A style that detaches from the representation of reality. Instead of mirroring life, abstract art evokes feelings or concepts using non-representational visual elements such as unconventional shapes, colours, and patterns.
A post-World War II art movement in American painting, marked by free, gestural techniques and a focus on the physical act of painting. Notable artists include Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.
Without colour. In art, it often refers to blacks, whites, greys, and sometimes browns, capturing images without the presence of hues.
A type of paint comprising pigments suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Known for its quick drying properties, acrylic can be applied to various surfaces and, once dry, is resistant to water.
This pertains to the appreciation of beauty or good taste in visual art. It can encompass a set of guiding principles or a particular taste or style favoured by individuals or groups.
A narrative in which characters, objects, or actions represent deeper meanings or concepts. It is intended to convey a message or teach a lesson.
A visual technique that brings static images or models to life, creating the illusion of movement. This is achieved by displaying a rapid sequence of drawings or photographs.
A variant of etching that achieves tonal effects by using powdered resin which, when heated, adheres to the plate, allowing acid to bite around it, producing a granulated effect.
In photography, the aperture refers to the adjustable opening in the lens through which light passes to enter the camera body. It plays a significant role in determining the depth of field and exposure of an image.
A visual style prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly in design, architecture, and visual arts. It's characterised by its use of geometric shapes, rich colours, and lavish ornamentation.
A style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in Europe and the USA from about 1890 until World War I, characterised by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms.
A blend of art and activism, where artistic practices are vehicles for social change.Literally "fore-guard" in French, this term refers to innovative or experimental art. It seeks to challenge, redefine, or push the boundaries of traditional norms and standards.
Originating from the ancient Bactria region, spanning parts of today's Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Renowned for its early sculptures, particularly in alabaster, and various composite figures.
Ancient Turkic statues, typically depicting warriors, which were erected as memorial stones, often found in open steppes of Central Asia.
Originating in the 17th century and derived from the Portuguese 'barroco' meaning 'oddly shaped pearl', this European art style is characterised by exaggerated motion, drama, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music.
A sculptural technique where figures or designs slightly protrude from a flat background, offering a subtle three-dimensionality.
An influential modernist art school founded in 1919 in Weimar, Germany. It combined crafts and fine arts and was famous for its approach to design that it publicised and taught.
Artistic practice that uses living organisms as its medium, often intersecting with scientific research.
Describes the unique manner in which an artist uses the brush to apply paint. It can reveal technique, emotion, and style.
Pertaining to the Byzantine Empire, this style is known for its religious iconography, rich colours, and gold backgrounds, most notably seen in mosaics and frescoes in churches.
A method of carving, or an object such as an engraved gem, item of jewellery, or vessel made in this manner. It usually features a raised (positive) relief image.
A durable plain-woven fabric, typically made from cotton or linen, stretched across a wooden frame, which artists use as a surface for painting.
The art and science of shaping and baking clay at high temperatures to produce pottery, tiles, figurines, and more. The resulting objects are typically solid and can be decorative, functional, or both.
An Italian term meaning "light-dark". It describes the use of deep contrasts between light and dark areas to give the illusion of volume in modelling three-dimensional objects and figures.
The study of colours and their interactions in art and design.Derived from the French word 'coller', meaning 'to glue', this is an art form where materials (often paper, but can include fabric, wood, etc.) are adhered to a substrate, creating a new composition.
A printmaking technique where materials are glued to a rigid substrate, such as card or wood. This creates a raised, textured surface which is then inked and printed.
In visual art, composition concerns the arrangement of visual elements within an artwork. It's a structured framework that artists use to organise these elements harmoniously.
A movement where the idea behind the artwork takes precedence over the physical object. Artists like Sol LeWitt were pivotal to this movement.
Describes the outline of an object, capturing its shape rather than details or interior variations. It's akin to drawing the edges of a form without internal details.
In the visual arts, contrast refers to the difference between elements in an artwork. This difference can be in terms of colour, value, texture, or other attributes, making certain elements of an artwork stand out.
Initiated by Picasso and Braque, this avant-garde movement from the early 20th century deconstructs subjects into a multitude of viewpoints using geometric shapes, depicting different facets of an object simultaneously.
An art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century. Dadaists expressed their disdain for World War I by embracing chaos and irrationality, often through collages and assemblages.
A decorative art where pictures or designs, often from paper, are glued onto an object and then coated with varnish or lacquer. The result is a smoothly layered piece with a 'painting-like' finish.
A design prepared on special paper for durable transfer onto another surface such as glass, porcelain, or metal.
A term adopted by the Nazi regime in Germany to describe art that did not fit into its traditionalist view. This led to the confiscation and often destruction of many modernist artworks.
Art created or presented using digital technology. It encompasses a wide range of practices, from digital painting to augmented reality artworks.
A piece of art created in two parts. It can be attached together or presented alongside each other.A printmaking method where an image is incised into a plate with a hard-pointed needle. It produces a characteristic burr and rich, soft lines.
A freestanding structure used by artists to support a canvas or paper while painting or drawing. Typically made of wood, easels can be adjustable to accommodate different sizes of canvases.
