Atelier Dictionary

What is Atelier? Notional Space? Contours?

Fret not my friend, this is your go-to dictionary for all those wonky terms people who draw and paint realistically like to throw around. This is an ever expanding project, so check back regularly for the newest definitions!

---

Atelier: The French word for "studio". A place where artists learn realistic drawing, painting, and sculpting skills. 

---

Contour Line: A line that is used to describe the shape of something. The drawing to the right is made using contour lines.

---

Notional Space: The proportions of your subject if you were to imagine a box going around it and touching it on all sides. See image to the right.

---

Outer Contour: Similar to a contour but describes specifically the outer most shape of a subject. On the image to the right, the blue line represent the outer contour.

---

Proportion Box: Another term for ​Notional Space. The proportion box represents the amount of space your subject takes up if you were to imagine a box going around it and touching it on all sides. See image to the right.