ABSTRACT ART
This usually refers to work which is not representational. The artist’s work is often concerned with the depiction of ideas which have no basis in everyday reality.
ACRYLIC
Acrylic paint can be used thickly, like oil paint, or watered down to be like watercolour. It dries very quickly and once dry, it is waterproof. Brushes must be washed out immediately with water after use.
Acrylic paint can be used thickly, like oil paint, or watered down to be like watercolour. It dries very quickly and once dry, it is waterproof. Brushes must be washed out immediately with water after use.
ARTEFACT
This word comes from the Latin words ars meaning art and fact made. It is something made with skill by someone.
This word comes from the Latin words ars meaning art and fact made. It is something made with skill by someone.
B
BATIK
Batik is a method of printing on textiles which is based on using wax to resist dye.
BLENDING
This is the merging and overlapping of different colours.
This is the merging and overlapping of different colours.
C
CANVAS
Canvas is a heavy woven fabric, made of linen or heavy cotton. It is the preferred painting surface for many artists using oil or acrylic paint. It needs to be prepared by tacking it onto a frame (known as a stretcher) and primed.
Canvas is a heavy woven fabric, made of linen or heavy cotton. It is the preferred painting surface for many artists using oil or acrylic paint. It needs to be prepared by tacking it onto a frame (known as a stretcher) and primed.
CERAMICS
Ceramics covers products and processes involving clay (and glass) which involve the use of a kiln.
Ceramics covers products and processes involving clay (and glass) which involve the use of a kiln.
CHARCOAL
Charcoal is a piece of burnt twig, usually willow, used for drawing. It needs to be fixed to stop it smudging. Interesting effects can be achieved by using charcoal in conjunction with white chalk, to give a range of tonal values.
Charcoal is a piece of burnt twig, usually willow, used for drawing. It needs to be fixed to stop it smudging. Interesting effects can be achieved by using charcoal in conjunction with white chalk, to give a range of tonal values.
COLLAGE
An image made up of cut paper pieces pasted on for a tonal or colour effect.
An image made up of cut paper pieces pasted on for a tonal or colour effect.
COLLAGRAPH
A collagraph is a print, usually using an intaglio process (that is, the print comes from beneath the surface, as in etching). It is based on gluing down paper and card of different textures (hence collagraph, as in collage) and then inking it up and taking a print from it.
A collagraph is a print, usually using an intaglio process (that is, the print comes from beneath the surface, as in etching). It is based on gluing down paper and card of different textures (hence collagraph, as in collage) and then inking it up and taking a print from it.
COLOUR WHEEL
A colour wheel is a circular chart which is divided into segments, each showing the main primary and secondary colours. The colours which are least alike in terms of hue (complementary), such as blue and orange, are on opposite sides of the wheel. Colours which are similar (analogous), such as blue and violet, are next to each other.
COMPLEMENTARY
Not to be confused with complimentary! Complementary colours are those which area least alike. They appear opposite each other in a colour wheel.
A colour wheel is a circular chart which is divided into segments, each showing the main primary and secondary colours. The colours which are least alike in terms of hue (complementary), such as blue and orange, are on opposite sides of the wheel. Colours which are similar (analogous), such as blue and violet, are next to each other.
COMPLEMENTARY
Not to be confused with complimentary! Complementary colours are those which area least alike. They appear opposite each other in a colour wheel.
COMPOSITION
A composition is something which is put together – an arrangement of different elements. In art, the visual elements are combined by paying attention to things such as balance, harmony rhythm and contrast to give a unified whole. Sometimes, composition is used to refer to one piece of artwork, such as a painting.
A composition is something which is put together – an arrangement of different elements. In art, the visual elements are combined by paying attention to things such as balance, harmony rhythm and contrast to give a unified whole. Sometimes, composition is used to refer to one piece of artwork, such as a painting.
CONTINUOUS LINE
This is a smooth unbroken line.
This is a smooth unbroken line.
CONTEMPORARY ART
Contemporary art is artwork which is currently being produced by living artists. It is often concerned with contemporary issues and can take many forms.
Contemporary art is artwork which is currently being produced by living artists. It is often concerned with contemporary issues and can take many forms.
F
FORM
Form is the three-dimensional aspect of an artwork, as opposed to shape, which is seen as referring to the two-dimensional aspect.
Form is the three-dimensional aspect of an artwork, as opposed to shape, which is seen as referring to the two-dimensional aspect.
H
HUE
Hue is an aspect of colour which is concerned with the yellowness, redness or blueness of a particular colour. There are over 150 discernible hues.
L
LINE DRAWING – A line drawing is made up of lines and marks but does not include any shading (tone).
LINO-PRINT
A lino-print is a print taken off the raised, inked-up surface of a piece of linoleum.
M
MIXED MEDIA
A combination of different materials, e.g. crayon with watercolour
MEDIA
In art it refers to the substance or process you use to produce an artwork. For example, an oil painting is painted using the medium of oil paint. Paint, ink and clay are different media.
In art it refers to the substance or process you use to produce an artwork. For example, an oil painting is painted using the medium of oil paint. Paint, ink and clay are different media.
MONOPRINT
Sometimes called a monotype print, a monoprint is a process whereby one print at a time is taken. Using a piece of paper lying face down on an inked-up surface, an image is drawn on the back; the pressure of the drawing picks up ink on the front with a resulting image.
