Decoding Art: A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Art Lingo

A Glossary of Art Terms

This glossary of art terms serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the language surrounding art. It encompasses a curated collection of words and phrases that describe various art movements, techniques, painting methods, creative processes, and distinct styles that resonate with my work. Whether you're curious about minimalism, the intricacies of acrylic painting, or the emotive power of colour and texture, this guide will illuminate the concepts that underpin my approach to painting. By familiarising yourself with these terms, you'll gain a richer appreciation for the nuances of abstract art and the inspirations drawn from nature that informs my creations.

Bookmark this page to easily return to this helpful glossary of art terms whenever you need a quick reference!

Action Painting: A modern art movement where the physical act of painting is expressed through spontaneous brush strokes, drips, and splatters, emphasizing the artist's emotions and energy.

Alla Prima: A technique where wet paint is applied on wet paint without drying, known for its spontaneity and bold brushwork. Often used in oil painting for lively, expressive results.

Automatism: A technique that encourages spontaneous creation, allowing the artist to bypass conscious control and tap into the subconscious mind.

A few years ago, I had a solo exhibition at the home of Paul-Émile Borduas, a renowned Quebecois painter and key figure in the Automatist movement and Refus global manifesto.

Collage: An artistic technique that involves assembling various materials, such as paper, fabric, and photographs, onto a single surface to create a new composition.

Color Field Painting: An abstract art style that emphasises large fields of solid colour to evoke emotion and create a visual experience.

Contemporary Art: Contemporary art from recent decades has many styles and forms, pushing boundaries and providing fresh viewpoints.

Diptych: A two-panel visual art form displayed as one composition.

Drip Art: A technique where paint is allowed to drip and flow onto the canvas, creating dynamic patterns and textures that capture the spontaneity of the process.

Expressionism: An art movement that seeks to convey emotional experience rather than physical reality, often through vivid colours and distorted forms.

Floral Abstract: Art inspired by plants uses organic shapes, vibrant colors, and flowing forms to capture nature's essence, allowing artists to express its beauty while remaining abstract.

Fluid Art: Fluid art, or pour painting, involves pouring liquid paint mixed with a pouring medium onto a surface to create colorful artworks.

Geometric Abstraction: An art movement that emphasises the use of geometric forms, often characterised by simplicity and precision, to create non-representational compositions.

Glaze: A thin, transparent paint layer applied over dried paint, glazes alter the underlying layer's appearance, adding depth, richness, and luminosity.

Gradation: A smooth change between colors, adding depth and movement to art. It mixes colors or uses intermediate shades to link different hues, making paintings more interesting and balanced.

Impasto: A painting method that uses thick paint to create texture and volume, often linked to Impressionism. It adds depth, with artists using palette knives or brushes for strong, expressive strokes.

In Situ: Refers to art created for a specific location, often installations that enhance the viewer's connection with the environment.

Contrary to the description above, I use the term "In Situ" to refer to photos of my paintings placed in a specific setting.

Intuitive Art: A creative process that prioritizes instinct and emotions over logic, enabling artists to freely express their subconscious. Intuitive artists use spontaneity and improvisation to capture their inner world, resulting in meaningful, soulful artworks.

Japandi Art: A harmonious blend of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian functionality, focusing on simplicity, natural materials, and a serene aesthetic.

Knife Painting: A palette knife technique used to apply thick, textured paint layers, creating impasto effects that add depth and expressiveness to artworks.

Meditative Art: Encourages mindfulness and inner reflection, promoting calmness through repetitive actions like brushstrokes. It fosters relaxation, self-discovery, stress relief, and deeper self-connection.

Minimalism: An art movement from the 1960s emphasizing simplicity, clean lines, geometric shapes, and limited colors to create harmony. Minimalist artists aimed to eliminate excess and highlight essential forms for calm and clarity.

Mixed Media: An artistic technique that combines different materials and mediums, such as paint, collage, and found objects, within a single piece of artwork.

Modernism: A cultural movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterised by a deliberate break from tradition and a focus on new forms of expression in art, literature, and architecture.

Non-Objective and Non-Representational: A style of painting that does not represent or depict any external reality, focusing instead on the use of colour, form, and texture to express emotion and ideas.

Organic Art: Inspired by nature, this art uses natural materials, smooth lines, earthy colors, and plant themes. It celebrates imperfection and unevenness, encouraging harmony with the natural world and connections to life's essence.

Palette: The range of colors used by an artist in a particular artwork or overall body of work.

Polyptych: A polyptych is a multi-panel artwork made of separate sections that can be hinged or displayed individually.

Recycled Art: Art from discarded materials like paper, plastics, metal, and textiles. It raises awareness about waste reduction and sustainability. Recycled artists encourage creativity and resourcefulness for a cleaner planet.

I prioritize recycling paint and materials to reduce studio waste. Watch for my upcoming article on resourceful studio tips.

Reductive Art: A style that emphasizes simplicity by stripping away unnecessary elements to focus on essential forms and colours.

Rustic Art:  A style that embraces raw, natural materials and organic forms, often evoking the charm of rural life and simplicity.

Scandi Art or Scandinavian Art: A minimalist artistic style that emphasizes simplicity, functionality, and a harmonious blend of nature-inspired elements, often featuring soft colour palettes and organic shapes.

Seascape: A painting or depiction that captures the beauty and essence of the ocean and its surroundings.

Semi-Abstract: Art that blends recognizable forms with abstraction, balancing realism and inviting personal interpretation.

Simple Art: A minimalistic style with a limited color palette and clean composition. It highlights the essence of the subject, creating calm and balance.

Spontaneous Art: Spontaneous art is the creation of artwork driven by instinct and emotion, often embracing unpredictability and immediacy.

I often overanalyze life, but in the studio, I thrive on spontaneity, finding joy in the moment. It brings freedom and vitality to my work.

Sustainable Art: Artwork using recycled materials and minimizing waste. Eco-conscious artists raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire others to adopt eco-friendly practices.

Triptych: A work of art consisting of three interconnected panels that are typically displayed together to create a cohesive visual narrative.

Wabi-sabi: A Japanese art style that values imperfections, change, and simplicity. Natural materials, earth colors, and uneven shapes, evoke calmness and appreciation for beauty in flaws.

Wet On Wet: A technique where wet paint is applied over another wet layer, letting colors mix smoothly and create soft edges.