Spectrum Fine Art

GLOSSARY OF ART TERMS

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abstract art	non-representational, purely autonomous and making no reference to an external world

acetate	transparent cellulose sheet in matt or gloss finish

acrylic	polymer based synthetic resin, quick drying and retaining brightness. It permits effects of transparency and impasto. Most paints with an acrylic emulsion base can be mixed and diluted with water and dry to a tough, flexible, waterproof finish.

amorphous	without clarity of definition, formless, indistinct, and uncertain dimension

aquatint	acid bitten tone created with particles of a resist (rosen or asphaltum) adhered to a plate surface, often used in conjunction with other etching methods; print made from a metal plate coated with a porous resin on which the design has been ‘stopped out” ( painted with a resist varnish) to prevent it being dissolved by the acid.

archival paper	paper with a neutral pH value of 7. 2 to 3% buffers of base chemicals calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate are added to counteract future acidic contamination

artist proof	prints that the artist receives from the publisher as partial compensation that is apart and in addition to the regular edition, generally amounting to 10% of the number of prints in the regular edition.

balance	feeling of equilibrium in weight, attention, or attraction of the elements in a composition

bleed	image that extends to the edge of the paper; image without margins

bon a tirer	literally “good to print”; print used as an example and to which other impressions in the editions strive to match in appearance

brayer	small diameter roller used to spread ink on a plate

buffer	substance that reduces the effect of another substance

calligraphy	writing with rhythmic, flowing lines

canvas	coarse unbleached cloth woven from hemp, cotton, or flax used as a support for painting; stretched over a wooden support frame and primed with neutral colored paint

chiaroscuro	arrangement of light and dark parts, often blended, to render depth and volume, creating the illusion of 3 dimensions on a 2 dimensional surface

chine colle	thin, exotic, and different colored paper collaged onto the support paper during the printing process

classical	forms characterized by a rational, controlled, clear, intellectual approach

collage	composition made by gluing pieces of paper, cloth, etc. on a canvas or other substrate

color	quality of visible phenomenon whose perception is the response of vision to the wavelengths of light striking a surface that absorbs some wavelengths and reflects others. Definable properties are hue (name of color), value (degree of light or dark), intensity (brightness)

composition	act or result of organizing elements into a unified whole; each element should have characteristics that create interest but function such that the whole is more important than its parts

content	sensory, psychological, or emotional properties in artwork as opposed to the perception of its descriptive aspects

contour	outer edge of an object or shape; most often defined by a line (outline), also indicated by extremities of value, texture, color

couching	process of transferring a freshly made sheet of paper from the mold onto another surface such as a felt

craftsmanship	aptitude, skill, or manual dexterity in the use of tools and materials

curvilinear	use of curved lines in composition

deckle	irregular edge of handmade paper formed by the seepage of the fibrous liquid under the edge of the frame (deckle); frame that rests on or is hinged to the mold which confines the pulp on the screen as the water is drained through the mesh

diptych	a picture or relief on two panels

distortion	any change made by an artist to the size, positions or general character of forms

dominance	emphasis on one main element of a composition, other elements assuming less importance

drypoint	technique of printmaking in which a metal plate is scratched with a pointed tool

dye	soluble chemical that bonds with the surface of a fiber and colors it

edition	total number of impressions printed and published

engraving	incised design; print made from an engraved plate

etching	design on a metal plate treated with acid to dissolve areas unprotected by the application of a ground; print made from the etched plate

expressionistic	largely realistic in form but strongly emotional or intellectual in content resulting from a desire to express what is felt rather than perceived or reasoned

fantasy	departure from accepted appearance or relationship for the sake of psychological expression; freely interpreted or invented

figurative art	depictions of the visible world, not necessarily including human or animal figures

filet	narrow ornamental strip placed at the inner border of a mat

frame	generally a four sided structure which provides the support to hold the mat, glazing, and artwork

gallery	room used for the display of artwork

genre	subject matter that portrays everyday life, domestic scenes, sentimental family relationships

giclee	print created by the use of archival quality dyes applied by a sophisticated inkjet printer

gilding	coating with gold, gold leaf, or a gold colored substance

glass	hard brittle material, usually transparent and often translucent, made by the fusion of silica (sand, flint, quartz) at high temperature aided by an alkaline flux (potash, soda) and various other substances such as limestone or potash of lead. In its molten state it is ductile and can be drawn into very long thin threads or blown into bubbles which are shaped with shears and tongs or formed by molds; colored by the addition of metallic oxides to the frit (basic materials before they are fused).

