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Craig might be referring to the article described below which I reviewed
for a class. It's interesting to keep in mind the notion that our
language is always evolving.
For those interested, my review follows.
Linda in Michigan - the U of M must have chosen it's colors from the
season's palette! maize foliage and blue skies
Title of Article: A Comparative Study of Terms Used in Art Education and
Computer Graphics to Describe Visual Properties of Images
Author: Mia Johnson
Journal:Studies in Art Education, Spring 1996, vol. 37 no. 3 pp. 184-192
This study sought to compare the terminology and concepts used in the
field of art education to describe images with that used in the field of
Johnson gleaned terms and concepts...vocabulary used to describe
traditional art images and computer graphics images were gathered from
literature in both fields...and from experts...traditional artists, art
educators, computer artists, and computer art educators...were asked to
describe two computer art images and two traditional art images.
The uses and meanings of nearly 2000 terms used in both fields were
As a result of the analysis, Johnson developed a list of 20 “cover
terms” which were applicable descriptors in both traditional and
computer art . However meanings of several of the terms were found to
have changed significantly or expanded. Several of the traditional
“principles” of art were less applicable to computer art. Three new
terms—clarity of image, lighting, and point of view—were identified as
“global properties.” And some meanings are undergoing changes as a
result of continuing developments in computer technology, particularly
in generating three-dimensional images.
Johnson discovered that many terms for elements and principles in art
education literature and practice are applied ambiguously. One example
is the term 3D space which might mean illusionary space in a 2D image,
actual space in a sculpture, or a void into which objects are place in a
computer environment (or cyberspace!) She determined that many art
educators percieve computer art as foreign and new. Her study suggested
to her that computer graphics terms and the manner in which images are
constructed would make excellent models for teaching such traditional
art processes such as weavings or mosaics which relate to bitmapping.
Also she suggests that in order for art educators to understand and
integrate computer art into their tradtional art curricula, they need to
learn and understand computer terminology, and reassess the traditional
terms and definitions for describing the visual properties of images.