Grade 9 Art - Day 26

In our study of visual art terminology, our next focus word is Emphasis.

From our text, ArtTalk, we learn that emphasis is the "...principle of art that makes one part of the work dominant over other parts. The element noticed first is called dominant; the elements noticed later are called subordinate."

In Cecilia Beaux's Ethel Page (Mrs. James Large), a spotlight is used to emphasize a specific area, in this case it is the subject's face:

Using emphasis, the artist creates a focal point for the viewer.  Or in the following photograph, where the dominant subject is left in colour and subordinate negative space is left in black and white: