; sacred imagery above an oblivious crowd implying ironic juxtaposition of divine judgment and ordinary life.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Kinetic Figure
related: Iconographic Content

Cadmium Yellow Orange
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: cadmium-yellow-orange-pigment.html
ARGB: FFCF3916
symbol: CYO
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 15

cable count
type: Property
comment: Number of tension members (continuous tension) in the configuration.
range: int

indenting
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Scoring the paper with a stylus or brush handle immediately after applying fresh paint; pigment naturally settles into the recessed lines, emphasizing the scored details.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Export, Optimization and File Preparation (.glb)
type: Concept
order: 6
alternative label: GLB Preparation
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Consolidate scene, bake transforms, manage mesh density, verify PBR, export optimized glb with metadata hooks.
editorial note: The goal is faithful portability. If a viewer or device changes, the sculpture should still read as intended. Tight asset hygiene prevents presentation layers from rewriting the work.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup
related: Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

Texture Technique
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Watercolor techniques supporting development of texture in the painting
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Applications and Contexts
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Domains in which tensegrity is applied or interpreted, including architecture, robotics, and biology.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Two-Color Grey 4
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
contains paint: Cobalt Turquoise
contains paint: Potters Pink
ARGB: FF9E9CA1
symbol: 2CG4
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1005

Polygonal Base
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: The regular n-sided geometry forming the top and bottom faces of a tensegrity prism (for example, triangular for T3, square for T4). The number of sides defines the module family and repetition symmetries.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Iconographic Content
type: Concept
alternative label: Symbolic Subject Matter
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Religious, mythological, or culturally coded imagery embedded within a composition, whether as the primary subject or as secondary content within depicted architecture, mosaics, or decorative programs.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. ChatGPT critique did not engage with iconographic dimension.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Impermanence Theme
related: Vertical Iconographic Axis
scope note: In plein-air or observational painting, iconographic content often enters the work through the depicted setting rather than the artist's primary intention, yet may function symbolically within the finished composition.

painting post production
type: Concept
broader: painting process
definition: After a painting has been produced this is the process of preparing the painting for storage. This has tangible and intangible aspects, the latter includes capturing and perhaps publishing information about the newly completed work.
in scheme: Painting processes

Digital Drawing & Painting
type: Concept
broader: digital art term
definition: Pixel- and vector-based image creation and editing practices, tools, and constructs.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
top concept of: Digital Fine Art Production

Morphogenesis
type: Concept
broader: Artistic and Conceptual Terms
definition: The generative process by which a tensegrity form emerges or evolves. The term is borrowed from biology and used in architecture and sculpture to frame tensegrity as something that 'grows' rather than something merely assembled.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Cadmium Red Light
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF951722
symbol: CRL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Cadmium Red Light
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 50

Negative Painting
type: Concept
alternative label: Negative Space Painting
broader: watercolor technique
definition: A watercolor technique in which forms are defined by painting the space around them rather than the forms themselves.
editorial note: Particularly effective for foliage, floral subjects, and complex overlapping forms where traditional positive painting would be difficult.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Botanical Subjects
related: Reserved Whites
related: Edge Handling

digital art term
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: A term of art in digital art.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms

Yellow ocher
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PY43
broader: Yellow Group
definition: Hydrated iron oxide earth; staple yellow earth with greenish to orange undertones depending on source.

Thumbnail Sketches
type: Concept
alternative label: Thumbnails
broader: Concept & Design
definition: Small, rapid studies to iterate on composition, value grouping, and focal hierarchy.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production

transparent
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Paint characteristic; the tendency for certain paint colours to allow light to pass through the paint film enabling layers beneath to be distinctly seen; the opposite of opaque.
in scheme: Painting Terms

facture
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: the quality of the execution of a painting; an artist's characteristic handling of the paint. 'Manet's sensuous facture'
in scheme: Painting Terms

plein air
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Painting outdoors; from the French "en plein air."
in scheme: Painting Terms

Overlapping Forms
type: Concept
alternative label: Overlap
broader: Spatial Recession
definition: The placement of forms in front of one another to establish spatial relationships and depth.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

pastel scrape
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Scraping pastel dust off a suitably colored pastel with a sharp blade into a wet wash. Works well with sedimentary pigments and a similar-colored pastel; test the pastel color against a dry patch of the wash first.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique

Computational Geometry and Parametric Construction (RS)
type: Concept
order: 2
alternative label: Parametric Construction (RS)
broader: Computational Geometry and Parametric Construction
definition: Generate prisms, icosahedra, toroids; chirality and inversion; solver checks; numeric sweeps; armatures for figure placement.
editorial note: The computational step ensures clarity rather than complexity for its own sake. Chirality and scale sweeps become instruments for stating the piece more exactly, not for multiplying versions. The math lifts expression rather than constraining it.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Sculptural Modeling of Figures and Form Elements (RS)

Kinetic Figure
type: Concept
alternative label: Temporal Rupture Figure
alternative label: Figure in Motion
broader: Gestural figures
definition: A figure depicted in active movement ? jumping, running, gesturing widely ? within a composition of otherwise static or slowly moving figures. Introduces implied time and sequence into a scene, suggesting an imminent transformation of the depicted moment.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Example: a child mid-jump at the edge of flood water implies the still reflective surface is about to be shattered. The figure functions as a temporal hinge as much as a compositional accent.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Narrative Device
related: Crowd Scene

paint
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: Professional-grade paint formulated to resist chemical reactions from water, UV light, and oxygen exposure. Contains more pigment than student-grade paint, allowing greater medium manipulation with less color shift.
in scheme: Painting Terms
related: pigment

T4 prism (right-handed)
type: Concept
has chirality: Right-Handed
alternative label: right-handed T4
alternative label: RH T4
broader: T4 prism
definition: Right-handed 4-strut tensegrity antiprism with right-handed helical cross-cables.
related: Chirality

Composition Grid
type: Concept
alternative label: Rule of Thirds Grid
broader: Concept & Design
definition: Guides such as thirds, golden ratio, and dynamic symmetry aiding visual balance and flow.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production

Strut (Compression Member)
type: Concept
broader: Structural Elements
definition: A rigid element that carries compressive load and does not directly contact other struts.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Chrome Green
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF80A96D
symbol: CG
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 28

Rotational Symmetry
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: The property by which a tensegrity prism, dome, or ring can be rotated about its axis by a certain angle and still appear identical. Rotational symmetry is often used to classify higher-order tensegrity assemblies.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Topology Optimization
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: The computational process of refining which members exist, how they connect, and how loads flow through them, in order to improve performance, efficiency, or aesthetic intent.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

alla prima for watercolors
type: Concept
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: It involves painting wet-on-wet, directly onto the paper, often in one sitting, without letting layers dry completely. This technique can create vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes. Alla prima aims for a fresh, immediate look with visible brushstrokes and blending of colors on the paper.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Digital Modeling and Assembly
type: Concept
broader: Creation Process
definition: Constructing and organizing forms in a 3D environment, including part to part alignment and hierarchy.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Covers mesh, curve, surface, and rig based assemblies for sculpture scale and intent.
related: Materials for Sculpture
related: Tools

Spatial Composition Strategy
type: Concept
broader: Composition
definition: A compositional approach that organizes pictorial space through structural relationships among foreground, middle ground, and background elements.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source as a useful organizing parent for banding, threshold, and frieze concepts. Preferred over the narrower 'spatial banding' as a top-level term.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

Art Assessment
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: An artistic assessment usually involves an objective analysis of technical skills, composition, and adherence to specific criteria, often used in educational settings to track progress or judge competency.

buckle
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: A wavy, uneven surface that occurs when water is applied to unstretched paper. Unlike backruns, buckling is never desirable and is never considered a happy accident; it is prevented by stretching the paper before painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Arteza Sketchbook
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaper
has paper finish: medium surface
has paper weight: 80
broader: Art Paper
definition: A smooth finish drawing surface.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
position: 3
size: 8.5x11

Pigment Discovery
type: Concept
alternative label: In-process Discovery
broader: watercolor technique
definition: An unexpected finding about pigment behavior, mixture, or interaction that occurs during the painting of a specific work and subsequently enters the artist's repertoire. Distinguished from planned technique by its accidental or exploratory origin.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Example: discovering during the St. Mark's facade that turquoise mixed with Indian red produces a luminous gray particularly suited to sunlit stonework.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Complementary Mixed Gray
related: Chromatic Variation in Wash

Reserved Whites
type: Concept
alternative label: Preserved Paper
alternative label: Saved Whites
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Areas of watercolor paper intentionally left unpainted to represent the lightest values, exploiting the paper's inherent luminosity.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Negative Painting
related: High Key
related: Luminosity
scope note: Distinguished from white gouache or lifting techniques; refers specifically to planning and preserving untouched paper.

