Accent: A distinct detail, brushstroke, or area of color within a painting used to draw attention or create emphasis
Acrylic: A type of paint in which pigments are suspended in a polymer binder. Developed commercially in the 1930s and 1940s and refined through
the mid-20th century, acrylic paint is a versatile alternative to oil paint. When used fluidly, it can mimic certain watercolor effects. Acrylics dry
quickly and are opaquer than oils.
Action Painting: A style of abstract painting that emphasizes the artist's physical movement, characterized by expressive brushwork, dripping, and
splattering. This energetic technique creates a sense of motion and falls under the umbrella of Abstract Expressionism.
Analogous Colors: Colors that are closely related and share a common hue. These colors are positioned next to each other on the color wheel, such
as blue, blue-green, and green.
Atmospheric Perspective: A technique used to create depth in a painting by altering color and tone between the foreground and background. Distant
objects appear lighter, less detailed, and muted in color due to the natural distortion caused by the atmosphere.
Background: The area of a composition that appears farthest from the viewer. Objects in this section are typically smaller and have less detail.
Binder: The substance that holds pigment particles together in paint. Examples include linseed oil in oil paints and acrylic polymer in acrylic
paints.
Blending: The process of smoothly merging two colors or tones so there are no sharp transitions between them
Blocking In: An initial step in painting where basic shapes and forms are outlined to establish the composition
Blotting: A technique used to lift wet or damp paint from a surface using an absorbent material, such as tissue, paper towels, or a dry brush. This
method can lighten areas or create specific details.
Canvas: A woven fabric, typically made from cotton or linen, stretched over a wooden frame. It serves as a common surface for painting.
Charcoal: A drawing medium often used for sketching compositions before painting. Vine charcoal is soft and easily erased, willow charcoal is slightly
harder and produces darker lines, and compressed charcoal comes in different forms, including sticks and pencils, offering a variety of hardness levels.
Chiaroscuro: An Italian term meaning "light-dark," referring to the use of strong contrasts between light and shadow to create the illusion of volume
and three-dimensionality. Renaissance artists mastered this technique.
Chroma: The intensity or purity of a color, determined by the absence of white, gray, or black
Cold Pressed: A type of watercolor paper with a slightly rough texture, ideal for creating expressive brushstrokes
Color Field Painting: A style of abstract painting that features large areas of color designed to evoke an emotional response
Complementary Colors: Pairs of colors positioned opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green or blue and orange. When placed side
by side, they intensify each other, and when mixed, they create neutral gray tones.
Composition: The arrangement of elements within an artwork to create a visually harmonious and balanced design
Deckle: The naturally rough edges found on high-quality watercolor and drawing papers
Dry Brush: A painting technique where a dry or slightly damp brush with minimal paint is dragged over a textured surface, allowing the texture to
show through and creating a broken, rough effect
Easel: A stand used for holding a painting while it is being worked on or displayed
Figure: A shape that stands out against a background
Fixative: A protective spray applied to charcoal, pencil, or pastel drawings to prevent smudging or flaking
Flat Color: An area of a painting that is evenly painted with a single hue and uniform tone
Flat Wash: A painting technique in which a single color is applied evenly across an area using overlapping strokes. The surface may be tilted to
help the paint flow smoothly.
Foreground: The part of a painting that appears closest to the viewer, often rendered with more detail and vibrant colors
Foreshortening: A technique used to depict an object in a three-dimensional manner on a two-dimensional surface by adjusting proportions to create
the illusion of depth
Genre Painting: Art that captures scenes of everyday life rather than historical, religious, or portrait subjects
Gesso: A preparation made of chalk, plaster, or marble dust mixed with glue or acrylic medium. It is used to create a textured, absorbent surface
for painting. It can also be sculpted or carved.
Gouache: A type of watercolor paint that is opaque rather than transparent. It is often used in illustrations and allows for layering without the
colors blending.
Graded Wash: A painting technique where a wash transitions gradually from dark to light, often used for skies and soft backgrounds in watercolor
painting
Grain: The texture of a paper's surface, which can range from fine to rough, affecting how paint adheres and spreads
Highlight: The brightest area in a painting, often representing the reflection of light on a surface
Hue: The name of a pure color, unaffected by shading or tinting
Impasto: A painting technique where thick layers of paint are applied to create a textured, three-dimensional effect
Landscape: A painting that focuses on natural scenery such as mountains, forests, or fields
Linear: A style of composition that prioritizes defined lines and contours over painterly or blended approaches
Local Color: The actual, unaltered color of an object as seen under normal lighting conditions, without the influence of shadows or reflections
Key: The overall brightness or darkness of a painting. A high-key painting appears lighter, and a low-key painting appears darker.
Medium: A general term for an artist's chosen method of creative expression, such as painting, sculpture, or glasswork, or the specific material
that an artist works with, like watercolors or oil paints
Middle Ground: The portion of a composition that sits between the foreground and the background, providing depth and context to the scene
Mix-ability: The ease with which two paints can be blended to produce a new color. Pure pigments tend to mix more predictably than synthetic hues.
Monochromatic: A color scheme based on a single hue, incorporating variations of tints (lighter tones) and shades (darker tones) of that color
Motif: A recurring theme or subject in art, such as floral patterns, geometric designs, or symbolic imagery
Mural: A large-scale painting created directly on a wall or ceiling, often using techniques like fresco or acrylic application
Muted: A subdued version of a color
Negative Space: The area surrounding the subject of a piece of artwork
Nonrepresentational: A style of art that does not attempt to depict real-world objects or figures. Instead, it emphasizes color, form, and composition
in an abstract way.
Oil Paint: A traditional and versatile paint made by suspending pigments in oil, typically linseed oil, and known for its rich colors, smooth blending,
and extended drying time
Opacity: The degree to which a layer of paint blocks the visibility of what lies beneath it. More opaque paints obscure underlying layers, while
more transparent ones allow them to show through.
Opaque: A paint or surface that does not allow light to pass through, making underlying layers invisible
Painterly: A style of painting in which brushstrokes remain visible and forms are defined by color and light rather than sharp outlines
Palette: The range of colors an artist chooses for a particular work, or a flat surface used for mixing paints
Pan Color: A solid, semi-moist watercolor stored in a small metal or plastic pan, ideal for portability and convenience
Panorama: A broad or wide-angle view of a scene, often depicted in landscape paintings
Pastels: Sticks of powdered pigment mixed with a binder, used for drawing and coloring. The term can also refer to soft, muted color tones.
Perspective: The technique of creating the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Linear perspective uses converging lines, atmospheric perspective
relies on fading colors and details, and isometric perspective maintains parallel lines without convergence.
Pigment: A substance that provides color in paints, inks, and drawing materials, derived from natural minerals, plants, or synthetic compounds.
Polychromatic: A work that features multiple colors, often used freely rather than following a structured color scheme
Positive Space: The area occupied by the main subject of an artwork
Primary Colors: The three foundational colors (red, yellow, and blue) from which all other colors can be mixed
Realism: A style of art that strives to accurately depict people, objects, and scenes as they appear in real life, without exaggeration or abstraction
Relief: The effect of raised or projected forms on a surface, whether created through thick paint application (impasto) or sculptural techniques
Representational: Art that portrays recognizable subjects, such as landscapes, figures, or objects, as opposed to abstract or nonobjective styles
Resist: A material, like wax or crayon, used to repel paint or ink, creating a contrast between treated and untreated areas
Scale: The proportional size of objects within an artwork relative to each other, their surroundings, or the overall format
Scumbling: A technique where a thin, opaque layer of paint is lightly brushed over another to create texture and depth
Secondary Color: A color produced by mixing two primary colors in equal parts. The three secondary colors are orange (red plus yellow), green (blue
plus yellow), and violet (red plus blue).
Sepia: A warm, brownish pigment originally derived from cuttlefish ink, commonly used in watercolor and drawing
Sketch: A quick, unfinished drawing used to plan a composition or capture an idea before creating a final piece
Still Life: A depiction of inanimate objects, such as fruit, flowers, or household items, arranged for artistic composition
Stretched Canvas: A piece of fabric, typically cotton or linen, tightly stretched over a wooden frame and primed for painting
Study: A detailed drawing or painting created as a preliminary exploration of a subject, often used as a reference for a larger or more finished
work
Technique: The specific method an artist employs to apply materials and create effects in their work, whether through brushwork, layering, or other
means
Tempera: A water-based paint that traditionally uses egg yolk or another natural binder to hold pigments together
Texture: The perceived or actual surface quality of an artwork, which can be smooth, rough, glossy, or matte
Thumbnail Sketch: A small, quick drawing made to explore composition and design ideas before beginning a full-scale work
Tint: A lighter version of a color, created by mixing it with white
Tone: A softened color created by mixing it with gray, altering its intensity without making it lighter or darker
Translucent: A quality of paint that allows some light to pass through, partially revealing underlying colors or textures
Transparent: A material or color that allows light to pass through completely, making underlying layers visible
Triadic Color: Color schemes like yellow, red, and blue that are uniformly spaced around the color wheel
Triptych: An artwork composed of three panels, which may be hinged together or displayed side by side
Trompe L'oeil: A technique that creates a highly realistic, three-dimensional illusion on a flat surface
Tube Color: A form of watercolor or gouache sold in tubes, offering a more concentrated pigment compared to pan colors
Under-painting: The initial layer of paint in a composition, often used to establish tones and forms before adding details
Value: The degree of lightness or darkness in a color, ranging from pure white to deep black, with various shades of gray in between
Vehicle: The liquid component of a paint that carries the pigment. Watercolor, for example, uses water as its vehicle, while oil paint uses linseed
oil.
Warm Colors: Colors that have a yellow, red, or orange bias, evoking a sense of warmth and energy, as opposed to cool colors, which lean toward
blues and greens
Wash: A thin, transparent layer of paint applied with a diluted mixture, often used for backgrounds or subtle color transitions
Watercolor: A painting medium that uses pigments suspended in a water-based binder, known for its transparency and fluid application
Watercolor Brush: A brush specifically designed for watercolor painting, often made from natural sable or synthetic fibers to hold and release water
effectively
Wet-on-Wet: A painting technique in which wet paint is applied onto a wet surface, allowing colors to blend and create soft, fluid effects
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