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Conceptual Design: Understanding and Communicating Form

For the most part, the glossary below consists of nouns to describe some basic surfaces, as well as terms which describe what a surface is doing. Often an adjective will lead to a verb or noun, or vice-versa, as in a curve may have acceleration, or you can accelerate the curvature and create an accelerated curve. As well, there are odds and ends of terms that describe specific occurrences of form, such as blister.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, simply a starting point. You should feel free to add your own terms to your personal vocabulary as you begin to identify certain developments of form that occur in your work. The important thing is to grow a vocabulary that can be shared with the people you need to communicate your design with, as well as an aid to your own visualization of form. As wizards and scientists believe, once a thing is named, it can be more easily identified, isolated, and controlled.

Keep in mind as well that these are not dictionary definitions, just my own understanding of how the terms are used to describe form.

Accelerate (curve, line, surface) v: to increase the rate of curvature over the length of a surface or line.

Acceleration of the curvature of a surface is an important way to control the composition of a form. Just as in drawing or painting, composition and proportions are critical in surface development. In two-dimensional art forms, composition is controlled through the proportions and positioning of various graphic elements. A radial curve is balanced along it's length. By accelerating the curvature of a surface, you are placing the accent of that surface to one end or the other. You are introducing tension and direction, much as you might in an image by placing the focus off-center.

Acceleration becomes obvious on a shiny or reflective surface, as highlights and reflections will appear to 'travel' quicker over the more curved sections of the surface.

Arc n: A section of a circle. A curved line with a constant radius.

Bevel n: A flat surface formed by cutting off the edge where two surfaces meet. v: To cut off the edge or corner of a surface.

	Bevel                                 Blister

Blister n: a distinct, convex surface emerging from a less rounded surface, delineated with a hard intersection. Opposite of dimple. v: to pull a crisply delineated area of deep convexity out of a less rounded surface.

Bone n: The rounded intersection between two surfaces where highlights gather. A tightening of curvature on a surface, forming the appearance of skin stretched over a bone.

Bulge n. a convex surface emerging from a less rounded surface, delineated with a very soft intersection. Also pooch. v: to pull a softly delineated area of deep convexity out of a less rounded surface.

Chamfer v: To cut off the top of a protruding surface, creating a flat plateau whose edge describes the cross-section of the surface.

 

Coke-bottle/ Wasp-waist n: A generally symmetrical, curved form which narrows near the mid-point.

Concave a: Having negative (inward) curvature.

Concavity n: Negative (inward) curvature. A depression in a surface.

Cone v: To taper a surface by increasing the curvature of its cross-section over its length.

	Coning allows a surface to transition smoothly from a tight cross-section to a more relaxed one. Highlights will dissipate over the surface toward the relaxed end, and gather toward the tight end, giving tension and movement to the surface.

Coning a: Describing the tapering of surface or highlights.

Convex a: Having positive (outward) curvature.

Convexity n: Positive (outward) curvature. A bulge in a surface.

Crease n: A sharp, shallow edge where two surfaces meet.

Crown n: A shallow convexity of surface. v: To add convexity to a surface.

Cut-line n: The break between two flush surfaces. A division between two panels.

Dimple n: a distinct, concave surface depressed into a convex or shallower concave surface, delineated with a hard intersection. Opposite of blister. v: to depress a crisply delineated area of concavity into a surface.

Edge n: The corner formed by two surfaces meeting at a positive angle without a transitional surface.

Extrusion n: A shape with a constant cross-section. (also known as a Drag Section)

Fillet n: A concave surface which acts as a tangential transition between two intersecting surfaces. v: To smoothly transition two or more surfaces which meet at a negative angle.

Flush a: Describing two or more unconnected surfaces that share the same plane.

Hollow a: To have shallow concavity; or, in the case of a convex surface, to appear, in the context of the surrounding shapes, to have concavity.

Lathe n: A shape with a radially constant cross-section. Also revolve.

Oh-gee n: An 'S'-shaped switchback curve in a line or reflection, often caused by a blistered surface.

Pooched [surface] n: An area of surface that has an increase of convex curvature from the surface around it. (kind of like a beer-belly) Also bulged.

Radius n: a: A line segment extending from the center of a circle to its circumference. b: A curve defined by a given radius. c: A transitional surface between two or more adjacent surfaces which is characterized by a constant circular cross-section. v: To round out an edge between two surfaces by using transitional surface with a radial cross-section.

Sheer a: Having very little crown, or convex curvature. Almost flat.

Taut a: Having the appearance of tension.

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Seeing Organic Form

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