glaze	in painting the transparent film which modifies the color over which it is applied. in pottery the glossy waterproof surface produced by the vitrification of silica present in the clay by a flux

glazing	glass or acrylic sheets which fit within the frame and on top of the mats and artwork, providing protection from dust and moisture; some varieties reduce the damaging effects of fading caused by excessive exposure to the ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and fluorescent lamps

gouache	opaque watercolor in which pigments are mixed with white lead, bone ash, or chalk

graphics	products of arts which depend on drawing rather than color, but including all forms of printmaking

ground	thin coating made form pitch, gummatic, asphaltum, and beeswax which protects the non-image bearing parts of an image from the action of the acid

halftone	image composed of dots; the combination of 4 colored inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, black ) applied to the dots can produce the appearance of realistic color

handmade paper	characterized by irregular deckled edges and slightly unevenness in thickness

harmony	repetition of characteristics that are the same or similar

hatching	parallel lines indicating shadow in a drawing

hue	name of a color

illusion	imitation of visual reality created on the flat surface of the picture plane by use of perspective with light and dark shading

image	mentally envisioned object given concrete appearance through the use of an art technique; general appearance of an object

impasto	paint thickly applied

ink	fluid or viscous liquid in various colors used for writing or printing

intaglio	incised carving; a print produced from an incised figure created below the level surface of the plate; impression from it produces an image in relief and in reverse

intuitive space	illusion of space resulting from the exercise of the artist’s instincts in manipulating space producing devices such as overlapping, interpenetration, inclined planes, transparency, and disproportionate scale

lacquer	waterproof substance made from the sap of a Chinese tree; used primarily as a protective decorative covering

lift ground	ground painted or drawn on a plate to achieve painted tonal areas or linear designs of less regularity than are made by scratching into hard ground

limited edition	edition of prints limited to a specific number, each print individually signed and numbered in pencil by the artist; frequently refers to prints made in halftone by offset lithography

line	mark made by a tool as it is drawn across a surface usually made visible by a contrast in value with the surface upon which it is drawn; trace of a moving point used to create a silhouette or define a contour to represent mass or volume

lithography	printing based upon the principle that oil and water do not mix. An image is drawn with a grease pencil or tusche on a smoothly polished slab of fine grained limestone or a metal plate. The drawing is fixed onto the surface by applying an acidic solutuion of gum arabic. The surface is dampened with water, then ink is rolled on, which adheres only to the greasy areas and is repelled by the water. Paper is laid on the surface of the plate and pressure is applied by passing the plate through a press with a moving bed.

mass	in graphic art, a three dimensional form that appears to stand out from the space surrounding it; in sculptural art, the physical bulk of a solid body of material

mat	thick sheet of paper with a window opening surrounding artwork placed in a frame, used to enhance the presentation and protect and preserve the artwork

medium	material and tools used by the artist to create the visual elements perceived by the viewer; any paint, dye, or coloring agent used to cover a surface; binding agent that holds a pigment together (linseed oil in oil paint, gum arabic in watercolor, egg yoke in tempera) which enables it to be applied evenly and fixes it to the substrate

mezzotint	intaglio printing process producing a range of tone; print made from a metal (copper, zinc) plate on which an overall burr has been raised and then smoothed in places which will carry less ink and records the image in a range of tones

mold	wooden frame covered with a sieve like mesh on which paper is formed

monotype	print made from transferring an image painted on a plate to paper; only one unique impression of the design can be transferred

motif	visual element repeated in a composition making it the dominating feature

moulding	shaped strip of wood or metal used in the construction of a frame

negative shape	unoccupied or empty space left after the positive shapes have been applied. Since they have borders, they also function as shapes in the composition

non objective	entirely imaginative visual designs not derived from anything ever seen. The shapes, their organization, and their treatment by the artist are personalized and not associated by the viewer with any previously experienced natural objects

offset lithography	method of lithography by which the image is not printed directly form the plate but “offset” first onto a rubber covered cylinder (blanket) which performs the printing operation

oil paint	pigments mixed with linseed oil which harden when dry into a transparent film, usually applied opaquely

paint	pigments ground and mixed with a liquid medium

painterly	characteristic of forms which are defined by tone rather than line

palette	range of colors used by an artist; a wooden board or other support on which painters arrange their colors ready for use

paper	thin sheets made from plant fibers; large scale production utilizes chemically and mechanically altered wood pulp while handmade paper uses refined portions of cotton, linen, bamboo, hemp or banana

pattern	repetition of elements or combination of elements in a readily recognizable systematic organization

perspective	pictorial system for creating the illusion of 3 dimensional space and objects on a 2 dimensional surface. atmospheric perspective uses value, texture, and color modification to suggest or enhance the effect of space. linear perspective refers to drawing objects in line to suggest their 3 dimensionality and effect of existence in space. geometric perspective is a drawing system based upon geometry used for creating the illusion of 3 dimensional space and objects in the 2 dimensional surface of the picture plane.

picture frame	outermost limits or boundary of the picture plane

picture plane	flat surface on which the artist creates a pictorial image; also the transparent plane of reference used to establish the illusion of forms existing in 3 dimensional space

pigment	colored matter in powder form that remains insoluble when mixed in a medium

plane	shape that is 2 dimensional, having height and width

plein air	painting created out of doors rather than in a studio

pochoir	artwork created by brushing into or rolling through open areas of a stencil which is not attached to a screen

porcelain	clay fired at a high temperature (1250-1350 degree C) causing the mixture of kaolin (white china) and a feldspathic rock called china stone (silicate of potassium and aluminum) to fuse to a glassy matrix.

