2D
artworks that exist on a flat surface, that have height and width, such as paintings and drawings
3D
artworks that have depth as well as height and width, such as sculpture and installation
4D
artworks that have depth, height, width and added temporal and spatial dimensions. For example, artworks that incorporate time, such as time-based installations, or artworks that incorporate performance on a moving image
aesthetic
specific artistic awareness, or a deep appreciation of the meaning of an artistic experience through intellectual, emotional and sensual response to a work of art
in Media Arts, involves engagement with and increasing understanding of how images, sounds and texts can be used to provoke responses
art form
specific shape or quality an artistic expression takes, such as dance, drama, media arts, music and visual artworks
artists
generic term for the maker of an artwork in each of the five Arts subjects
artwork
generic term for a performance or an artwork in each of the five Arts subjects. When referred to generically this curriculum uses the term ‘artwork’. Within each Arts subject, the subject-specific terms are used. Artworks are frequently described with reference to forms or styles
atmosphere
the established mood or feeling conveyed in an artwork or performance
audience
individuals or groups of people who experience the arts in a range of settings and contexts (formal, informal, virtual or interactive) through intellectual, emotional and social engagement. The artist is audience to their own artwork.
character
identification and portrayal of a person’s values, attitudes, intentions and actions as imagined relationships, situations and ideas in dramatic action
codes
in Media Arts, codes can be further broken down into technical codes (such as camera angles, framing, brush strokes, body movement), and symbolic codes (such as the language, dress, actions of characters, visual symbols, things that draw upon our experience and understanding of media texts, our cultural values and beliefs)
composition
the placement or arrangement of elements or parts in artworks
connotation
the secondary meaning that a sign carries in addition to it’s everyday meaning
consumer
Purchaser, listener, viewer or reader of media products
context
Time, place or mindset in which we consume media products
conventions
traditional or culturally accepted ways of doing things based on audience expectations. Each art form has hundreds of conventions built up over time and widely accepted by audiences to do with content, style and form
craft
an intellectual and physical activity where artists explore the materials and processes to produce unique objects for the purposes of: experimentation with form or function; exhibition; production; and personal or community need. Indigenous cultures draw no distinction between art and craft and, similarly, contemporary culture values the interplay between the art/craft, design/craft, the art/designer or the design/maker. The crafted and handmade sit alongside the manufactured design object as part of historical, national and cultural identities
denotation
the everyday or common sense meaning of a sign.
design elements
include line, colour, shape, texture, space and form found in artworks, and incorporated in the design of performance spaces (including sets) for dance and drama
design principles
accepted conventions associated with organising design elements and can include unity, balance, hierarchy, scale, proportion, emphasis, similarity and contrast
dramatic meaning
a signified, intended purpose or effect interpreted from the communication of expressive dramatic action
elements of media arts
Also known as technical and symbolic elements:
composition
time
space
sound
movement
lighting
genre
The type or category of a media text
ideology
This is a complex concept - in its basic form it is a set of ideas or beliefs which are held to be acceptable by the creators of a media text. For example, a text might be described as having a feminist ideology, meaning it promotes the idea that women are the equal of men and should not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender.
Intertextuality
The influence that media texts have on each other. Sometimes this is the result of direct cross-references 9e.g music mash ups) or indirect 9the way gossip news items regulate the way we view a stars performance)
improvisation
spontaneous, creative activity applying the elements of an art form: in Media Arts, organisations that enable and constrain media production and use
key concepts (Media Arts)
languages: refers to the system of signs or symbols that media artworks use to communicate ideas and stories. The language system is a combination of symbolic codes and the technical form of media arts technologies. The language systems of media artworks use and control technical and symbolic elements to communicate meaning
technologies: the tools and processes which are essential for producing, accessing and distributing media
institutions: the individuals, communities and organisations that influence, enable and constrain media production and use. Institutions are framed by the social, historical and cultural context
audiences: the individuals or groups for whom media artworks are made and who respond as consumers, citizens and creative individuals. audiences engage and interact based on expectation and experience
representation: the act of representing people, places and times, shared social values and beliefs through images, sounds and text, or a combination of these. The representations are a constructed reality
materials
physical resources, equipment including technologies, and information used to make artworks. For example, paint, digital camera, pencil, drum and/or clarinet
medium
the material used in making an artwork
montage
Putting together of visual images to form a sequence
multimedia
artworks that incorporate a broad range of media including graphics, text, digital media, audio or video
narrative code
a way of describing the conventions or elements that an audience has come to expect to be included in a story
notation
written symbols that represent and communicate sound. Notation can be invented, recognisable to a traditional style or culture, or digitally created
point of view
a first person camera shot that shows a scene from an individual characters point of view
practices
the application of Arts skills and knowledge to create, represent, communicate and respond in a specific art form
realism
The techniques by which a media text represents ideas and images that are held to have a true relationship with the actual world around us. Realism means different things in different texts - realism in animation (eg the movement of single hairs in computer animation) means something entirely different to realism in soap opera (eg the depiction of people eating breakfast and talking with their mouths full). it is important to assess how much a text strives for realism, how much audiences are expected to think it is realistic.