Mechanism Mode
type: Concept
broader: Mathematical and Mechanical Terms
definition: A deformation mode in which the structure can change shape without stretching or compressing its members.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

member count
type: Property
comment: Total number of structural members (struts + cables) in the configuration.
range: int

Yellow Group
type: Concept
broader: Major Historical Pigments
definition: Historical yellow pigments.

tube color
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: Watercolor paint in tube form, squeezed onto a palette like toothpaste. The alternative to pan paint, in which the paint is solid and must be reactivated with water.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)
type: Concept
alternative label: Environment Map
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: High-range panoramic image used as a light source and reflection environment in rendering.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: PBR (Physically Based Rendering)
related: Global Illumination (GI)
related: Dynamic Range

painting production
type: Concept
broader: painting process
definition: The process of creating a painting.
in scheme: Painting processes

Value Structure
type: Concept
alternative label: Tonal Structure
alternative label: Value Pattern
broader: Composition
definition: The overall organization of light and dark areas within a composition.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Luminosity

Watercolor Medium
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: Typically a gum-arabic based watercolor binding medium.

Impermanence Theme
type: Concept
alternative label: Ephemerality
alternative label: Transience
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: A thematic concern with the temporary, fragile, or dissolving nature of depicted subjects. In Venetian contexts, manifest through flood water that reflects and destabilizes the image of enduring monuments. Aligned with watercolor as a medium that resists correction and records the moment of making.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Vertical Iconographic Axis
related: Acqua Alta
related: Optical Abstraction
scope note: The medium and the subject reinforce each other: watercolor's irreversibility and luminous fragility make it a natural vehicle for subjects concerned with transience.

Twist Angle
type: Concept
broader: Geometric and Symmetry Terms
definition: The angular displacement between the top and bottom polygons of a tensegrity prism. The twist angle directly determines chirality and overall form, and strongly influences stiffness and articulation between modules.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Art Paper
type: Concept
broader: painting material
definition: Commercially available art papers.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
top concept of: Art Material Scheme

creative graph process
type: Concept
broader: computer graphics process
definition: The process of turning a graphic representation of structured data into a creative work.
in scheme: Computer Graphics Processes

shader
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A flat, wide brush with short hairs, identical in shape to a Bright brush. Ideal for hard edges and square fields of colour; well suited to street-scapes and architectural subjects.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Value Range
type: Concept
alternative label: Tonal Range
broader: Value Structure
definition: The span from the lightest light to the darkest dark in a composition.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Value Compression

dry brush technique
type: Concept
alternative label: drybrush technique
alternative label: Dry Brushing
alternative label: drybrush
broader: brushing paint
definition: Painting with a relatively dry brush that still delivers paint to the substrate, producing coarse, scratchy strokes that contrast with the smooth look of washes or blended paint.
in scheme: Painting Terms

primary color
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Red, Blue and Yellow are called the Primary Colors because they cannot mixed from other colors but all colors can be mixed from them.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Alizarin Crimson
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
ARGB: FF932D3B
symbol: AC
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: David Davis
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 19

natural hair brushes
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: Brushes that contain animal hair such as squirrel, sable or goat
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Displacement Map
type: Concept
alternative label: Height Map
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Texture driving geometric displacement at render time for true surface relief.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Subdivision Surface (SubD)
related: PBR (Physically Based Rendering)

brush side
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Collect paint on a brush, then rub the side of the brush across the paper so paint accumulates only on the peaks of the paper's uneven surface.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Color Profile / Color Space
type: Concept
alternative label: ICC Profile
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Formal definition of a device or working color space enabling consistent color reproduction.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Color Management
related: Proofing

ox gall
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: A yellowish fluid from cow gall bladders, mixed with alcohol and used as a wetting agent in watercolor painting and paper marbling. A drop added to a wash improves flow and corrects uneven absorption, beading, or white specks.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: wash

