Figure and Ground
Much like positive and negative space, figure and ground is the separation of what is in the foreground and what is in the background of an image. With the figure being the foreground or the focusing point and, the ground being the background or what is surrounding the figure. The reason that it is important to make a distinction between the figure and ground is due to the fact that when creating a piece the artist can choose to bluer the lines between the figure and the ground. Some even chose to have the figure interact with what is around them and thus are able to play with the viewers eyes with what they are able to see.
Pattern
Pattern in art is the repetition of like (or similar) objects in a work of art. patterns (like everything else in a art piece) can be used to help direct the eye. The patterns are sometimes used to help create a rhythm or a sense of continuity with in a piece. I say some times because patterns can be used as exact opposite in order to create a stark contrast from the rest of the piece and thus make certain parts pop in the image.
Frame and surface
Frame is a term that, when brought in to art, ties very closely into the composition of a piece. Composition is the process of arranging the visual element in a work. Frame takes it a step further in that now you have to keep in mind the placement of the elements in reference to the size of the canvas or surface that you are doing your project on. Two ways of doing that is by using the golden ratio or the rule of thirds when looking at the art piece.
Surface, like I said earlier, is basically the object that you are doing your project on. Surface is important here not only because of how it can affect the framing of a piece but because of it also being a major factor in how the project will be affected. I mean lets face it, doing a painting on birch bark will end up looking a lot different than being painted on canvas.
Texture
Texture in digital art is usually used to help render and object. By adding texture and making it form to certain objects the artist is able to bring about a more realistic work of art. Of course textures don't have to be used this way. Jason Brubaker (the artist behind ReMind) uses some of his scanned in painting strokes as a middle ground between his coloring and his inks. Since the textures are things we associate with paintings, Jason's comic receives somewhat of an naturalistic atmosphere to it.
mark and line
The use of marks and lines is a simple idea and yet it is the most important concept used to make art. Possibly due to the fact that it is used for almost everything. Probably the most well known medium that "Mark and Lines" are known for is with comics. For years comics have relied on the use of lines to tell their stories not necessarily because of how it looked (although that played a huge part in it too) but because of how quickly and efficiently they could they their stories with just the help of a few simple lines. That idea of efficiency also pulls over to other industries such a concept art, illustration, graphic design and even fine art. Granted some art pieces don't include anything that resembles marks on paper (although marks could be just about anything). But even so most art mediums are influenced heavily on the sketches used as the layout.
Transparency
Using transparency layers in a piece could both easily help direct the eye of the viewer but also to help convey a mood or an emotion with in a piece. With moods transparency is usually used to show something that either isn't there or partially there and because of that the artist is able to create different atmospheres with it.
In terms of directing the eye, the use of transparency is useful because it is something that isn’t as well known in paintings (to the common viewer). Thus with it being used it might help focus the eye between the base layer and the transparency one above it to show what the artist is specifically trying to present.
The grid
There are two main types of grids used in art. Probably the more well known of the two is the Perspective grid. Which is where you set up a grid system with angled lines and a vanishing point to create angles and scenery in certain perspectives. Even though sometimes disregarded many artists keep the perspective grid in the back of their mind to use as reference when making a piece. The other type of grid can resemble something close to a pattern. Like with the image below I created a grid system where I added color to each square. So two ways to look at it might be that one is for the set up and the other is included in the art.
