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The P*JET * Dictionary:
Painting Terms |
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| Acrylic Acrylic refers to the binder that holds the pigment in acrylic paint. It is a synthetic polymer that dries into a durable compound which is resistant to fading. It also is water-tight.
Binder The part of the paint that holds the pigment. Examples of binders include acrylics, egg (egg tempera) and plaster (frescos).
Brushstroke A brushstroke refers to the visible impression of the paint brush left in the painting. Visible brushstrokes help illustrate movement and give a quick, loose feeling to paintings. It may be used to show a seascape with choppy waves or give a sense of movement to clothing. Brushstrokes can also be used to give the piece a visual texture, like creating hair. Before Impressionism, it was considered sloppy to have visible brushstrokes left in the painting.
Fresco A fresco is a painting, ususally on a vertical surface, where pigment is 'painted' into wet plaster. The artist is under time constraints to finish the scene before the plaster dries. This technique was used on the walls and ceilings of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo to depict scenes of the Bible.
Hue Technical word for color, examples: blue, red, green.
Impressionism Term referring to the Parisian Group of painters who defied the established 'rules of painting' and went with a more rough approach. Their paintings were often of the moment, capturing a moment in time, versus capturing something static. Their paintings were often blurry, containing loose brushstrokes and bright colors.
Monet Mo-nae. Monet was a Parisian painter who lived during the mid-1860's. His painting Impression Sunrise was the first finished painting that had been coined as an Impressionist work. Even though he was insulted by the term, Impressionist, he later embraced the term and formed a 'club' of Impressionist painters who exhibited outside the established Salon. Monet is most remembered for his images of his pond filled with lilly pads and his Asian arched bridge.
Paint Paint is made up of 3 basic things: a pigment, a binder, and a carrier. Examples of pigments are red, yellow and blue. Examples of binders include acrylic polymers. Examples of carrier is water or linseed oil. Paint comes in many forms and at different levels of fluidity (viscosity) from solid blocks to watery, and each viscosity has its purpose.
Plein Air Plein air painting is when one takes their easle and their paints and sits in the outdoors and paints from life. This is in stark contrast to painting in the studio. Plein Air painting was introduced by the Impressionists in the 1860's.
Scumbling Non-linear, rough brushstrokes meant to create texture. Technique is often a dry-brush technique. It is often used to create foliage, hair, clouds, etc.
Watercolor Type of paint that uses water to thin out the pigment. Watercolors are translucent and are usually thinned to a wash and applied in layers to create an overall composition.
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Alphabetical Listings
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Subject Listings
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Copyright © 1977-2008 P*JET * IMAGES & Pam and Eric Tilden
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