the painter's lexicon
the painter's lexicon
20 terms
I study art and have realized that many people don’t really know how painting techniques work. It’s such a rich and complex art, built on centuries-old methods (some with names in Latin) This glossary is a way to make that world more accessible and help others appreciate the craft behind the canvas.
- alla prima
- A technique where a painting is completed in one sitting without layering.
- allegory
- A story where characters and events symbolize deeper meanings.
- canvas stretcher
- A wooden frame used to stretch and hold a painting canvas.
- chiaroscuro
- The strong contrast between light and shadow in a painting.
- composition
- The arrangement of elements in an artwork.
- diptych
- A two-panel painting, often connected by a hinge or frame.
- fauvism
- A movement using bold, unnatural colors and expressive brushstrokes.
- glazing
- Applying thin, transparent layers of paint for depth and luminosity.
- hue
- The pure color without any tint or shade.
- impasto
- A painting technique where thick layers of paint creates texture.
- linear perspective
- A technique that creates the illusion of depth using vanishing lines.
- metaphor
- A comparison between two things without using "like" or "as”.
- minimalism
- A style that focuses on simplicity, using limited colors and shapes.
- op art
- A style that creates optical illusions through geometric patterns.
- perspective
- A technique to create the illusion of depth in an image.
- pigment
- A colored powder used to make paint.
- scumbling
- A method of applying a thin, broken layer of paint over another to create depth.
- surrealism
- An artistic movement exploring dreams, imagination, and irrationality.
- trick the eye
- A painting technique that creates the illusion of three-dimensional reality.
- vanishing point
- The point in perspective drawing where parallel lines appear to converge.