Art Glossary

Papier-mâché is a composite material made from pieces of paper or pulp, reinforced with textiles and bound with adhesives like starch, wallpaper paste, or glue. There are two main methods to create (...) read more

Pastel is an art medium in stick form made from powdered pigment and a binder. The pigments used in pastels are the same as those in other colored art media. The color effect of pastels closely (...) read more

Pen and ink is a traditional drawing technique that involves using a dip pen with India ink on paper. The fine tip of the dip pen is ideal for creating varied lines and detailed shading. Some artists (...) read more

A pencil is a writing and drawing tool with a core of solid pigment, typically graphite or colored, encased in a protective layer of wood or composite material. Pencils make marks on paper by (...) read more

A photograph is an image captured with a camera. Traditionally, photographs were made by exposing film and then developing the image on light-sensitive paper using chemicals. Today, photographs can (...) read more

Photography is the process of creating an image on light sensitive materials. The image is produced by using a camera, which has a lens that focuses on light either reflected or emitted from an (...) read more

Photogravure is a high-quality printing process that involves etching a photograph onto a copper plate. The plate is inked and pressed onto paper, producing fine art prints with detailed, soft tones (...) read more

A pigment print is a type of print that uses ink colored with pigment particles. Pigment ink is commonly used in inkjet printing because it is more durable and resistant to fading compared to (...) read more

Plaster is a mixture of heat-treated powdered gypsum combined with water to create a workable material. It can be used to make solid sculptures, cast in molds, carved, modeled, or attached to other (...) read more

Plastic is a material made from synthetic or organic compounds that can be molded into various shapes. It became a popular medium for artwork in the 20th century. Plastics can be cut, shaped, (...) read more

A plate is a broad, primarily flat vessel used for serving food, but it can also serve ceremonial or decorative purposes. Plates are typically circular, though they can be any shape and made from (...) read more

A Polaroid print is an instant photograph produced using a Polaroid camera, which develops the image immediately after exposure. The camera's internal processing allows the photograph to develop and (...) read more

Porcelain is a hard, durable material made from clay, primarily composed of the mineral kaolinite. It is fired at high temperatures, resulting in a fine, white, and often translucent finish. (...) read more

Relief printing is a printmaking process where the design to be printed is etched or cut into a surface, leaving only the raised areas to transfer ink. The non-printing areas are removed, so only the (...) read more

Resin can be derived from both natural sources, such as pine sap, and synthetic processes. Natural resin comes from tree sap, while synthetic resin is a type of dense, easily molded plastic. Resin is (...) read more

Sand consists of loose grains of material primarily made up of minerals like quartz, mica, and feldspar, as well as small fragments of rocks. Sand paintings are created by pouring colored sand into (...) read more

Screen printing is a technique where ink is transferred through a mesh onto a substrate, with areas blocked by a stencil to prevent ink from passing through. This method, also known as serigraphy or (...) read more

A sculpture is a three-dimension object made using any one of the basic sculpting processes. These include carving, casting, constructing or modeling. Carving materials may be bone, ivory, stone or (...) read more

Serigraph is a printmaking process that uses silk screen techniques to create an image. The image is digitally separated into individual colors, each of which is assigned to a separate silk screen. (...) read more

Silkscreen is a printmaking method that uses a screen made of silk or other mesh fabric. The screen is treated with a substance that blocks ink in certain areas, allowing ink to pass through only in (...) read more

Stone is a hard, natural material found in the ground and used for various artistic purposes, such as carving statues, creating jewelry, and assembling mosaics. Artists and rock collectors often seek (...) read more

Tapestry is a woven form of textile. It is generally heavy, and the completed work has a decorative pattern, design or realistic depiction of a portrait or real life activities. Tapestries were hung (...) read more

Tapestry is a heavy, handwoven textile featuring intricate designs or images woven directly into the fabric. Created by skilled weavers using materials like wool, linen, cotton, silk, and sometimes (...) read more

Tempera is a paint traditionally made by mixing colored pigments with egg yolk. It dries quickly and is highly durable, with some examples dating back to 100 AD still in existence. Modern tempera (...) read more