Thesaurus for the Visual Arts, Tesegrity Terms
comment: A thesaurus aligned with the CWVA creative-process domain ontology for the visual arts
contributor: visualartsdna.org
description: This thesaurus provides a vocabulary for describing data modeled by the CWVA ontology, http://visualartsdna.org/model/ related to Tensegrity. Visit visualartsdna.org for more information.
issued: 2025-10-26T12:00:00Z
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
modified: 2025-10-26T12:00:00Z
publisher: visualartsdna.org
rights: copyright
title: Thesaurus for the Visual Arts--Tensegrity
version info: v 1.0

Digital Materials
type: Concept
broader: Materials for Sculpture
definition: Textures, HDR environments, shaders, and parameter sets treated as working material.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Digital Modeling and Assembly

painting term
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: A term of art in painting.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Vision and Planning
type: Concept
order: 1
broader: watercolor process
definition: Intent setting, subject selection, value structure, color family, thumbnails and value studies.
editorial note: Decisions here save the painting later. A crisp value map prevents over-modeling and keeps the work luminous.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting Process
related: Foundational Washes
related: Drawing and Masking Setup
scope note: Use thumbnails or small value studies to establish a clear focal pathway before the first large wash.

lifting paint
type: Concept
alternative label: Lifting Out
alternative label: Lifting
alternative label: color lifting
alternative label: colour lifting
broader: removing paint
definition: Removing color from wet or re-wetted paint using a brush, paper towel, or tissue. A technique in its own right, not merely a correction method; forms the basis of subtractive painting. Lifting creates soft edges and reduces color intensity, leaving only undertones. Detailed lifts can be made with a slightly damp brush.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

palette knife
type: Concept
broader: painting tool
definition: small spatula-style knife used to apply or remove paint, or to add texture
in scheme: Painting Terms
related: impasto

Art Supply Provider
type: Concept
type: Organization
broader: visual art term
definition: A Provider of art supplies either directly or indirectly to the public

Subdivision Surface (SubD)
type: Concept
alternative label: SubD
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: Algorithm that smooths coarse meshes by iterative subdivision to create high-quality curvature.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Topology

Art Influence
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: Influences can be many and varied. Artists can be influenced by other artists, both past and present. An artist's background, journey, and experiences can shape their work. For example, an artist's early experiences of the visible world can be deeply woven into their subconscious and carry over into their creative process. Also, basic visual factors like symmetry, complexity, contrast, curvature, color, and lines can influence aesthetic experiences.

not paper
type: Concept
broader: watercolor material
definition: Is the British convention for referring to Cold Pressed watercolor paper, it simply means 'Not hot pressed'
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

masking
type: Concept
broader: assisted wash
definition: The technique of preserving white paper areas in watercolor painting. Masking fluid (a rubbery liquid) is applied to paper and, once dry, can be painted over; when the paint dries, the fluid is removed by gentle rubbing and peeling, revealing the protected area beneath.
editorial note: Chose to use 'masking' for the technique and 'masking fluid' for the material; however, 'masking' does not necessarily imply the use of masking fluid
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: masking fluid
related: masking tape
related: frisket

Vector Graphics
type: Concept
alternative label: Bezier Paths
broader: Digital Drawing & Painting
definition: Resolution-independent images defined by paths, fills, and strokes.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: SVG (vector)
related: PDF (document/vector)
related: EPS (vector)

Gestural figures
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: capture the energy, movement, and essence of a pose through quick, fluid, and expressive lines, focusing on the whole figure's action rather than details, often using a single "line of action" to convey flow from head to foot
in scheme: Painting Terms
scope note: primarily the observation of people in normal activities.