A painting sized to fit on an easel and intended for private rather than public display, contrasting with wall-sized frescoes or murals.
A painting technique that involves using heated beeswax to which coloured pigments are added. The liquid or paste is then applied to a surface.
A printmaking process in which designs are incised onto a hard, typically flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The incised areas hold ink, which when pressed onto paper, transfer the image.
Similar to engraving, etching is a printmaking technique where lines are etched onto a metal plate using acid. The plate is then inked and pressed onto paper, creating an imprint.
Originating in Germany around 1905, expressionism seeks to present the world from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect to evoke mood or ideas.
A modern art movement from the early 20th century that emphasised painterly qualities and strong colour. Led by artists like Matisse, fauvist works are distinguished by rough, spontaneous brushwork and bold, vibrant colours.
Art made in the 1970s and onwards that focuses on the role of women in art history and the broader social context. Artists like Judy Chicago and the Guerrilla Girls were pioneers.
An ancient mural painting technique where alkaline-resistant pigments, mixed with water, are applied directly onto wet plaster. As the plaster dries, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall.
A technique where a drawing is created by placing paper over a textured surface and rubbing it with pencil or other marking tools, capturing the underlying texture.
A white mixture of chalk, white pigment, and glue is applied to canvases or wooden panels to prepare them for painting, providing a receptive and stable ground for oils or acrylics.
In painting, it's a thin, translucent layer of colour applied over a base layer. In ceramics, it's a vitreous coating fired onto a ceramic piece for decorative purposes or to make it resistant to moisture.
Prevalent in the High and Late Middle Ages, it's known for its architecture, particularly the Gothic cathedrals, as well as illuminated manuscripts.
A painting method similar to watercolour but yielding more opaque results. It consists of pigment, water, and a binding agent, producing a velvety matte finish when dried.
A gradual change. In visual arts, it often refers to a smooth transition from one colour to another or from one shade of a colour to another.
A principle of design, it refers to the way diverse elements are arranged to create a coherent, aesthetically pleasing whole. It provides unity and order in visual composition.
Refers to the dominant wavelength of colour and is the term used to distinguish one colour from another, e.g., red, yellow, blue.
The visual images and symbols used in a work of art, as well as the study and interpretation of these themes and symbols.
A dyeing technique used to pattern textiles. In Central Asia, particularly in Uzbekistan, it's known for its vibrant colours and bold, blurred patterns.
A visual depiction used to elucidate or adorn textual information. Often seen in books, magazines, and online media, illustrations can be both artistic and functional.
A painting technique where paint is applied thickly, often with a knife, resulting in visible brush or knife strokes. It can add texture and dimensionality to a painting.
Originating in France in the late 19th century, this movement is characterised by thin brush strokes and an emphasis on capturing light and its transient effects. Notable figures include Monet and Renoir.
Art that's created, assembled, and presented in a space, often immersive in nature, like the works of Yayoi Kusama.
A printmaking technique where the image is incised into a surface. When ink is applied, it fills these incised areas. Paper is then pressed onto the surface, capturing the inked image. Etching and engraving are forms of intaglio.
The influence of Japanese art, fashion, and aesthetics on Western culture, especially evident during the 19th century when Japanese goods and art became more available in the West.
The German version of Art Nouveau, most common during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Placing visual elements side by side, often creating contrast, narrative, or highlighting differences and similarities between the elements.
To place two or more things together, especially in order to suggest a link between them or emphasize the contrast.
The adjustment of space between individual letters in typesetting. This technique ensures optimal legibility and aesthetics in printed text.
Although more connected to Armenian art, this stone-carved cross-stone shows the intricate interplay of cultures in Central Asia.
An oven or furnace used for hardening and drying clay artwork or for firing ceramics to make them durable.
Art that incorporates movement as a part of its expression, either mechanically or naturally like a mobile that moves with the air.
Sculptures that move, propelled either by motors, air currents, or other mechanisms.From the Khanate of Kokand, it reflects a blend of local Central Asian and Islamic architectural traditions, evident in palaces, mosques, and mausoleums.
Kazakhstan's traditional art of decorative appliqué often seen in wall hangings and other textiles.An early calligraphic form of the Arabic script, which can be found inscribed on many Central Asian monuments, ceramics, and textiles.
Originated in the 1960s and 1970s, artists like Richard Long used natural landscapes to create site-specific sculptures and installations.
A representation of outdoor natural scenes, which can capture everything from sprawling countryside to urban skylines. Landscapes can be real or imagined and often seek to convey a sense of place.
A system of creating an illusion of depth on a flat surface. All parallel lines in a scene converge at a single point in the horizon, called the vanishing point.
A printmaking technique where a design is carved into a linoleum surface, inked, and then pressed onto paper or fabric. It's a variant of woodcut but uses linoleum due to its ease of carving.
A printmaking technique based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The design is drawn with oil, fat, or wax onto the surface of a smooth, level lithographic limestone plate. The stone is then treated with a mixture of acid and gum arabic, etching the portions of the stone that were not protected by the grease-based image.