ART 340 Painting
FALL 2004
Instructed by Ralph Larmann
Office: FA203 / Hours: 8-10 am MWF or by appointment
GLOSSARY OF PAINTING TERMS |
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Painting Information |
- ABSTRACT
imagery that has been derived from a natural form, but chnged so that it is not easily associated with the original form.
- ALLA PRIMA
a painting done in one layer while the paint is still wet.
- BINDER
the material that holds the color or pigment to a support. Also called the vehicle.
- CHIAROSCURO
a method of using darks and lights to create an illusion of naturalistic depth.
- DRY BRUSH
literally the application of paint using an "almost" dry brush. The paint is applied in a thin manner.
- ENCAUSTIC
paint that has a binder of beeswax with pigment.
- FUGITIVE
refers to the tendency of some pigments to fade. Pigments that are fugitive fade quickly.
- GRISAILLE
a black, gray, and white painting usually used as an underpainting.
- HARD EDGE
an area in a pinting where there is a sudden change in value or color.
- IMPASTO
thickly painted surface that has a noticeable physical depth.
- LIGHTFASTNESS
the strength of pigment to hold its color. The better the lightfastness the less fade over time.
- MONOCHROMATIC
a painting that uses only one color in a variety of values (including black and white).
- NATURALISTIC
realistic, or appearing like something from the natural world.
- NON-REPRESENTATIONAL
an image that has been derived from a non-visual source and makes no association to visual forms.
- OPTICAL COLOR
color created through physiological perception. It occurs when we see a color that is not present, i.e., when there are thin lines of red and yellow near each other we sometimes see orange.
- SGRAFFITO
the process of scraping into a layer of paint to reveal the what is underneath.
- SCUMBLING
the addition of paint to a surface in such a way as to leave parts of the previous layer revealed.
- SFUMATO
in Italian it literally means "vanished in smoke." A process of softening edges in a work to create a soft atmoshperic depth.
- SUPPORT
the surface that the painting is done upon.
- TENEBRISM
a process used to create great contrasts in a painting. It relies on heightened lights and darks to give a dramatic feel to a work. Used by Caravaggio and other Baroque painters.
- VERDE GRIS
a green underpainting used by artists in an effort to accentuate the reddish tones of flesh.
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