Understand terms and phrases from the art world

• Composition – The arrangement of elements within a painting, including principles such as balance, creating focal points, harmony, contrast and movement etc. The goal of the thoughtful artist is to guide the viewers eyes through and around the visual story and just as a composition of music can give emphasis and create highs and lows, so can a fine art piece.
• Medium – The materials used to create an artwork, such as pastels, oil paints, watercolours, acrylics, collage or mixed media.
• Substrate – The surface to paint on, canvas, linen, yupo, paper, board, metal
• Palette – The range or scheme of colours an artist likes to commonly use in a painting / series. Alternatively, it is the word for the physical surface (like a plastic or wooden board) where an artist may mix their paints.
• Texture – In a 3-dimensional way, the way a painting feels or (in 2 D ways, appears to feel). It could be smooth, rough, thick, or layered, sometimes achieved through brushwork, media or a blend of media. In a 2 dimensional way, techniques can give a visual sense of how an object depicted would feel in real life if touched: hard, soft, rough, smooth, prickly, hairy, leathery, sharp, etc.
• Perspective – These are techniques used to create the illusion of depth and space on a flat surface (or substrate). Linear perspective is a mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and space on a two-dimensional surface by use of intersecting lines, drawn vertically and horizontally, with diagonals (orthogonal leading to a "vanishing point"). Aerial (or atmospheric) perspective uses an understanding of colour theory to cool receding spaces or objects and warm up those that are nearer to the viewer, as well as adjusting contrast, all to the end of showing depth perspective.

Styles and Techniques

• Abstract – A style of art that does not represent recognizable objects but instead focuses on the elements of design ie. lines, shapes,forms, values, colours, and textures. Read more about abstract definitions here. Over time, the word has been stretched to many things that are not totally realistic. 'Abstracted' would be more technically accurate in these situations.
• Impressionism – A painting style (emerged in the late 1800s) that first aimed to capture a moment in time, often characterized by visible (impasto) brushstrokes, complementary colours, and emphasis on natural light.
• Realism – A style that aims to depict subjects as accurately and truthfully as possible, with lifelike details. There are varying degrees of realism, of course, culminating in photo-realism where an artist aims to make the subject appear as a photo. Hybrid phrases such as 'abstract realism', Hyperrealism, Metarealism, Magical Realism and others have been employed to differentiate variations of realism.
• Surrealism – A movement that blends dreamlike imagery with realistic representation, often featuring unexpected, fantastical elements.(Metarealism and Magical realism could also be included in this category).
• Impasto – A painting technique where paint is applied thickly, creating a textured, three-dimensional effect. Various mediums can be used to thicken paint more.
• Genre – A word that is used in two ways a) paintings in which scenes of everyday life form the subject matter. b) a realistic style of painting using certain subject matter. eg. still life is a genre involving paintings of objects of everyday life.

The Elements and Principles of Art

ELEMENTS of DESIGN: line, shape, form, space, colour, value, texture : these are the visual tools an artist employs to create a composition.
PRINCIPLES: balance, rhythm(movement), unity, contrast (emphasis), harmony, variety, proportion (& perspective) : these are the guidelines an artist may follow to arrange the elements in the most effective way.

• Hue – A prime term for colour; for example, red, blue, and yellow are different primary hues.(there are different colours of yellow, but they belong under that same hue eg. ochre is a yellow colour.
• Contrast – The differences between light and dark (tones or values), or between different colours and textures or other elements, used to create visual interest. Sometimes called emphasis, utilised by artists to emphasise their focal point or centre of interest.
• Negative Space – The empty spaces or open areas around the subject of an artwork, which can enhance composition and balance.
• Focal Point – The main area of interest in a painting, drawing the viewer’s attenti

More about Light and Shade in Art

• Chiaroscuro – A technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create dramatic effects, originated during the Renaissance as drawing on toned paper. Rembrandt is one famous proponent of this approach in his paintings.

• Key - How light or dark overall is an artwork is. eg. A high-key painting would have a majority of light values. Chiaroscuro is an example of a low-key artwork (primarily dark tones (or values).
• Value or tone - Both words refer to how dark or light something is, but they are measured in reverse, eg. a low value is dark, a low level of tone is lighter.

Art Collecting phrases

• Provenance – The history of ownership of an artwork, which can affect its authenticity and value. Artists usually write on the reverse of their artworks: the year of completion, materials utilised, title and their name. Mostly they sign on the front of the painting (a certificate of authenticity can also be supplied by the artist or gallery in many cases).
• Series – A coherent body of artworks (5 or more usually) related by theme, palette, subject matter or approach. Before the first Impressionists, it was not common for artists to work in series as such. Monet had his Haystack series, Rouen Cathedral series, Waterlily series (in these he studied the changing effects of light on his subjects).
• Giclée – A high-quality reproduction print of an artwork, often used as a more affordable option than purchasing an original painting.
• Limited Edition – A restricted number of prints or reproductions of an artwork, often signed and numbered by the artist.
• Curator – A professional who selects and organizes artwork for museums, galleries, or exhibitions.
• Artist Statement – A written explanation by the artist about their work, including inspiration, technique, and themes. An exhibition history may also be provided together in an artist Bio or CV.