Art Glossary

Original artwork is art that stems directly from the personal inspiration and creativity of an artist. It is not a direct copy of another artist’s work, though it may be inspired by it. The subject (...) 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

Patina is the distinctive greenish surface that bronze develops over time due to exposure to air and humidity. Artists can also apply chemicals to bronze to artificially create patina. Alternatively, (...) read more

Perspective refers to the techniques artists use to represent three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface. These techniques create the illusion of depth and space, making objects appear as (...) 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

A pigment is a material that changes the color of light by selectively absorbing certain wavelengths and reflecting others. Unlike phosphorescence or fluorescence, where materials emit light, (...) read more

A portfolio is a collection of artworks or images assembled in a folder or digital format for storage or display. Artists often compile portfolios to showcase their work, either thematically related (...) read more

A print is an image or text reproduced using a template or master form. Prints are typically created by transferring ink from a prepared matrix to another material, often paper. Common matrices (...) read more

A print proof refers to any test impressions made from a printing plate or block to check the image quality before the final print is completed. These proofs are used as quality checks to ensure that (...) read more

Provenance refers to the chronology of ownership, location, or custody of an artwork. Tracing an object's provenance helps establish its authenticity and historical context by documenting its (...) read more

Recto and verso are terms used to describe the right and left pages of an open book, or the front and back of a sheet of paper. In both cases, recto refers to the right-hand page or the front of the (...) read more

A replica is a copy of an artwork that is so precisely made that it is nearly indistinguishable from the original. Artists may create replicas of their own work, or replicas can be produced for (...) 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

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

A triennial is a large-scale art exhibition that takes place every three years. These exhibitions often feature the latest artistic developments, works, and emerging artists on an international (...) read more

A triptych is an artwork divided into three sections or panels, often hinged together, allowing it to be displayed open or folded shut. It is a type of polyptych, a term for multi-panel artworks. (...) read more

A watermark is an image or pattern embedded into a sheet of paper during the papermaking process. Each papermaker includes a faint trademark, which becomes visible when the paper is held up to a (...) read more