publish
type: Concept
broader: visual art term
definition: Prepare and issue the work of (a particular writer).
in scheme: Visual Art Terms
note: A tag used in Google Keep/Takeout to distinguish Keep notes intended for publication

brushing paint
type: Concept
broader: painting technique
definition: The application of paint with a brush.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Computational Geometry and Parametric Construction
type: Concept
order: 2
alternative label: Parametric Construction
broader: Digital Sculpture Process
definition: Build primitives and constraints, encode tensegrity rules, run solver checks, and perform parametric transforms.
editorial note: Here form becomes data. Parametric control and solver feedback ensure that variation does not drift away from the chosen logic. Outputs from this step should be clean enough to invite sculptural decisions, not fight them.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Sculptural Modeling of Figures and Form Elements
related: Conceptual Structuring and Formal Logic
top concept of: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates

spattering
type: Concept
broader: paint diffusion
definition: "Spatter" scatters small, controlled paint droplets across the surface, typically by flicking a loaded brush, producing a delicate effect. "Splatter" implies a larger, more chaotic distribution from a more forceful application.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Potters Pink
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
has pigment: potters-pink-pigment.html
ARGB: FF5E2329
symbol: PP
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 16

weight
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: The thickness of watercolor paper, expressed as the weight of 500 sheets in pounds (lbs) or in grams per square metre (gsm). Heavier paper is more expensive but more resistant to cockling.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Realgar
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: realgar-pigment.html
ARGB: FFB67318
symbol: R
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 14

over-painting
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Using opaque white water-based paint (such as Titanium White Gouache or Chinese White) to clean up muddy areas, restore white space, create highlights, or sharpen blurry edges. Widely practiced despite some traditionalists viewing it as unconventional.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: brushing paint

wet-into-wet wash
type: Concept
alternative label: wet-on-wet
alternative label: Wet-Into-Wet
alternative label: wet-in-wet
alternative label: wet into wet
broader: wash
definition: Applying a new color before earlier applications have dried, allowing colors to blend without hard edges or sharp transitions. Only partially controllable.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Visual Hierarchy
type: Concept
broader: Composition
definition: The arrangement of visual elements to indicate their order of importance and guide the viewer's eye through the composition.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Visual Weight
related: lost and found edges
related: Edge Handling
related: Selective economy

Viridian
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: viridian-green-pigment.html
ARGB: FF107B69
symbol: VGL
broader: Watercolor Paint
hidden label: Viridian
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 9

ontology
type: Concept
broader: computer art term
definition: A set of concepts and categories in a subject area or domain that shows their properties and the relations between them.
in scheme: Digital Art Terms
note: ontology

Burnt umber
type: Concept
Colour Index Code: PBr7
broader: Brown and Earth Group
definition: Calcined umber; stronger red-brown masstone with higher chroma than raw umber.

Lead Tin Yellow Dark
type: WatercolorPaint
type: Concept
has pigment: lead-tine-yellow-dark-pigment.html
ARGB: FFC4B950
symbol: LTYD
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
brand: L. Cornelissen & Son
material: Homemade Watercolor Medium
position: 11

Major Historical Pigments
type: Concept
broader: pigment
definition: Canonical set of historically significant pigments used in artworks across periods and regions.
in scheme: HistoricalPigmentsScheme

graph embellishment process
type: Concept
broader: creative graph process
definition: Embellish a basic graphic representation of data.
in scheme: Computer Graphics Processes

aerial perspective
type: Concept
alternative label: atmospheric disturbance
alternative label: atmospheric perspective
broader: painting term
definition: The atmospheric effect on the appearance of distant objects: as distance increases, contrast between object and background decreases, details become less distinct, colors desaturate, and hues shift toward the background color (typically bluish, or reddish near sunrise/sunset).
in scheme: Painting Terms

Optical Composition Strategy
type: Concept
broader: Composition
definition: A compositional approach in which the organization of the painting is governed primarily by the behavior of light, reflection, or color perception rather than by descriptive spatial perspective.
editorial note: Adopted from ChatGPT source. Provides useful parent for OpticalAbstraction, OpticalReflectionField, and ReflectiveSymmetry.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme

cat's tongue
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A brush similar to a Filbert but with a pointed tip; ideal for painting single-stroke flower petals and leaves.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

structured data graph process
type: Concept
broader: computer graphics process
definition: The process of producing a basic graphic representation of structured data.
in scheme: Computer Graphics Processes

