Glossary of art terms

Alla Prima:

at first attempt'. It refers to a wet-on-wet approach whereby wet paint is applied to previous layers of still-wet paint, often in a single sitting.

Blending:

the process of fusing two colors together so that the paint transitions from one color to another, or combines to create a new color. A painting of a sunset is a classic example of blending because of the soft transition from deep red, to orange, to yellow

Binders:

the component of the paint that physically holds the other components together. Along with pigments, it is one of the two absolutely necessary components of any paint; depending on the type, solvents, fillers or others may also be added.

a piece of cloth backed or framed as a surface for a painting.

pairs of colours that contrast with each other more than any other colour, and when placed side-by-side make each other look brighter.

the representation of two elements of design in opposite ways. For example, areas of bright light in comparison with areas of dark. The goal of contrast is to create strong focal points in an image. Focal points are areas of high visual interest that draw attention.

Canvas

Complimentary colours:

Contrast:

Curing:

the stage that allows the paint to achieve maximum hardness. The curing stage typically takes much longer than the drying stage. While paint may appear to dry in a few hours, curing can take days or weeks to complete.

Dead colour:

is a monochrome Underpainting, always made in cold colors; the lack of vivid flesh color gives them that term – “dead colors.” At this stage, the painting can represent the final look of a painting – the composition of the painting and main light-dark relations are established.

Direct painting:

a painting technique in which layers of wet paint are applied to previously administered layers of wet paint.

A medium in the art world is the term for the material used to create artwork. Mediums can include paint or inks, sculpting materials, fabric, glass, and even sound or living people in some cases. The medium that an artist chooses to work with contributes to both the style of the art and its meaning.

refers to the principle in oil painting of applying paint with a higher oil to pigment ratio ('fat') over paint with a lower oil to pigment ratio ('lean') to ensure a stable paint film, since it is believed that the paint with the higher oil content remains more flexible.

prepares (or "primes") the surface for painting, making the surface slightly textured and ready to accept acrylic paint. Without gesso, the paint would soak into the weave of the canvas.

a painting technique in which a paint brush that is relatively dry, but still holds paint, is used to create a drawing or painting. Load is applied to a dry support such as paper or primed canvas.

the material that will stimulate or accelerate the hardening or curing of the film formers that will contain oxidizable or drying oil components in the paint. These are also the convertible coating in the film, and it does not re-dissolve in the original carrier solvent.

lower oil to pigment ratio ('lean') to ensure a stable paint film, since it is believed that the paint with the higher oil content remains more flexible.

It describes how much light is reflected from the surface of the paint. If a painted surface is very smooth and glass-like, the reflection is perceived to be “shiny” or “glossy.” Conversely, a flat or satin/low sheen paint has a rough surface profile after it dries.

Film formation in paint is a complex interplay of physio-chemical interactions influenced by surface tension between the paint's polymer and air, interfacial tension with water, and forces such as capillary action and osmotic pressure.

Drier:

Dry brush:

Fat over lean:

Film:

Gesso:

Impasto:

Gloss:

In recent years the term hue has appeared in artists ranges following the introduction of the ASTM standard in the USA which requires colours not made from the named pigment to carry the description hue together with the names of the colours used. For example” Flake White Hue: titanium dioxide/zinc oxide”. or "Yellow cadmium Hue"

An Italian word for “mixture,” used to describe a painting technique wherein paint is thickly laid on a surface, so that brushstrokes or palette knife marks are visible. A pastose surface is one that is thickly painted.

When artists talk about hue, they are describing either pure colour (no white, black, grey or another colour mixed with it) or the dominant pure colour in the colour that is being discussed.

a thin transparent or semi-transparent layer on a painting which modifies the appearance of the underlying paint layer. Glazes can change the chroma, value, hue and texture of a surface. Glazes consist of a great amount of binding medium in relation to a very small amount of pigment.

