20 terms that are useful to know in the Visual Art program. terms
Visual Art is a field that teaches you different way of using your creativity in an artistic way. We are trying paint, sculpture, photography, drawing, etc. We also learn art history. All of this to help us find and develop the best way for us to work on our creativity.
This glossary is useful to art students because some words can be really different in French and in English in art study, or some term in English can have a huge difference in meaning when it's in an artistic context.
blending
verb
Smoothing the edges of two colors together so that they have a smooth gradation where they meet.
Example: You should blend your red and your yellow together.
fr: mélanger
canvas
noun
Closely woven cloth used as a support for paintings.
Example: Paint on your canvas.
fr: toile
diluent
noun
Liquids used to dilute different media, usually paint.
Example: The diluent for water based media is water.
fr: diluant
encaustic
noun
Literally, to burn in. A painting technique in which the binder is melted wax.
Example: You should try the encaustic painting technique.
fr: encaustique
film
noun
A thin coating or layer of paint, ink, etc
Example: Maybe add a film to add effect to your painting.
fr: pellicule
glaze
noun
A very thin, transparent colored paint applied over a previously painted surface to alter the appearance and color of the surface.
fr: vernis
hue
noun
The perceived color of an object, identified by a common name such as red, orange, blue.
Example: Her face lost its golden hue.
fr: teinte
intensity
noun
The purity and brightness of a color. Also called saturation.
Example: The intensity of your red is really particular.
fr: intensité
leaching
verb
The process of drawing out excess liquid through a porous substance.
Example: The water is quickly leached away.
fr: extraire par lessivage
local color
noun
The actual color of an object or surface, unaffected by shadow coloring, light quality or other factors.
Example: The local color of this painting is definitely different from when it's exposed in this gallery.
fr: couleur locale
matte
adjective
Flat, nonglossy; having a dull surface appearance. Variant spelling - matt.
Example: Prints are available on matte or glossy paper.
fr: mat
mixed media
noun
In drawing and painting this refers to the use of different media in the same picture.
Example: For your final project you did a background with paint and draw on the top, didn't you? Nice mixed media.
fr: technique mixte
patina
noun
Originally the green brown encrustation on bronze, this now includes the natural effects of age or exposure on a surface.
Example: The dining table will acquire a warm patina with age.
fr: patine
resins
noun
A general term for a wide variety of more or less transparent, fusible materials. The term is used to designate any polymer that is a basic material for paints and plastics.
Example: I can see that your earrings are resin pieces, beautiful artwork!
fr: résines
scumble
noun
A thin opaque coat of paint or layer of shading applied to give a softer or duller effect.
Example: I added a yellow stumble over my paint to give a yellowish taint.
fr: mettre un cataplasme
tooth
noun
Roughness given to a surface to allow color or glue to adhere. Tooth provides for the attachment of succeeding layers of paint.
Example: The tooth of your canva will let you add texture easily.
fr: dent
under painting
noun
The traditional stage in oil painting of using a monochrome or dead color as a base for composition. Also known as laying in.
Example: By overlaying with another layer of stronger in pigment paint they used the under painting technique.
fr: sous-peinture
value
noun
The relative lightness or darkness of a hue. Black is low value. White is a high value.
Example: The artist has used adjacent color values as the landscape recedes.
fr: valeur
watercolor
noun
A technique of painting using a binder made from a water-soluble gum. Watercolors can be transparent or opaque.
Example: They did a self-portrait in watercolor.
fr: aquarelle
zoomorphic
noun
Describes the forms of works of art and ornaments based on animal shapes or gods of animal form.
Example: This pottery was decorated with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic designs.