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PRAXIS II Art Making Exam

The Art Making exam is administered to individuals who have earned bachelor's degrees in art/art education and who are in the process of becoming art teachers. This exam covers techniques and elements used in the making of art two in two separate sections:

Working Knowledge of Basic Art Concepts and Techniques of Art Making
Documentation of Personal Art Making

The Working Knowledge of Basic Art Concepts and Techniques of Art Making portion of the test consists of two exercises that allow the examinees to demonstrate their ability or knowledge of art-making in two kinds of media. The types of media and subjects covered in this section of the exam include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, crafts, technology/media, and principles and elements of design. Each type of art can be demonstrated using any appropriate tools, materials, and techniques. The examinee may be asked to either describe the process of an art form or to physically apply their knowledge. Each exercise should take 5 minutes to complete, and both are scored on a scale of 0-3. A score of 3 is the highest score and is given to those who use a considerable amount of art terms to thoroughly answer and describe their exercises and who show accurate and clear understanding of the processes involved in the exercises. Scores gradually decrease as examinees demonstrate less knowledge and use of appropriate terms for art making. Scores of 0 are given for exercises that are left blank.

For the Documentation of Personal Art Making section of the exam, the examinees are required to bring four color copies of four different personal works of art in different media. Examinees will describe in two essays the process and techniques used in making two of the art pieces. The essays must explain the reason for choosing the techniques, the meaning or themes of the pieces, the processes from start to finish, and the materials and tools used in creating the art. Each essay should take 25 minutes to complete.

Scoring is on a scale of 0-5. The highest score is 5 and is awarded for essays that demonstrate in depth knowledge and perception of art making techniques and in the application of techniques to convey themes and meaning. Scores decrease as the demonstration of comprehension and the ability to describe art making techniques decrease. Essays that are off-topic or left blank are given scores of 0.

PRAXIS II Art Making Practice Questions

1. Define the basic elements of art.

2. Define the basic principles of art.

3. Discuss the use of light and dark in fine art.

4. Define these art techniques: fresco, genre painting, gouache, impasto, monochrome, polychrome, and trompe l'oeil.

5. Define these art terms: carving, casting, collage, drypoint, engraving, and etching.

Answer Key For Art Making

1. There are five basic elements of art: line, shape, space, texture, and color. Each has a specific function; each must be understood to truly appreciate the objet d'art being studied. The following definitions are composed from the American Heritage College Dictionary:

LINE is a continuous path made by a moving pen, pencil, or brush that makes a real or imaginary mark in relation to a point of reference.
SHAPE is the characteristic outline or contour of an object that is distinguished from its surroundings by its distinctive form.
SPACE is a three-dimensional empty area with a specific outline that is reserved for a particular purpose.
TEXTURE is a surface of elements woven together that has distinctive or identifying characteristics.
COLOR is the appearance of objects caused by different qualities of reflected light that involves hue, lightness, darkness, value, and purity.

2. In art, there are five basic principles of art: balance and harmony, proportion and unity, and variety. Each has a unique function and needs to be understood to appreciate the artist's vision whether it is shown in a painting, sculpture, or a piece of architecture. The following definitions are composed from the American Heritage College Dictionary:

BALANCE AND HARMONY is a state of equilibrium between parts that creates a pleasant arrangement in the whole and depicts a difference in dimension between opposing forces or influences.
PROPORTION is the pleasing symmetry between objects or their parts with respect to comparative size, quantity, or degree.
UNITY is the state of being in accord and having a continuity of purpose or action. Its partner is VARIETY, which is diversity in a collection that has specific characteristics.

3. In Western culture, the reaction to light and dark arouses strong, primitive emotions. Light suggests goodness, intelligence, and wholeness. Dark expresses mystery, ignorance, and evil. Contrasting these opposites in a work of art helps convey feelings and has a powerful psychological impact. Light and dark can also depict space and enhance form in two and three dimensional art. On a two-dimensional surface, the effects of light and shadow can be very dramatic. When light is blocked by different parts of a form and casts a shadow, the figures in a painting seem to come alive. This technique is called chiaroscuro.

Light and shadow on sculpture and architecture define the form of the piece. As the contour fades away, the light grows dimmer, causing changes in contrast and tonal value on the surface. This makes the object seem to swell and recede while enhancing the drama of its structural composition.

4. These definitions are from the New York City Public Library Desk Reference, Second Edition.

The art of painting on moist plaster with water-based colors is called FRESO ("fresh" in Italian).

GENRE PAINTING uses ordinary objects to create still life scenes that portray every day activities as opposed to religious or historical themes.

GOUACHE uses opaque watercolor paints to produce a less transparent effect than regular watercolors.

IMPASTO is the application of thick layers of paint. The paint often sticks out from the canvas.

MONOCHROME means using just one color, while POLYCHROME means using a variety of colors.

TROMPE L'OEIL produces the illusion of three-dimensional reality on a flat plane. In French it means "fool the eye."

5. These definitions are from the New York City Public Library Desk Reference, Second Edition.

CARVING means to cut hard material such as stone, wood, or marble to create a form.

In CASTING, the sculptor pours plaster or molten metal into a mold and lets the substance harden into the desired form.

A COLLAGE is made of separate pieces of various materials and other objects glued to a surface.

DRYPOINT is an engraving technique that uses a sharp steel needle to create a rough edge, which produces soft, velvety lines.

ENGRAVING is the art of carving, cutting, or etching a design on a wood or metal surface then adding ink so the design can be printed.

ETCHING is the art of cutting into a metal or glass surface then bathing the surface in acid, adding ink to the plate and printing the design.