representation
the expression or designation of a character, place, idea, image or information by some other term, character, symbol, diagram, image, sound or combination of visual and aural expression, based on shared social values and beliefs:
in Media Arts, one of the five key concepts
rhythm
in Media Arts, a technique or effect achieved in editing
role
adopting identification and portrayal of a person’s values, attitudes, intentions and actions and portraying these as imagined relationships, situations and ideas in dramatic action
roleplay
to pretend to be someone else
scene
the dramatic action that occurs in a particular time and place; a section of a play, film, advertising, cartoon, story or article
score
a collection of notated representations of sound used to communicate musical information. Scores can use graphic, traditional, invented or stylistically specific symbols and used in various forms of media for dramatic tension and feeling
sequence
the linking together of series of ideas, much like words are linked together to form sentences and paragraphs:
in Media Arts, a series of still and/or moving images with or without sound are intentionally put into an order
in Music, a melodic, rhythmic or harmonic pattern. It can also describe the process or product of arranging blocks of music using ‘sequencing’ software
stereotype
representation of people or groups of people by certain characteristics
story principles
in Media Arts, selecting and organising the elements of structure, intent, characters, settings and points of view within the conventions of a genre, such as a Hollywood love story that follows a pattern of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl
style
the influencing context of an artwork, such as Impressionist in Visual Arts; ballet or hip hop in Dance; Romanticism in Music; or postmodern, twenty-first century or contemporary, among many others.
SWAT Codes
Used to anaylse film. Symbolic, Written, Audio and Technical (see video at then end of this glossary)
technologies
the tools and equipment that can be materials for making and responding. One of the five key concepts in Media Arts
viewpoints
a collection of perspectives, lenses or frames through which artworks can be explored and interpreted
visual conventions
combinations of components and approaches, such as combinations of elements, design principles, composition and style
visual devices
combinations of approaches or techniques in compositions and representations
visual elements
see design elements
artworks that exist on a flat surface, that have height and width, such as paintings and drawings
3D
artworks that have depth as well as height and width, such as sculpture and installation
4D
artworks that have depth, height, width and added temporal and spatial dimensions. For example, artworks that incorporate time, such as time-based installations, or artworks that incorporate performance on a moving image
aesthetic
specific artistic awareness, or a deep appreciation of the meaning of an artistic experience through intellectual, emotional and sensual response to a work of art
in Media Arts, involves engagement with and increasing understanding of how images, sounds and texts can be used to provoke responses
art form
specific shape or quality an artistic expression takes, such as dance, drama, media arts, music and visual artworks
artists
generic term for the maker of an artwork in each of the five Arts subjects
artwork
generic term for a performance or an artwork in each of the five Arts subjects. When referred to generically this curriculum uses the term ‘artwork’. Within each Arts subject, the subject-specific terms are used. Artworks are frequently described with reference to forms or styles
atmosphere
the established mood or feeling conveyed in an artwork or performance
audience
individuals or groups of people who experience the arts in a range of settings and contexts (formal, informal, virtual or interactive) through intellectual, emotional and social engagement. The artist is audience to their own artwork.
character
identification and portrayal of a person’s values, attitudes, intentions and actions as imagined relationships, situations and ideas in dramatic action
codes
in Media Arts, codes can be further broken down into technical codes (such as camera angles, framing, brush strokes, body movement), and symbolic codes (such as the language, dress, actions of characters, visual symbols, things that draw upon our experience and understanding of media texts, our cultural values and beliefs)
composition
the placement or arrangement of elements or parts in artworks
connotation
the secondary meaning that a sign carries in addition to it’s everyday meaning
consumer
Purchaser, listener, viewer or reader of media products
context
Time, place or mindset in which we consume media products
conventions
traditional or culturally accepted ways of doing things based on audience expectations. Each art form has hundreds of conventions built up over time and widely accepted by audiences to do with content, style and form
craft
an intellectual and physical activity where artists explore the materials and processes to produce unique objects for the purposes of: experimentation with form or function; exhibition; production; and personal or community need. Indigenous cultures draw no distinction between art and craft and, similarly, contemporary culture values the interplay between the art/craft, design/craft, the art/designer or the design/maker. The crafted and handmade sit alongside the manufactured design object as part of historical, national and cultural identities
denotation
the everyday or common sense meaning of a sign.
