Visual Art Vocabulary from A to Z

Glossary: A

Abstract  A 20th-century style of painting in which non-representational lines, colors, shapes, and forms …

Glossary: B

Background -  Part of an artwork that appears farthest from the viewer or in the distance of the scene. B…

Glossary: C

Cadmium  is a metal found in several compounds: cadmium oxide, cadmium carbonate, cadmium chloride, cadmium…

Glossary: D

Damar -  is a coniferous resin used as a varnish and sometimes as part of a mixed media. Damar Varnish - …

Glossary: E

Earth Colors -  Pigments, such as yellow ochre and umber, are obtained by mining; usually, they are metal …

Glossary: F

Fantasy -  Art inspired by the creative imagination; unrestrained fancy. Fabricate -  In general, to make…

Glossary: G

Gamut -  The full range of color notes that can be mixed by a given set of primary colors; also, the regio…

Glossary: H

Halftone -  Any of a series of intermediate tonal values that can be observed as the planes of a form trans…

Glossary: I

Iconography -  Refers to when an object or symbol in a work of art represents something more than its lite…

Glossary: J

Jade is a  green stone commonly found in China and Central America. Used to make jewelry, tools, and weapo…

Glossary: K

K -  Abbreviation for degrees kelvin. Kagle -  A rough, highly abstracted African mask of the Dan people…

Glossary: L

Landscape -  An artwork depicting an outdoor scene or scenery. Lean -  When used to describe a painting, …

Glossary: M

Magnitude  Greatness in size or significance. Also see colossus, colossal, depth, diameter, direction, h…

Glossary: N

Negative Space -  An enclosed empty space that helps define forms and contributes to the composition. Ne…

Glossary: O

Objective Art Representational; has recognizable subjects. Occlusion Shadow Small, dense areas of …

Glossary: P

Paint -  animation of a brush splashing paint from a can as it stirs pigment dispersed into a liquid, calle…

Glossary: Q

Quality - An inherent or distinguishing characteristic of a person or a thing. Or having a high degree of e…

Glossary: R

Radial Design -  Circular design radiating from a center. Raku -  A fast-firing, spontaneous clay method …

Glossary: S

Sable - An animal whose hair is used for making fine, soft brushes. Also, see Kolinsky.

Glossary: T

Tactile Is of or relating to the sense of touch. See also texture. Talent Inherited or previous…

Glossary: U

Utilitarian Art -  Art created primarily for a practical purpose. A quilt, for example, can be a utilitaria…

Glossary: V

Value -  Relative lightness or darkness of a color and is perceived in terms of contrast. For example, pink…

Glossary: W

Watercolor - Paint composed of a water-soluble pigment. A painting with watercolors plays with levels of tr…