Art Glossary

New Media Art is a genre that includes all artworks created using new technologies, such as computer graphics, digital art, virtual art, internet art, computer animation, video games, 3D printing, (...) read more

New Topographics is a term coined in 1975 by curator William Jenkins to describe a group of photographers whose work focused on formal black-and-white images of urban and industrial landscapes. (...) read more

Nouveau Réalisme is an artistic movement founded in 1960 by art critic Pierre Restany and painter Yves Klein during a collective exhibition at a gallery in Milan. Restany wrote the original manifesto (...) read more

An object in art refers to any tangible thing that exists and can be depicted in a work of art. Sometimes, the object becomes the focal point of a painting, drawing, or sculpture, meaning it is the (...) read more

Offset lithography is a printing technique where the inked image is first transferred (offset) from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. This method combines the lithographic (...) read more

Oil on board is a painting technique where oil paint is applied to either wood panels that have been sanded and primed or high-density cardboard covered with canvas. These surfaces offer the (...) read more

Oil paint is a slow-drying type of paint made from pigment particles suspended in a drying oil, typically linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint can be adjusted by adding a solvent like turpentine, (...) read more

Oil on paper is a technique that allows painters to use economical paper without needing to apply a primer before painting. Artists can combine oil paints with solvents to achieve effects similar to (...) read more

Op Art is a visual art style that uses optical illusions to create the impression of movement, vibrating patterns, flashing, or hidden images. The works are typically abstract, with many well-known (...) read more

Orphism is an abstract style of painting influenced by Cubism, developed by Sonia and Robert Delaunay. The term was coined around 1912 by French poet Guillaume Apollinaire to differentiate the (...) read more

Painting is the process of applying media to a surface, using a tool such as a brush. The term refers to both the action and the resulting object. Artists use many tools to paint, such as brushes, (...) read more

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

Performance Art is a genre of fine art that is traditionally interdisciplinary, involving various art forms. It can be scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated, spontaneous, or (...) read more

Bridging ancient traditions with contemporary insights, Peru's art scene is a thriving dialogue of epochs. Artists such as Fernando de Szyszlo and Ana Teresa Barboza continue to shape this landscape (...) 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

Photorealism is a genre of art or artistic movement that involves drawing, painting, and other graphic media in which the artist carefully studies a photograph and attempts to reproduce it as (...) 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

Pixel Art is a form of digital art created by placing individual pixels, similar to assembling a mosaic where each small piece contributes to a larger image. The style is often associated with (...) 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