Glaze:

Chroma:

chroma and intensity mean the same thing, it is how bright or dull a color appears. By having a variety of intensities with your colors you increase the the depth of your color relationships in your paintings.

Hue:

Hue: when listed on paint:

Lean:

Medium:

Pigment:

Pallet Knife:

Tint:

Study:

Plein air:

Priming:

Stretcher:

Permanence:

Shade:

a knife with usually a flexible steel blade and no cutting edge used to mix colors or to apply colors (as to a painting)

the lasting quality or durability of an artwork, particularly in the context of street art and graffiti. This characteristic affects how the pieces are perceived, valued, and maintained over time, influencing both the intent of the artist and the response from the public.

En plein air is a French expression meaning “in the open air”, and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artist's subject in full view. Plein air artists capture the spirit and essence of a landscape or subject by incorporating natural light, color and movement into their works.

To create paint, artists need powdery substances called pigments. Pigments give paint its color. While some pigments are made from chemicals in factories, many pigments are natural, created by grinding and sifting substances found in the living world. more expensive paints use higher quality raw materials, cheaper paints might use synthetic ingredients and are often referred to as "Hue"

a base coat used to help treat a surface before applying a topcoat. Accordingly, primer is formulated to ensure maximum adhesion. Better paint adhesion means your paint job lasts longer. Likewise, primer acts as a sealer for porous surfaces that would otherwise absorb the first few coats of paint.

a hue or mixture of pure colors to which only black is added. It contains no white or gray. Shade darkens the color, but the hue remains the same.

any hue or mixture of pure colors to which white is added. Pastel colors are generally tinted colors. Tinted color remains the same color, but it is paler than the original.

a drawing, sketch or painting done in preparation for a finished piece, as visual notes, or as practice.

the lightness or darkness of colors used, which can help to create a sense of depth or distance in art. Artists use light and dark colors to convey a mood or an emotion. Color can harmonize, or bring elements together and create a pleasing sensation, or it may clash.

A non-decorative wooden support frame with adjustable corners used to mount canvas art or tapestries. Once mounted the canvas can be tightened by "keying" the corners. Strainer: A non-decorative wooden support frame with fixed corners used to mount canvas art or tapestries.

defines how light or dark a given color or hue can be. Values are best understood when visualized as a scale or gradient, from dark to light. The more tonal variants in an image, the lower the contrast.

the texture, or roughness of the canvas or other substrate onto which paint is applied. The rougher the surface is, the more readily the paint will adhere. Think of it this way: paint has a very hard time adhering, or sticking to super-smooth surfaces like slick metals, or a mirror.

First layer of paint applied to a stretched canvas or board, and it functions as a base for other layers of paint. It acts as a foundation for your painting and is a great way to start your painting off with some built-in contrast and tonal value

it has and effect on the final appearance of the painting and also serves as a protective coating for the paint surface. Varnishes intensify the appearance of pigments on the painting surface by the refraction of light. This is called "saturation."

is one of the three attributes of color (hue, lightness and saturation) and refers to the intensity and vividness of color. A clear color has a high saturation and a dull color a low saturation. This means a color with the same hue and lightness would appear clearer if it has a higher saturation.

Tone:

Tooth:

Under painting:

Value:

Varnish:

Saturation:

Visual weight measures how much design elements draw attention from the viewer. Objects that are bigger in size, simpler in shape, use dark colors, or have high contrast appear visually heavier.

Visual Weight:

Weight of canvas:

unprimed canvas is usually expressed in ounces per square yard eg 12oz. Primed canvas weight, on the other hand, is usually given in grams per square metre because it is more commonly produced and sold in Europe, where the metric system of measurement (grams, kilograms) is used. The lower the number, the heavier it is. A #1 canvas is 27 oz per square yard and #12 is 11.5 oz.

Washing:

A color wash is usually a watered-down acrylic painted across the whole surface of a canvas to create a block of faint color that is then left to dry. It is not designed to be the final surface—think of it as the foundation.