Art: English Vocabulary List

real and not an imitation

"The food is authentic."

"The restaurant serves authentic Italian food made by a chef who was born in Rome and learned to cook from his grandmother."

intended to look attractive rather than being of practical use

"The vase is decorative."

"The decorative pillows on the couch were beautiful but not very comfortable so nobody actually used them to sit."

consisting of or employing symbols

"The gesture is symbolic."

"The white dove is symbolic of peace and the artist painted it on the mural to represent hope for the future."

a company in the business of selling items at auction

"The auction house sold art."

"The rare painting sold for millions of dollars at the famous auction house in London."

a large painting done on a wall

"The mural covered the entire wall."

"The students painted a colorful mural on the side of the school building to celebrate diversity."

a painting or drawing, representing objects that do not move, such as flowers, glassware, etc.

"The still life showed fruit and flowers."

"The still life painting depicted a bowl of fruit and a vase of flowers on a wooden table."

the last layer that is put on the surface of something as a way of protection or decoration or the substance that does this

"The finish is smooth."

"The glossy finish on the table made it easy to wipe clean after meals."

an individual who financially supports an artist, charity, cause, etc.

"The patron donated money."

"The wealthy patron donated millions to the museum allowing it to expand its collection."

someone who makes works of art by carving or shaping stone, wood, clay, metal, etc. into different forms

"The sculptor carved stone."

"The sculptor spent months carving a figure from a single block of white marble."

a movement in painting originated in 19th-century France that uses light and color in a way that gives an impression rather than a detailed representation of the subject

"Impressionism is a painting style."

"Impressionism captured fleeting moments of light and color."

a style or movement in art, literature, and architecture developed in the beginning of 20th century that greatly differs from ones that are traditional

"Modernism influenced architecture and literature greatly"

"Modernism in art rejected traditional realism in favor of abstraction and experimentation with form."

a literary and artistic movement that was prevalent in the late 18th century, which emphasized the significance of imagination, subjective feelings, and a return to nature

"Romanticism emphasized emotion."

"Romanticism celebrated the beauty of the natural world."

to darken part of a picture or drawing using pencils, etc.

"Shade the drawing lightly."

"The artist used a soft pencil to shade the background of the portrait, adding depth."

(of objects or works) lacking the precision or quality one would expect from a paid professional

"It looks amateur."

"The amateurish attempt at a sculpture lacked the refined finish of a professional artist's work."

a statue or any other artwork made of bronze

"The statue is made of bronze."

"The statue was cast in bronze and had developed a green patina over many decades."

an object such as a pot, bowl, etc. that is made by heating clay

"I bought a ceramic."

"The ancient ceramic vase, intricately decorated, was a testament to the potter's skill."

an oil painting done on a canvas

"The canvas is big."

"The artist spent months completing the detailed oil painting on the large canvas."

the art or technique of painting with oil paint

"The oil painting is old."

"The oil painting on canvas depicted a dramatic storm at sea with crashing waves."

a drawing that depicts the outline of someone or something that is in a single black color and against a light background, often from the side

"The silhouette is dark."

"The photographer captured the silhouette of the couple standing against the setting sun beautifully."

a picture or design created by pressing an engraved surface onto a paper or any other surface

"The print is clear."

"The museum sold a high quality print of the famous artwork for twenty dollars."

the characteristic that gives an artwork or picture a three-dimensional aspect

"The depth is amazing."

"The artist skillfully used chiaroscuro to create a sense of depth and drama in the painting."

a pleasing combination of things in a way that forms a coherent whole

"There is harmony."

"The designer achieved a beautiful harmony of colors and textures, creating a visually pleasing space."

a thin oval board that a painter uses to mix colors and hold pigments on, with a hole for the thumb to go through

"The palette has colors."

"The artist mixed blue and yellow paint on her palette to create green."

the act or process of making a copy of an artistic or literary piece, a document, etc.

"The museum sold reproductions of famous paintings."

"The reproduction of the famous statue was made of plaster and sold to tourists cheaply."

the act of repairing something such as an artwork, building, etc. to be in its original state

"The restoration is done."

"The careful restoration of the Renaissance fresco brought its vibrant colors and intricate details back to life."

a certain way of thinking about a subject

"The viewpoint is clear."

"From the artist's viewpoint the bridge looked best when painted in soft morning light."

a painting that is created using paints that are water-soluble

"She uses watercolor."

"The delicate watercolor painting captured the soft light of the early morning landscape."

a literary or artistic style that gives a lifelike representation of people, events, and objects

"Realism shows life as it is."

"The novel's vivid descriptions and believable characters captured the essence of everyday life."

a 20th-century style of art and literature in which unrelated events or images are combined in an unusual way to represent the experiences of the mind

"Surrealism explores strange."

"The painting was a perfect example of surrealism, blending dreams with reality beautifully."

to shape or create by cutting or sculpting, often using tools or a sharp instrument

"He can carve wood."

"The artist decided to carve intricate patterns into the ancient wooden sculpture."

to give a soft substance a particular shape or form by placing it into a mold or pressing it

"Mold the clay into a bowl shape."

"The children used their hands to mold the wet clay into small animals and funny shapes during art class."

to maintain a specific posture in order to be photographed or painted

"The model will pose for photos."

"The models had to pose for hours while the photographer adjusted the lighting and camera settings."