Art Terminology...

Painting

Acrylic

A synthetic resin paint. Acrylic paint, along with polymer paint, is frequently used by artists in place of traditional oil paint. It is quick drying and durable and can be used on a variety of surfaces.

Egg Tempera

A medium that binds pigments with egg yolk, gum or casein.

Encaustic

An ancient painting form which dates back to the 5th Century B.C. The word encaustic means to “burn in” Encaustic is a combination of beeswax and pigments applied in a molten state. It is then fused with high heat to give the painting permanency.

Gouache

A form of watercolor paint in which the pigments are made opaque by adding zinc white. Gouache contrasts with watercolor paint which is transparent.

Mixed Media

The use of several different materials, methods or techniques in one work of art.

Oil

A method of painting developed in the sixteenth century in which pigment is combined with one of a number of oil mixtures. It dries to form a continuous film when applied to a surface.

Pastel

A combination of dried pigment and binder which forms a colored chalk stick.

Plein Air

Painting that is done outside “in the open air.” It is from the French term “en plein aire.” This form of painting has been practiced throughout history. It became extremely popular by French and American Impressionists in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Watercolor

A paint that uses water as a medium. The term is generally applied to paint formed of pigments mixed with a gum binder and diluted with water to form a transparent film. Watercolor contrasts with gouache which is opaque.

Printmaking

Aquatint

An etching process that creates tonal variations and gives the appearance of a watercolor.

Artist’s Proof (AP)

A copy of reproduction that is outside the numbered copies of a limited edition. By custom, the artist retains the APs either for personal use or sale. They tend to have more value, especially if they were the first print(s) pulled by the artist.

Giclée

Pronounced “zheeclay” from the French verb gicler meaning to splash. It is a relatively new medium that blends art and technology to produce copies of a greater resolution and broader color range than other methods such as lithography.

Lithography

A method of printmaking based on the antipathy of grease toward water. The image is drawn with a greasy crayon on a grainy plate or stone. The stone is then chemically treated so that it will accept the printing ink only where the crayon has been used. The image is then transferred under pressure from the stone to damp paper.