OSometimes called a monotype print, a monoprint is a process whereby one print at a time is taken. Using a piece of paper lying face down on an inked-up surface, an image is drawn on the back; the pressure of the drawing picks up ink on the front with a resulting image.
OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING Drawing what we see, not what we think we see. Translating what one observes about a three-dimensional object into lines and shapes on a flat piece of paper.
P
PAINT
Paint is made up from three main things: pigment, to give it colour; a medium (such as oil), which is used to support the pigment; and something to think it down, such as water or turpentine.
PALETTE
A palette is a portable tray which artists use for mixing colours. The term ‘artist’s palette’ refers also to the range of colours which an artist uses. A palette knife is a flexible, blunt knife used for both mixing and applying paint.
A palette is a portable tray which artists use for mixing colours. The term ‘artist’s palette’ refers also to the range of colours which an artist uses. A palette knife is a flexible, blunt knife used for both mixing and applying paint.
PAPIER MÂCHĖ
Papier mâché is a material made from torn-up paper (often newspaper) soaked in water with the addition of glue or paste.
Papier mâché is a material made from torn-up paper (often newspaper) soaked in water with the addition of glue or paste.
PATTERN
This is a repeating motif or quality.
This is a repeating motif or quality.
PERSPECTIVE
Perspective is the illusion of objects appearing smaller at a distance.
Perspective is the illusion of objects appearing smaller at a distance.
PIGMENT
Pigment is the substance in paint and ink which gives it colour.
Pigment is the substance in paint and ink which gives it colour.
PORTRAIT
A portrait is an artwork which represents a particular person (or sometimes an animal), often showing just the head and shoulders. A picture or piece of paper which is ‘portrait way up’ has a height longer than its width.
A portrait is an artwork which represents a particular person (or sometimes an animal), often showing just the head and shoulders. A picture or piece of paper which is ‘portrait way up’ has a height longer than its width.
PRIMARY COLOUR
Red, blue and yellow are the primary colours in art; they cannot be mixed from other colours. When two of them are mixed together, a secondary colour is formed.
Red, blue and yellow are the primary colours in art; they cannot be mixed from other colours. When two of them are mixed together, a secondary colour is formed.
PROCESS
The procedures that one goes through in creating an artwork are known as the process, for example, the process of printmaking.
The procedures that one goes through in creating an artwork are known as the process, for example, the process of printmaking.
PUG/PUGMILL
To pug, which is usually done in a machine called a pugmill, is to squash clay in readiness for use.
To pug, which is usually done in a machine called a pugmill, is to squash clay in readiness for use.
R
RELIEF
This is a part of a design which stands ‘proud’.
RELIEF PRINT
A relief print is one that is taken from the surface of an image, either gouged out as in a linoprint, or built up, as in a string print (where string is glued onto a piece of card).
A relief print is one that is taken from the surface of an image, either gouged out as in a linoprint, or built up, as in a string print (where string is glued onto a piece of card).
S
SCULPTURE
A sculpture is a three-dimensional artwork (produced by a sculptor). Sculptures can be carved or modelled, using a wide range of materials.
SECONDARY COLOURS
These are colours mixed by combining two primary colours: orange, purple and green.
These are colours mixed by combining two primary colours: orange, purple and green.
SLAB TECHNIQUE
Slab technique is a structure built up by flat layers of rolled-out clay.
Slab technique is a structure built up by flat layers of rolled-out clay.
SLIP
The word slip is derived from the Old English word slipa which meant ‘slime’. It is very fine clay mixed with water. It can be used for decorative effects or, more commonly, as a kind of glue to fix two pieces of clay together (the surfaces should be scratched or scored first).
The word slip is derived from the Old English word slipa which meant ‘slime’. It is very fine clay mixed with water. It can be used for decorative effects or, more commonly, as a kind of glue to fix two pieces of clay together (the surfaces should be scratched or scored first).
STENCIL
A stencil is a thin sheet of metal, cardboard or plastic in which a design (or letters and numbers) is cut. The uncut areas act as a mask. Stencils can be used in screen printing, where the masked part prevents the printing ink from going through the screen.
A stencil is a thin sheet of metal, cardboard or plastic in which a design (or letters and numbers) is cut. The uncut areas act as a mask. Stencils can be used in screen printing, where the masked part prevents the printing ink from going through the screen.
STILL LIFE
Still life is a painting or drawing of a group of objects, which have been selected by the artist.
Still life is a painting or drawing of a group of objects, which have been selected by the artist.
T
TERTIARY COLOURS
These are colour mixed by combining adjacent secondary and primary colours.
TEXTURE
Texture is the surface quality of an object. In art, it can refer to an illusion of texture, for example, in a painting which shows the smoothness of a child’s face and rough surface of a tree. It can also refer to actual texture, as in a collage.
TONE
Tone is normally seen as one aspect of colour, concerned with its lightness or darkness.
Tone is normally seen as one aspect of colour, concerned with its lightness or darkness.
V
VIEWFINDER
A viewfinder is a piece of card with a small rectangular shape cut in the centre, used to isolate parts of a scene or picture.
W
WATERCOLOUR
Watercolour is kind of paint which is mixed with water, either from a tube or a hard slab. It is usually applied onto heavy paper in translucent washes (that is, you can see the paper through it).
Wet Onto Wet
This is painting colour next to a wet area to encourage the colour to bleed.
This is painting colour next to a wet area to encourage the colour to bleed.