Tensegrity Icosahedron
type: Concept
alternative label: Icosahedral tensegrity
alternative label: 6-strut tensegrity icosahedron
broader: Types and Variants
definition: A tensegrity form in which compression members occupy positions consistent with icosahedral symmetry and are held solely by a continuous network of tension members so that compression members do not touch.
editorial note: Use this concept for high symmetry tensegrity exemplars. Distinguish it from a purely geometric icosahedron without a tension compression partition. For instances, record member counts, routing, and intended symmetry group with dedicated properties in the data model.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms
scope note: Common didactic models use six struts with a surrounding cable net; member counts and cable routing may vary while preserving non touching compression, global self stress, and approximate icosahedral symmetry.

Tensegrity Dome
type: Concept
broader: Applications and Contexts
definition: A hemispherical structure composed of struts and cables arranged for lightweight, stable enclosures.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

pen nib mask
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: A pen nib used to apply masking fluid, creating sharp edges and fine lines of resistance when watercolor is applied over the dried mask.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Two-Color Grey 5
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaint
contains paint: Azure
contains paint: Burnt Sienna
ARGB: FF656762
symbol: 2CG5
broader: Watercolor Paint
in scheme: Watercolor Paints
position: 1006

T5 prism (left-handed)
type: Concept
has chirality: Left-Handed
alternative label: left-handed T5
alternative label: LH T5
broader: T5 prism
definition: Left-handed 5-strut tensegrity antiprism with left-handed helical cross-cables.
related: Chirality

Mathematical and Mechanical Terms
type: Concept
broader: Tensegrity Term
definition: Analytical and geometric vocabulary used to describe equilibrium, force states, and structural computation in tensegrity.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Contemplative Practice
type: Concept
alternative label: Reflective Practice
broader: Critical Concepts
definition: The dimension of artistic work occurring outside of active painting: thinking about subjects, problems, and possibilities during non-painting activity. Distinct from formal planning or sketching; a mode of continuous low-intensity engagement with creative questions.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Artistic Ambition
related: Conceptual Primary Subject
scope note: Critical feedback, encounter with other works, and artist conversation all feed the contemplative practice without necessarily changing in-process decisions.

vegan brushes
type: Concept
broader: watercolor tool
definition: Synthetic fibers that behave similarly to natural hair brushes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

assisted wash
type: Concept
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: A watercolor wash in the presence of another material intended to affect the behavior of the wash
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

impressing
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Pressing plastic wrap or fabric into wet paint to create a wide variety of textured effects.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Concept Art
type: Concept
alternative label: Visual Development
broader: Concept & Design
definition: Exploratory imagery that communicates ideas, tone, and direction before production assets are made.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production

Tensegrity Terms
type: ConceptScheme
broader: Fundamental Concepts
definition: A scheme containing all tensegrity terms. A controlled vocabulary of concepts related to tensegrity structures, analysis, fabrication, perception, and history.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

Techniques
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Repeatable methods and procedures applied during creation and finishing.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
related: Creation Process

Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup (RS)
type: Concept
order: 5
alternative label: Materials and HDRI Setup (RS)
broader: Materials, Light Logic and Rendering Setup
definition: Polished metal and high-clarity edges; HDRI sets to maximize luminous read; control temperature and shadow for force visibility.
editorial note: Lighting articulates tension with the authority of a chisel. The choice of HDRI is not cosmetic: it is how the piece announces its line of force to the eye. Treat reflections as drawn lines that happen to be made of light.
in scheme: Digital Sculpture Process Rick Spates
related: Presentation, Interactive Viewing and Contextualization (RS)
related: Export, Optimization and File Preparation (.glb) (RS)

Compositing
type: Concept
alternative label: Comp
broader: Lighting, Rendering & Compositing
definition: Assembling multiple layers and passes into a final image, with grading and effects.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Render Passes
related: Alpha Channel
related: Post-Processing