design elements
include line, colour, shape, texture, space and form found in artworks, and incorporated in the design of performance spaces (including sets) for dance and drama
design principles
accepted conventions associated with organising design elements and can include unity, balance, hierarchy, scale, proportion, emphasis, similarity and contrast
dramatic meaning
a signified, intended purpose or effect interpreted from the communication of expressive dramatic action
elements of media arts
Also known as technical and symbolic elements:
composition
time
space
sound
movement
lighting
genre
The type or category of a media text
ideology
This is a complex concept - in its basic form it is a set of ideas or beliefs which are held to be acceptable by the creators of a media text. For example, a text might be described as having a feminist ideology, meaning it promotes the idea that women are the equal of men and should not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender.
Intertextuality
The influence that media texts have on each other. Sometimes this is the result of direct cross-references 9e.g music mash ups) or indirect 9the way gossip news items regulate the way we view a stars performance)
improvisation
spontaneous, creative activity applying the elements of an art form: in Media Arts, organisations that enable and constrain media production and use
key concepts (Media Arts)
languages: refers to the system of signs or symbols that media artworks use to communicate ideas and stories. The language system is a combination of symbolic codes and the technical form of media arts technologies. The language systems of media artworks use and control technical and symbolic elements to communicate meaning
technologies: the tools and processes which are essential for producing, accessing and distributing media
institutions: the individuals, communities and organisations that influence, enable and constrain media production and use. Institutions are framed by the social, historical and cultural context
audiences: the individuals or groups for whom media artworks are made and who respond as consumers, citizens and creative individuals. audiences engage and interact based on expectation and experience
representation: the act of representing people, places and times, shared social values and beliefs through images, sounds and text, or a combination of these. The representations are a constructed reality
materials
physical resources, equipment including technologies, and information used to make artworks. For example, paint, digital camera, pencil, drum and/or clarinet
medium
the material used in making an artwork
montage
Putting together of visual images to form a sequence
multimedia
artworks that incorporate a broad range of media including graphics, text, digital media, audio or video
narrative code
a way of describing the conventions or elements that an audience has come to expect to be included in a story
notation
written symbols that represent and communicate sound. Notation can be invented, recognisable to a traditional style or culture, or digitally created
point of view
a first person camera shot that shows a scene from an individual characters point of view
practices
the application of Arts skills and knowledge to create, represent, communicate and respond in a specific art form
realism
The techniques by which a media text represents ideas and images that are held to have a true relationship with the actual world around us. Realism means different things in different texts - realism in animation (eg the movement of single hairs in computer animation) means something entirely different to realism in soap opera (eg the depiction of people eating breakfast and talking with their mouths full). it is important to assess how much a text strives for realism, how much audiences are expected to think it is realistic.
representation
the expression or designation of a character, place, idea, image or information by some other term, character, symbol, diagram, image, sound or combination of visual and aural expression, based on shared social values and beliefs:
in Media Arts, one of the five key concepts
rhythm
in Media Arts, a technique or effect achieved in editing
role
adopting identification and portrayal of a person’s values, attitudes, intentions and actions and portraying these as imagined relationships, situations and ideas in dramatic action
roleplay
to pretend to be someone else
scene
the dramatic action that occurs in a particular time and place; a section of a play, film, advertising, cartoon, story or article
score
a collection of notated representations of sound used to communicate musical information. Scores can use graphic, traditional, invented or stylistically specific symbols and used in various forms of media for dramatic tension and feeling
sequence
the linking together of series of ideas, much like words are linked together to form sentences and paragraphs:
in Media Arts, a series of still and/or moving images with or without sound are intentionally put into an order
in Music, a melodic, rhythmic or harmonic pattern. It can also describe the process or product of arranging blocks of music using ‘sequencing’ software
stereotype
representation of people or groups of people by certain characteristics
story principles
in Media Arts, selecting and organising the elements of structure, intent, characters, settings and points of view within the conventions of a genre, such as a Hollywood love story that follows a pattern of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl
style
the influencing context of an artwork, such as Impressionist in Visual Arts; ballet or hip hop in Dance; Romanticism in Music; or postmodern, twenty-first century or contemporary, among many others.
SWAT Codes
Used to anaylse film. Symbolic, Written, Audio and Technical (see video at then end of this glossary)
technologies
the tools and equipment that can be materials for making and responding. One of the five key concepts in Media Arts
viewpoints
a collection of perspectives, lenses or frames through which artworks can be explored and interpreted
visual conventions
combinations of components and approaches, such as combinations of elements, design principles, composition and style
visual devices
combinations of approaches or techniques in compositions and representations
visual elements
see design elements