Glossary
Abstract art
It represents a vision or view in the artist's mind and is not necessarily representative of or derived from anything. It is purely abstract though there may be some fixed points alongside ephemeral areas which can be truly baffling.
Alla prima
Where the oil painting is completed in one session, when the paint is painted wet on wet without previous layers being allowed to dry. From the Italian, "at first attempt".
Appliqué
Sewing technique where fabric patches are sewn to a foundation fabric with a decorative stitch to edge
Baroque
The dominant style in art and architecture in the 17th Century.
Batik wax
Used for producing designs and patterns on fabrics.
Bauhaus
The School of Art started in Germany by Walter Gropius
Bisque Ware (Biscuit)
Unglazed ware that has been fired once, ready to receive glaze.
Calligraphy
An artform that uses a special pen or brush to make decorative handwriting.
Canvas
Cotton or linen stretched onto a wooden frame or board ready for subsequent painting. Can be bought already on the frame or board or in rolls for the artist to fit to a frame. Measured in gsm, grams per square metre, the higher the number the denser and superior the canvas quality.
Caricature
A picture or image of a person in which striking characteristics are exaggerated.
Casting Slip
Clay and water in suspension, used for the process of slip casting
Claude Monet
French painter associated with with Impressionism.
Cubism
Cubism involves the application of multiple perspectives, the use of geometric shapes, a monochromatic colour palette and a flattened picture plane.
Daguerreotype
A photographic technique where an image on a Silver plated sheet of Copper is treated with Iodine.
Deflocculant
A material added to slips and glazes that cause a reduction in apparent viscosity so as to make them smoother and flow a little better.
Diptych
A pair of decorative panels often hinged together and used for devotional purposes in the middle of ages.
Drawing
The creation of art with a pencil, charcoal or pen.
Drip Painting
Abstract method of dripping, throwing or pouring paint onto canvas.
Easel
A stand designed to hold a canvas so as to create or display a painting.
Enfant terribles
A term often used in art to describe a young talented artist who shocks with unconventional behaviour.
Engobe
Slip containing glaze materials.
Expressionist painting
In such paintings, colours may appear intense and artificial with shapes and forms being distorted. The brushwork is typically free flowing with generous and textured paint application
Fan brush
A specific type of brush with a flat fan shape. Available in different sizes.
Filbert
A specific type of brush with a flat, squared shape. Available in different sizes.
Fine Art
Art created to be beautiful rather than functional.
Flagged ends
A term meaning split ends. Found with hog hair bristles, the split ends increase the amount of paint that can be held and helps maintain precision with brush edges or points.
Flux
An ingredient in a glaze or clay body that lowers the melting point of silica to form a glass or glaze.
Fresco
Painting on fresh, still wet plaster. An Italian technique.
Frit
Ceramic materials melted together with silica in an industrial process and ground into a powder. The purpose of this is to render any soluble or toxic materials insoluble and therefore safe to use.
Futurism
An Italian art movement from the early 20th Century that celebrated fast moving technology.
Gallery
A rim on the inside or outside of a vessel to locate a lid securely.
Gesso
A mixture of chalk, plaster and glue used in painting.
Glaze
A layer of glass fused onto the ceramic surface.
Graffiti
Street based art form using spray paint.
Graphic design
Art that carries a written message, usually for print magazines, posters etc.
Greenware
Raw, unfired clay ware.
Hue
Shade of colour.
Impasto
A technique used in oil or acrylic painting where the paint is laid down very thickly, usually thick enough to have the brush or knife marks visible. Usually the paint layers are allowed to dry before the next layer or colour is applied.
Impressionism painting
These have an unfinished look and so can appear out of focus and unrefined. Fleeting moments are defined with short, quick brush strokes and often with bright and vibrant colours. There is an emphasis on the accurate depiction of light and the inclusion of movement.
Ink wash
A method of painting with ink instead of paint.
Jack of Diamonds
A group of Moscow artists from the early 19th Century.
Jasper Ware
A Stoneware developed by Josiah Wedgwood in England with a specific dark matte finish. Usually blue with white figures embellished on top, mostly known as Wedgwood Blue.
Junk Art
Using junk as a medium to create art. Especially popular in the throw away society.
Kiln
A thermally insulated oven that will reach temperatures high enough to harden clay.
Kinetic Art
Sculpture perceived with movement.
Leather-hard
The stage between plastic clay and green ware. The clay is firm enough to be joined without distorting and can still be easily worked.
Luminosity
A measure of light.
Medium
Used as a general term to cover the type of artwork carried out.
In a painting context, a medium is a complementary solvent used to modify the drying rate, to increase gloss and to improve flow or add texture.
Natural brushes
Made from animal hair such as hog bristle or sable. They offer excellent paint retention and a smooth, even application. Whilst more delicate than synthetic brushes, they can last a long time if cared for. More expensive than synthetic brushes, but for some the investment is worth it for the brush quality.
New Media
Artwork created using a computer then viewed on screen or produced / out putted onto paper or canvas material.
Oil
A slow drying paint using an oil such as linseed oil as the carrier.
Op Art
1960's optical illusion art intended to mesmerise the viewer.
Oxide
A chemical combination of Oxygen with another element.
Palette
A hand held board used to hold the paints during use. Made of wood or plastic.
Palette knife
A handheld knife used to mix and / or apply oil or acrylic paint. The knife comes in different shapes and sizes.
Photorealism
When art is reproduced from a photograph in a different medium to look the same as the original photograph.
Porcelain
A translucent white clay body.
Primary colour
In painting, yellow, blue and red. These are colours that cannot be created by mixing other colours.
Professional Grade oil paints
These cost more than student or study grade. The colours are more pure and vibrant as the paint contains more pigment. They will also carry further.
Pyrometric Cones
Tall pyramid shaped devices placed inside a kiln to measure the gauge of heat work.
Quilling
Using paper strips rolled, curled, shaped, twisted and glued together to form paper sculptures.
Raku
Traditional Japanese low fire technique. The process involves the wares being fired quickly to around 1,000*C, taken out of the kiln red hot , then buried in sawdust and left to reduce. This starvation of Oxygen affects the final colour.
Rib
A wooden or metal tool used to shape and support the clay during throwing.
Rococo
Early 18th Century extravagant and flamboyant art, architecture and fashion.
Sgraffito
A technique where potters or painters scratch into a glaze or paint layer so as to show the colour beneath. Sgraffito derives from Italian meaning “to scratch.”
Slip
A suspension of clay in water. This can be used for joining and decoration or made into casting slip with the addition of deflocculant.
Slip Casting
Forming clay objects by pouring casting slip into a porous mould.
Sprigg
A fine, intricate mould used for detailing and relief work. The term sprigging means to apply a sprigg to a clay surface.
Student or Study Grade oil paints
These are lower priced than professional paints as they use fillers and stabilizers with the pigment and oil. This can influence the colour. For many artists, modern student or study grade oil paints are perfectly adequate.
Sustainable Art
Creative practice using materials that are not harmful to the environment and address topics such as climate change.
Synthetic brushes
Synthetic fibres such as nylon or polyester are used for durability as they are less likely to lose their shape over time. More affordable than natural brushes and more versatile, so can be used for a variety of paint types.
Tactile Texture
The sensation experienced by touching an artwork.
Thinners
A liquid used to thin the paint being applied and to clean up afterwards. In watercolour painting water would be the thinner.
Throwing
The method of forming pottery shapes on a rotating wheel.
Triptych
A trio of decorative panels often hinged together and used for devotional purposes in the middle of ages.
Ultra Contemporary Art
Art created by those artists born after 1974.
VJ / Video Jockey
Electronic music performance as art.
Vitrification
The fusion of material or body during the firing process (around 1,200*C) rendering it nonporous and impervious to water.
Wax Resist
Using wax to keep the bottom of clay works clean. The wax keeps the glaze off the bottom of the clay and melts when the clay is fired so as to leave a clean bottom.
Also used to create patterns by layering glazes with wax, thus preventing the glazes being absorbed into the clay.
Xylography
Engraving on and in to wood.
Zoomorphic
Art forms based on shape and forms or likenesses to animals.
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