Watercolor Glossary of Terms (article)
type: Collection
member: hue
member: wet-into-wet wash
member: value
member: temperature color
member: tint
member: Soft Edge
member: Hard Edge
member: watercolor glazing
member: granulation
member: casein
member: pigment
member: charging
member: layering
member: rough paper
member: lifting paint
member: staining colors
member: masking fluid
member: palette knife
member: analogous Colors
member: hot pressed paper
member: drybrushTechnique
member: scrubbing
member: lost and found edges
member: gradated wash
member: gouache
member: variegated wash
member: cold-pressed paper
member: palette
member: transparent paint
member: complementary colors
member: pan paint
member: intensity

sanding dry paper
type: Concept
broader: removing paint
definition: Lightly sanding a fully dry painting with fine sandpaper to produce a slightly weathered surface texture, which can then be adjusted with further washes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Member Force Density
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: The ratio of internal force to member length. Force density is widely used in computational form-finding of tensegrities to solve for equilibrium shapes.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

resist
type: Concept
broader: assisted wash
definition: Any substance applied to watercolor paper that repels water and therefore paint pigment. Wax crayons and oil pastels are common resists. Unlike frisket, resists are generally a permanent addition to the painting.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Creation Process
type: Concept
broader: Sculpture Term
definition: Planning and execution stages that produce a sculpture from concept to realized work.
in scheme: Sculpture Terms
note: Covers ideation, studies, modeling, assembly, finishing, and installation workflow.
related: Techniques
related: Documentation
related: Presentation and Installation

bloom
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Fresh water drops applied to a wet, near-dry, or dry area of color lift pigment in a fluid way, producing organic bloom shapes.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Veduta tradition
type: Concept
broader: Art movement
definition: an art movement, prominent in 18th-century Italy, focused on highly detailed, realistic paintings or prints of cityscapes and landscapes, especially popular with Grand Tour travelers as souvenirs of famous sites like Rome and Venice. Key elements include precise architectural detail, often achieved with tools like the camera obscura, and two main types: veduta esatta (exact views) and veduta ideata (imaginary or idealized views, also called capricci). Masters like Canaletto and Guardi defined the Venetian style.
in scheme: Visual Art Terms

complementary colors
type: Concept
broader: painting term
definition: Complementary colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. In other words, they are the colors that are furthest apart from each other in terms of hue and color temperature. e.g Red and Green, or Orange and Blue. Complementary colors contrast with each other when placed side by side. When mixed together they tend to cancel each other out, forming a 'Muddy' neutral color.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Staffage
type: Concept
broader: Subject Matter
definition: Human figures included in a composition primarily for scale, animation, or compositional purposes rather than as psychological subjects.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Gestural figures
related: Architectural Subjects
related: landscape painting
scope note: Distinguished from portraiture or figure painting where the human subject is the primary focus.

dragging paint
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Dipping a brush handle into fresh paint and dragging it through a wet wash to create unpredictable lines ranging from soft, feathered edges to solid dabs of paint.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: brushing paint

Mesh
type: Concept
broader: 3D Modeling & Sculpting
definition: A set of vertices, edges, and faces describing the surface of a 3D object.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Topology
related: Retopology
related: UV Mapping

fabric
type: Concept
broader: Texture Technique
definition: Apply fabric such as gauze to a wet wash or dry paper, shaping as needed. Paint over the fabric, let dry, then remove to reveal the fabric's texture. Results vary by color and fabric type.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

Strathmore Watercolor cold press, block
type: Concept
type: WatercolorPaper
has paper finish: Cold press
has paper weight: 140
broader: Art Paper
definition: A cold-press watercolor paper in a block.
in scheme: Art Material Scheme
related: block
related: cold-pressed paper
position: 2
size: 11x15
size: 9x12

Contemplative Witness Position
type: Concept
alternative label: External Viewpoint
alternative label: Observer at the Edge
broader: Viewer Positioning Strategy
definition: A consistent viewpoint placement in which the implied viewer stands just outside the depicted social gathering, at a low standing height, separated from the crowd by the foreground threshold zone. Creates a reflective, observational relationship to the scene rather than immersive participation.
editorial note: Source: 20260309. Broader updated to ViewerPositioningStrategy. ChatGPT's EdgeObserverViewpoint covers the same ground with less depth and is discarded.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Foreground Threshold Band
related: Crowd Scene
scope note: The edge position enables perception of optical phenomena ? reflections, shadow patterns, color interactions ? that immersion in the crowd would preclude.

Art Technical Assessment
type: Concept
broader: Interpretation
definition: A technical assessment of a work of art is an examination of the work's technical execution, materials, and other aspects that can help determine its authenticity, history, and value.

Crowd Scene
type: Concept
alternative label: Figure Group
alternative label: Social Field
broader: Subject Matter
definition: A composition in which a gathering of people in a public space constitutes the primary human subject, distinct from portraiture (individual focus) or staffage (figures as scale markers). The crowd itself ? its density, movement, color, and social texture ? is the subject.
editorial note: Source: 20260309.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
related: Public Gathering
related: Gestural figures
related: Staffage
scope note: Distinguished from staffage by the degree of attention given to the crowd as collective subject; from figure painting by the absence of individual psychological focus.

Asymmetrical Balance
type: Concept
broader: Compositional Balance
definition: Balance achieved through the arrangement of unlike elements that nevertheless feel visually equivalent.
in scheme: Watercolor Criticism Scheme
scope note: Generally considered more dynamic and sophisticated than symmetrical balance.

variegated wash
type: Concept
broader: wet-into-wet wash
definition: A wet-into-wet wash in which colors are placed side by side and blended along their edges. A signature watercolor technique used to convey the natural scattering and bouncing of light and color, and to create abstract patterns.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

PNG (lossless raster)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Lossless raster image format supporting transparency; suitable for web and compositing.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Raster Graphics

Thesaurus for the Visual Arts, Part Two
comment: A thesaurus aligned with the CWVA creative-process domain ontology for the visual arts
contributor: visualartsdna.org
description: This thesaurus provides a vocabulary for describing data modeled by the CWVA ontology, http://visualartsdna.org/model/. Visit visualartsdna.org for more information.
issued: 2022-07-16T12:00:00Z
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
modified: 2025-06-22T12:00:00Z
publisher: visualartsdna.org
rights: copyright
title: Thesaurus for the Visual Arts
version info: v 2.0

Watercolor Painting
type: ConceptScheme
definition: Concepts in watercolor painting.
has top concept: watercolor material
has top concept: watercolor term
has top concept: watercolor tool
has top concept: watercolor technique
has top concept: watercolor process

Resolution / DPI
type: Concept
alternative label: PPI
broader: Output & Presentation
definition: Quantification of image detail for print or viewing; DPI for print devices, PPI for pixel density.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Raster Graphics
related: Aspect Ratio

happy accident
type: Concept
broader: watercolor term
definition: An unintended and unforeseen event that occurred during the course of a painting which nevertheless resulted in a desirable effect.
editorial note: This better belongs under paintingTerm when that is available
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

OBJ (3D mesh)
type: Concept
broader: File Formats
definition: Plain-text 3D mesh interchange format supporting geometry, UVs, and materials via MTL.
in scheme: Digital Fine Art Production
related: Mesh
related: UV Mapping

painting technique
type: Concept
type: PaintingTechnique
broader: painting term
definition: A technique used in painting.
in scheme: Painting Terms

Modal Behavior
type: Concept
broader: Structural and Analytical Terms
definition: The characteristic ways a tensegrity can oscillate or deform when excited dynamically. Modal behavior reveals resonance frequencies, softness directions, and stiffness distribution.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

Visual Equilibrium
type: Concept
broader: Artistic and Conceptual Terms
definition: The perceptual balance created when a tensegrity appears poised, neither collapsing nor exploding. Visual equilibrium is the felt stability that mirrors mechanical equilibrium.
in scheme: Tensegrity Terms

fan brush
type: Concept
alternative label: Fan
broader: watercolor tool
definition: A short-haired brush with hairs spread in a fan shape. Used for blending edges and mimicking textures such as fur, feathers, grasses, foliage, tree boughs, and ripples on water.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting

opaque gouache contrast
type: Concept
broader: watercolor technique
definition: Using opaque gouache alongside transparent watercolor to add visual interest and vibrancy. Distinct areas of each must be maintained or the opaque/transparent contrast will be lost.
in scheme: Watercolor Painting
related: mixed media technique