positive shape	enclosed areas forming shapes

primary color	colors which cannot be produced by a combination of other colors but when mixed with other primary colors produce almost all other colors; painter’s primaries are red, blue, yellow; printer’s and dyer’s primaries are magenta, cyan, yellow

primer	coating applied to a surface which is to be painted

print	product of a printing process, usually an image on paper in multiple copies

proof	print taken at any stage of the printing process to enable the artist or printer to evaluate the appearance

proportion	comparison of elements in terms of size, quality, and degree of emphasis; size can be expressed in terms of a ratio

pulp	suspension of beaten fiber in water used for the production of paper

quilt	padded coverlet, usually for a bed, made of a layer of padding sewn between two pieces of fabric by stitches which pass through the three layers

rag	cotton or linen cloth used for paper pulp; strong durable paper composed of the longest fibers of cotton and linen

registration	proper alignment of an image with respect to the paper or to previous printed images

relief printing	all areas of a design to be printed are left untouched while the remaining portions of the surface of the wood or linoleum block are carved away. The raised (relief) portions are rolled with ink, paper is placed on the block and pressure applied by a press or by burnishing the back of the paper to transfer the image.

repousse	relief design on metal produced by hammering from the back side

repetition	use of the same visual pattern numerous times

resist	process or material which prevents the effect of an applied substance

rhythm	flow or feeling of movement produced by repetition of visual units

romantic	characterized by spontaneity of expression, intuitive imagination, and picturesque rather than a carefully organized, rational approach (classical)

sculpture	art of shaping expressive 3 dimensional forms

screen print	alternate name for serigraph

serigraph	print produced by pressing ink through a screen; the printing process (“seri” meaning silk, refers to the original fabric) uses a mesh like screen stretched across a frame. A stencil is applied to the screen to seal the non printing areas and ink is scraped thru the openings of the stencil by a squeegee to produce an image

shade	hue plus black

shading	darker value on the surface of a form that creates the illusion that a certain portion is hidden from the source of light

shape	area separated from the adjacent or surrounding space because of a defined boundary or a difference in value, color, or texture

size	material that acts as a barrier around the fibers of a paper decreasing absorbency and acts as an adhesive to strengthen the sheet; synthetic, animal (rabbit skin glue), or vegetable (potato starch)

silkscreen	alternate name for serigraph

simultaneity	use of separate views, representing different points in time and space, which are brought together to create an integrated image

space	boundless and unlimited extension in all direction, void of matter. Artists use the term to describe the interval (measurable distance) between established points. 3 dimensional space possesses thickness or depth as well as length and width. 2 dimensional space possesses only length and width

spectrum	blended arrangement of colors resulting from white light being segregated into its component parts; refers to a wide range

spit bite	etching technique to make wash like effects by painting with acid, generally more effective when the image is first defined with a lift ground; depth of tone is controlled by fineness of the ground as well as the length of time the plate is exposed to the acid

squeegee	tool with a flexible blade set into a handle, used in serigraphy to spread ink across the screen and press it through the mesh in an even layer onto the paper underneath

state	term used to distinguish groups of prints, mainly etchings and drypoints, made from the same plate at different stages of its execution and reworking

stencil	barrier to ink; portions which have open areas allow ink to pass though and be deposited upon the paper beneath

still life	representation of inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit, or household articles, grouped together in a composition

stylus	sharp pointed implement used for scratching and scraping a printing plate

symbol	image used to represent a quality or situation

technique	manner and skill with which artists use tools and materials to achieve a predetermined expressive effect

texture	tactile feeling of an object or the representation of surface character

three dimensional	sensation of space that seems to possess depth as well as length and width

tint	hue plus white

tone	hue plus gray; character of color or value of a surface that is determined by the light reflected from it

tusche	greasy lithographic ink used to draw on a plate

tympan	smooth flat sheet placed between the blotter and scraper bar on the printing press

value	relative degree of lightness or darkness of an area by the amount of light reflected from it

varnish	solution of resin applied as a protective coating over a painting, sometimes tinted to modify the colors of the pigments beneath

volume	three dimensional shape that occupies a quantity of space

watercolor	pigments mixed with a gum which dissolves in water providing a transparent medium for application to an absorbent surface, usually paper

waterleaf	completely unsized paper

watermark	translucent section of a sheet of paper formed by placing the pattern of a symbol into the mesh of the mold

woodcut	relief printing method using a smoothed surface of fairly soft wood with the grain running parallel to the surface; areas not intended to print are cut away below the surface of the block leaving a raised image that can be inked

wood engraving	relief print made from carving the end grain of a block of very hard wood