Art and Design GCSE
Art and Design GCSE glossary
26 key terms for Art and Design GCSE, A to Z, each linked to the topic pages that use it.
A
- Annotation
- Written notes added to visual work to explain the thought process, evaluate success, and outline future development.AQA
- Assessment Objectives (AOs)
- The four criteria (Develop, Explore, Record, Present) used by examiners to mark all GCSE and A-Level Art and Design work.AQA
C
- Call to Action (CTA)
- A piece of content intended to induce a viewer, reader, or listener to perform a specific act, typically taking the form of an instruction or directive.Pearson Edexcel
- Chiaroscuro
- The treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting; an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly.Pearson Edexcel
- Complementary Colours
- Colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel (e.g., blue and orange, red and green), used to create high contrast and vibrant visual tension.Pearson Edexcel
- Composition
- The arrangement and placement of visual elements within a piece of artwork.Pearson Edexcel
- Contour Line
- A line which defines a form or an edge.Pearson Edexcel
- Cross-Hatching
- A method of line drawing that describes light and shadow.Pearson Edexcel
E
- Externally Set Assignment
- Component 2 of the GCSE; a project based on a prompt set by the exam board, culminating in a 10-hour supervised practical exam.AQA
G
- Gestural Mark-Making
- Expressive, often rapid marks that capture the action, form, and emotion of a subject rather than its precise details.Pearson Edexcel
M
- Mark-making
- The different lines, dots, marks, patterns, and textures created in an artwork.Pearson Edexcel
- Mixed Media
- An artwork in which more than one medium or material has been employed.Pearson Edexcel
N
- Negative Space
- The empty space around and between the subjects of an image or design.AQA, Pearson Edexcel
- Negative Space (White Space)
- The area of a layout that is left empty.Pearson Edexcel
P
- Primary Source
- Subject matter that the artist observes directly from life, rather than from a photograph or another artist's work.Pearson Edexcel
- Progression
- The visible development and refinement of ideas, skills, and understanding over the course of a project or qualification.AQA
R
- Refinement
- The process of improving a design or technique through testing, evaluating, and making adjustments.AQA, Pearson Edexcel
S
- Sustained Investigation
- A prolonged, in-depth exploration of a theme, idea, or material, showing rigorous testing and development.AQA
T
- Target Audience
- The specific group of consumers most likely to want a product or service, and therefore, the group of people an advertising campaign is aimed at.Pearson Edexcel
- Tonal Value
- The relative lightness or darkness of a colour or shade.Pearson Edexcel
- Tone
- The relative lightness or darkness of a colour or mark.Pearson Edexcel
- Transcription
- A drawing made by copying an existing artwork, not to plagiarise, but to actively learn and understand the techniques and processes used by the original artist.Pearson Edexcel
- Typography
- The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing when displayed.AQA, Pearson Edexcel
V
- Vector Graphic
- Digital artwork created using mathematical formulas (lines and curves) rather than pixels, meaning it can be scaled infinitely without losing quality.AQA
- Visual Hierarchy
- The arrangement and presentation of elements in a way that implies importance, guiding the viewer's eye through the design in a deliberate order.AQA, Pearson Edexcel
- Visual Language
- The communication of ideas through visual elements such as line, shape, tone, colour, pattern, texture, and form.AQA
Where these terms come from
Each definition is one we publish on a Art and Design GCSE topic page or study guide. Open a term to see how each exam board words it and which topic it belongs to. For the full course, go to Art and Design revision or the glossary for every subject.
Revise Art and Design with these terms
Create a free account to practise exam questions and get feedback on your answers.
Start free
Art and Design topics7 days Premium · Then free forever · No card, no charge