Art Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture: Key Terms and Techniques

Dry media

Drawing materials that do not involve liquid binders or solvents, such as metal point, charcoal, chalk, graphite, and pastel. These are applied directly and produce effects through friction and pressure.

Wet Media

Drawing materials involving liquid, such as ink and pen (using nibs for precise lines) and ink and brush (for fluid, expressive strokes and washes)

sketch

A quick, preliminary drawing capturing ideas, gestures, or observations, often loose and unfinished.

Plans or Studies

Preparatory drawings exploring composition, form, proportion, anatomy, or details before creating a finished work (e.g., compositional sketches or detailed figure studies).

Finished works

Fully resolved, complete drawings intended as final artworks, with refined details, shading, and composition

Stylus

A pointed tool used for drawing or incising lines, especially in metalpoint (a metal tip on a holder) or early engraving; also refers to any pointed drawing instrument.

Tooth

The texture or roughness of a drawing surface (e.g., paper or board) that grips dry media particles for better adhesion and control

Fixative

A spray (clear resin solution) applied to finished drawings (especially charcoal, pastel, or graphite) to prevent smudging and preserve the work.

Keyhole Nude

A term associated with Edgar Degas's approach to nudes, where intimate scenes of women bathing or dressing appear voyeuristic, as if viewed secretly, emphasizing natural, unposed observation rather than idealized classical poses.

Linear Drawings

emphasize outlines, contours, and edges focus on line quality and precision

Tonal Drawings

prioritize shading, value gradients, mass, and volume (using hatching, cross-hatching, or blending for depth and form).

Encaustic

A painting medium using pigmented molten beeswax as binder; applied hot and fused with heat for durability and rich texture.

Fresco

A mural technique painting pigments mixed with water onto plaster.

Buon Fresco

Pigments applied to wet, fresh lime plaster; the chemical reaction binds color permanently as it dries.

Fresco secco

Pigments applied to dry plaster (often for corrections or details); less durable, may use a binder like egg or glue.

Tempera painting

A fast-drying water-based paint using egg yolk (or whole egg) as binder; produces matte, durable surfaces (common in Renaissance panel paintings).

Oil painting

Slow-drying paint with pigments suspended in oil (usually linseed); allows blending, glazing, and rich color depth.

Acrylic Painting

Fast-drying synthetic paint with pigments in polymer emulsion; versatile, water-soluble when wet, permanent when dry.

watercolor painting

Transparent paint using pigments bound in gum arabic; applied with liquid for luminous, translucent effects on paper.

Gouache Painting

Opaque watercolor paint with pigments, gum arabic, and white chalk/opacifier; matte finish, used for bold, flat colors.

Pigment

The finely ground, colored substance (natural or synthetic) that provides color in paints or drawing media.

Support

The surface on which a painting or drawing is made (e.g., canvas, paper, panel, wall).

Medium

The liquid or binder in which pigment is suspended (e.g., oil, acrylic emulsion, egg yolk); also broadly refers to the overall material/process (e.g., oil painting as a medium).

Vehicle

The liquid component carrying pigment (e.g., oil in oil paint, water in watercolor); often interchangeable with "medium" but specifically the fluid part.

Glazing in painting

Applying thin, transparent layers of paint (diluted with medium) over dried underlayers to build color depth, luminosity, and subtlety.

Gesso

A primer (traditionally gypsum/chalk + glue; modern acrylic versions) applied to supports for a smooth, absorbent surface.

Translucent

allows light to pass through (e.g., watercolor glazes, thin oil layers)

opaque

blocks light (e.g., gouache, thick impasto, or certain pigments like titanium white).

Relief

Printing from raised surfaces, ink on raised surface and transfers to paper

Woodcut

Relief on a wood block

Linocut

Relief on linoleum

Silkscreen

Stencil-based; ink pushed through mesh screen blocked in non-image areas.

Monoprint

One-of-a-kind print combining printmaking techniques with painting/drawing on the plate; unique variations each time

Matrix

The original surface/plate/block from which prints are made (e.g., wood block, metal plate, stone)

Original Print

A print created directly by the artist from their matrix, as an original artwork

Limited edition

Fixed number of identical prints (numbered, signed)

Open Edition

Unlimited prints, no fixed quantity.

Registration

Precise alignment of multiple plates/colors/screens to ensure accurate overlay in multi-color printing

Planographic

Printing from a flat surface (no raised or incised areas), as in lithography (image and non-image on same plane)

Stylus in printing

A pointed tool for drawing/incising directly on plates (e.g., in drypoint or engraving).

