Art Terms

Everything shown in a piece of art.

Explanation of the subject matter.

The conditions – social, political, and historical – that are incorporated in an art piece.

Something that is used to depict something different.

System made up of referencesthat are created over time, and are based on a subject matter.

People who study art from the past and contemplate its meaning.

People who describe and evaluate modern art. 

People who work in museums and whose job is to interpret the art.

Based on formal analysis; Used to put emphasis on art after WWII.

Used to replace formalist criticism; Based on cultural beliefs and values.

Art is studied through language.

Theory that any piece of art has multiple meanings that contradict each other.

Says that art is based on the unconscious.

Act of hiding our thoughts inour unconscious.

When a human is drawn to the idea of death and violence through desire.

Things onto which a person’s sexual desires are projected on.

Says that through our relationship with our parents we learn how to deal with sexuality.

Instincts that tell us to do things, whether they agree with the rules of society or not.

Our conscience; what allows usto live among society.

The analyzing of gender and power in art pieces.

A type of ideology in which humans are taught to be masculine or feminine.

A building in which a collection of art and other objects of interest is displayed.

A point that is moving and its length exceeds its width. It can be real or implied.

A line that points to something in order to provide emphasis.

An outline of a shape or volume.

The contrast of light and dark shades on asurface. 

The name given to the color or the “pure color”

Also called saturation, intensity is the level determining how bright or dull a color is.

The colors that cannot be made by mixingothers together (red, blue, yellow)

Can be made by two mixing primary colors together (purple, green, orange)

Mix of opposite primary and secondary colors and produces a dull shade.

How something appeals to the sense of touch.

A set that is repeated three or more times;Can be used to decorate and organize

A 2-D figure that has boundaries; Can be both geometric or organic

A 3-D figure that can be geometric ororganic and can have mass/space inside.

The empty space around objects.

An object that is not part of the background.

A 2-D flat surface such as the foreground, middle-ground, and background.

A technique used to portray depth on a 2-D surface.

The farther an object is, the less clear it appears, as if there is moisture/particles in the air.

Angled lines drawn to portray a meet in the distance.

A distorted figure used to show orientation in space.

How formal elements are arranged in a work of art.

How a piece of artwork holds together.

The way in which a viewers eyes travel through a piece of art.

The focus points in a work of art.

The way in which visual weight is spread across a piece of artwork.

Occurrencewhere elements surround a central point in a circular composition.

Two sides that appear to be equal/mirrored.

Two sides that do not appear to be equal/mirrored.

The technique used in which objects in the distance appear smaller.

The size of a part of art as compared to the whole piece.

The use of upright posts to hold cross-beams. 

The use of a grid of columns to support a roof.

Walls that hold the weight of the building.

The Greek and Roman order that consists of a base, colonnade, entablature, and pediment.

A roof made up entirely of arches.

Use of vertical posts and a lintel grid structure and concrete floors in between.

• Art that can be used for “practical” purposes.
• (Example: architecture)

• A type of applied art in which each piece is unique and made by hand.
• (Example: Clothing)

• Used to provide thought and pleasure, this type of artwork does not hold anypractical use.
• Also used to express cultural values and beliefs. 

A theory that describes how fine art “functions” and how it categorized beauty-wise. 

• Art that is produced in mass proportions and sold at rates in which the common population can afford.
• (Example: movies) 

An aspect of a piece that allows it to be recognized visually.

• Art that has become synonymous with a geographical area or a group of people.
• (Example: European) 

• Art produced within a time period.
• (Example: 18th Century) 

• Groupstyles in which the styles are based on related methods or regionaldifferences.
• (Example: realism) 

• A repeating appearance in an artist’s work.
• (How you can tell the difference between one artist and another) 

Art that mimics real life objects or people. 

• Art in which the piece does not appear as it does in real life.
• Art that is considered to be representational, despite being distorted. 

• Emphasizes emotion through abstraction.
• Can be either representational or non-representational. 

• Art that is as close to the real life object as possible.
• Also called naturalistic art.
• Is considered to be representational and mimetic.

• Art that appears to be “perfect”.
• May be categorized as realistic, but aims for “better than real”.

• Can refer to Classical Greek art.
• Can refer to art that is “ordered and balanced” and appears to capture a moment.

• The supplies used to create artwork.
• Medium is the term that would be used to describe an singularitem used. 

The way in which the media/medium is used. 

Marks made on the ground.

A liquid coating brushed over a paper or canvas (support).

Paper or canvas

A method of copying a picture 

The method of removing pieces of a plate that are not supposed to be printed before printing, then covering the pieces not removed with ink and printing the copy by press or hand. 

• A method in which a plate (described above) is cut into.
• The indentations then hold ink (for printing).  

The artist cuts into the metal surface directly with a burin (pointed tool).

The artist cuts into the metal surface by making thin lines which add detail and value.  

• A metal surface is covered with a solution, which is then cut into by the artist.
• Then it is placed into a bath of an acid solution and the acid cutsinto the plate, exposing the metal.     

• A powder is put on the plate, which is then placed into an acid bath.
• This creates areas of light and dark on the print.  

• A greasy medium is used to draw on a stone or metal plate.
• These prints tend toappear like drawings.    

Ink is squeezed through open areas by fabric stencils.

Has pigment and a binder. 

Color in a powdered form. 

A liquid that holds the pigment and dries on the surface of the painting.  

Melted wax is used as the binder. 

Water is used as the binder/Plaster used as the support. 

Egg Yolk is used as the binder. 

A glue (water soluble) is used as the binder. 

Oil (not water soluble) is used as the binder.  

Plastic (synthetic polymer) is used as the binder. 

Writing (seen in a lot of Chinese painting).

Art that is 3-D 

Sculptures that are created to be viewed from all sides.

Sculptures that are created to be viewed from the front.

• Sculptures created from a wall or support
• (Meant to be viewed from the front).

Sculptures created for a specific location.

Sculptures that move.

Sculptures created by removing materials. 

Sculptures made by adding materials. 

Sculptures created by using a mold. 

Sculptures made by combining materials. 

Contrasting materials are used in one piece of art. 

Art in which objects foundare used. 

Art in which cut pieces ofpaper are assembled together.

A collage in which photo’s are used. 

Art designed for aparticular location. 

Real, live events staged as art, usually using humans.

The recreation of an sceneby using light-sensitive film or digital technology. 

• Also referred to as movies.
• A form of photography in which 24 images per
• second are displayed to create an illusion of motion./Photography in which movie film is used. 

Used in the 1960s to hold movie-like images using magnetic tape. 

Created by using ceramics, glass, wood, metalwork, fiber, and additional materials