Question 1

The sphere that designer Saul Bass created for the AT&T logo is not defined by a continuous boundary. This type of shape, which can be suggested by dots or lines that do not connect, is termed ________ shape.

Accepted Answer

The question specifically refers to a shape that is suggested by dots or lines that do not connect. This is typically referred to as an implied shape. Choice A (organic) and B (geometric) refer to different types of shapes that are not the best fit for the question. Choice C refers to the concept of contrast, which is not related to the shape of the AT&T logo. Choice E refers to negative space, which is also not directly related to the shape of the logo.

Question 2

A shape on a flat picture surface that is defined by surrounding empty space is known as ________ shape.

Accepted Answer

A positive shape is a shape that is defined by surrounding empty space, which is also known as the figure or foreground. This is in contrast to a negative shape, which is the surrounding empty space defined by the positive shape. Implied shape is a shape that is suggested through the use of other elements such as color, texture, and line. Geometric shapes are well-defined shapes such as squares, circles, and triangles. Organic shapes are shapes that are irregular and freeform, often found in nature. Actual shape refers to the physical shape and size of an object.

Question 3

Miriam Schapiro's collage Baby Blocks combines two different kinds of shape. ________ is the term used to describe a shape that suggests the natural world, while the term geometric suggests mathematical regularity.

Accepted Answer

The term "organic" is often used to describe shapes that are irregular and suggest forms found in nature, such as leaves or clouds. In contrast, geometric shapes are often precise and mathematical in their construction. Miriam Schapiro's Baby Blocks collage combines both of these types of shapes.

Question 4

In her painting Music-Pink and Blue II, Georgia O'Keeffe emphasized the blue ________ space in order to attract the viewer's attention into a deep interior.

Accepted Answer

O'Keeffe used a lot of blue negative space in the painting to create the illusion of depth and draw the viewer's attention towards the central shape, which represents a musical instrument.

Question 5

The positive and negative shapes in M. C. Escher's print Sky and Water I balance each other and are an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

The balancing of positive and negative shapes is an example of figure-ground reversal, also known as positive-negative space. This is where the subject and background switch roles and are of equal importance.

Question 6

This type of shape is composed of unpredictable, irregular lines.

Accepted Answer

Organic shapes are irregular and unpredictable, often resembling forms found in nature. Geometric shapes, on the other hand, are precise and regular, typically composed of straight lines and angles. Implied, measured, and actual shapes are all related to specific techniques for creating or defining shapes within a work of art, rather than describing the characteristics of the shapes themselves.

Quiz 2: Line, Shape, and the Principle of Contrast