Subtractive/carving

Removing material from a solid block (e.g., stone, wood) to reveal the form.

Additive

Building from adding materials

Modeling

Building with clay

Casting

Building by pouring

Constructed

Joining parts

Lost wax casting

Bronze casting process; wax model coated in refractory material, wax melted out ("lost"), molten metal poured in.

Utilitarian Function

Objects designed for practical use (e.g., vessels, tools) while also having aesthetic qualities (common in craft).

bas relief

Sculptural relief where forms project slightly from background(less than half depth)

High relief

Forms project strongly from background (more than half depth, often undercut).

Sculpture in the Round

Freestanding sculpture viewable from all sides (not attached to a background).

Tensile Strength

Material's ability to resist pulling/stretching forces (important in materials like metal or fibers for suspension/constructed works).

Assemblage

uses found/pre-made objects combined (often non-traditional)

Constructed Sculpture

builds from shaped/formed components (e.g., welded metal).

Mixed Media

Artwork combining multiple materials/media (e.g., paint + found objects).

Collage

Two-dimensional assemblage of pasted materials (paper, fabric, etc.) on a surface.

Installations

Large-scale, site-specific artworks occupying space, often immersive and multi-sensory

Earthworks

Large-scale outdoor sculptures/land art using natural materials and landscape.

Performance art

Live actions by the artist (often using body as medium) for artistic expression, documented or ephemeral.

Armature

Internal supporting framework (wire, wood) for modeling clay or other additive sculpture to hold shape.

Comedy Film

Humorous narratives.

Propaganda

Promotes ideology/political views.

Satire

Uses irony/humor to critique.

Social Commentary

Addresses societal issues.

Fantasy

Imaginary worlds/Magic

Symbolism

Uses symbols for different meanings

camera obscura

Optical device (dark room/box with pinhole) projecting inverted image; precursor to photography.

Louis Daguerre

Inventor of the daguerreotype process (1839), early practical photographic method.

Daguerreotype

Early photograph on silver-plated copper; unique positive image, highly detailed but non-reproducible.

Stroboscopic Motion

Illusion of motion from sequential still images (basis of film animation).

Zoogyroscope

Early device by Eadweard Muybridge projecting sequential motion photographs.

Narrative Editing

Film technique structuring shots for storytelling

Solarization

Photographic effect, reversing tones via brief light exposure during development

Orson Welles

Filmmaker/director known for Citizen Kane (1941), innovative deep focus, narrative structure, and cinematography.

Topography:

Influence of landscape/site (terrain, climate, views).

Technology

Available materials, engineering(e.g., steel, concrete).

Shell

Structure where walls/roof form continuous enclosing surface (e.g., domes,

Skeleton and Skin

Structural frame supports building; exterior cladding is non-load bearing.

Load Bearing

Walls support weight

Post and Lintel

Vertical posts support horizontal beams

Arches and Domes

Curved structures distribute weight

Cast Iron Construction

19th-century use of iron for frames/beams.

Suspension

Cables support structure (e.g., bridges)

Frame construction

Skeleton of beams/columns (wood or steel).

Steel and reinforced concrete

Modern high-strength frames with concrete/steel.

Voussoir

Wedge-shaped stone/block in an arch.

Keystone

Central wedge-shaped stone at arch top locking it in place.

Pointed Arch

Gothic arch with pointed top for better weight distribution.

Cantilever

Beam/projecting structure supported at one end only.

Ferroconcrete

Concrete with embedded steel rods for tensile strength.

Truss

Framework of beams forming triangles for structural support

Balloon framing

Lightweight wood framing using long vertical studs (19th c.)

Barrel vault

Continuous arched tunnel-like ceiling

Pinch pots

Forming by pinching clay with fingers.

Coil

Building with rolled clay ropes.

Slab

Using flat clay sheets.

Wheel Thrown

Shaping on potter's wheel.

Glass

Made by heating silica sand: Vitreous material from melted silica (sand) + fluxes; shaped hot (blowing, casting)

Fibers

Includes weaving, embroidery, tapestry: Textile arts using threads/yarns (weaving interlacing on loom; embroidery decorative stitching; tapestry pictorial woven fabric).

Utilitarian function

Practical/useful purpose (e.g., pots for holding, textiles for clothing).

Glazing in ceramics

Applying glassy coating to pottery before firing for color, waterproofing, shine.