Art Terms That Will Broaden Your Horizons

Chiaroscuro

This technique is also known as light and shadow and is used in both painting and drawing. Chiaroscuro is based on creating contrast between light and dark areas to give objects a three-dimensional appearance. You’ve surely seen it in famous works, such as those by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Goya.

Caravaggio’s The Crucifixion of Saint Peter is also an example of chiaroscuro:

Photo: Pixabay.com

Alla prima

This technique, also known as wet-on-wet, is used mainly for painting with oil paints. It involves applying paint to a still-wet layer, making the process much faster than traditional oil painting. You can see this technique in works by famous painters such as Diego Velázquez and Vincent van Gogh.

Trompe l'oeil

The aim of this technique is to create such a realistic painting that viewers can’t tell at first glance whether they’re looking at reality or an illusion. This includes murals and even paintings on sidewalks, which are often used as tourist attractions.

Photo: Pixabay.com

Contrapposto

This term describes the pose a figure holds. The body’s weight is supported by one leg, while the arms and shoulders are turned away from the axis of the hips. The most famous sculpture in this pose is the Statue of David by Michelangelo. The Venus de Milo and Botticelli’s Venus in The Birth of Venus also hold this pose.

Photorealism

Photorealism is based on studying a photograph and then reproducing it on canvas as accurately as possible. Many beginning artists use photorealism to learn how to paint and depict reality. Decorative and acrylic sprays are often used for this technique.

Photo: Pexels.com

Golden Ratio

It is often also called the divine proportion, and although it is a number, you can read a lot about it in various books on art. Geometric shapes based on the golden ratio are considered aesthetically pleasing and attractive in European culture. Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Salvador Dalí often used it to enhance the aesthetics of their work. You can try it yourself, for example, with Bruynzeel colored pencils.

The art world is full of techniques and terms that can sometimes be hard to keep straight. It’s okay if you don’t know some of them. What matters is that you feel like creating. Explore new possibilities and try something new with our ARTMiE supplies.

And which technique is your favorite?

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