Key

Yellow — Movement or philosophy

Green — Art styles & genres

Pink — Materials & techniques

Abstract — An art philsophy that breaks away from traditional representation of physical objects. It explores the relationships of form and colour, devoid of any literal, recognisable references to the external world. It is open to interpretation, often eliciting emotional and intellectual responses unique to each viewer.

Anime — A Japanese style of animation noted for its vibrant characters and fantastical themes. It encompasses a wide range of genres and appeals to various age groups, distinguished by its colourful artwork and imaginative storytelling.

Archival Matte — A high-quality printing material known for its durability and lack of acidity, ensuring longevity for fine art prints. Its matte finish minimises glare, making it ideal for displaying photographs and artworks with a subtle, refined appearance.

Art Deco — An influential visual arts design style first appearing in France before World War I, Art Deco is known for its rich colours, bold geometric shapes and lavish ornamentation. It symbolises luxury and sophistication, heavily influencing architecture, fashion, and many other design forms.

Art Nouveau — A decorative art style prevalent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Characterised by its use of flowing, organic lines and natural forms, it often includes floral motifs, asymmetrical shapes, and intricate linear designs.

Art Print — A reproduction of an original work of art, created using various printing techniques. These prints offer a more affordable way to own and display famous artworks and are often produced on high-quality paper or canvas.

Bauhaus — A groundbreaking German art and design school, operational from 1919 to 1933. It championed a functional approach in design, integrating art, craftsmanship, and technology, and is renowned for its minimalist aesthetic and influential role in modernist architecture and design.

Boho — Short for Bohemian, an aesthetic that combines elements of ethnic, hippie, and vintage styles. It is characterised by its use of natural materials, eclectic patterns, and a mix of colourful and earthy tones, creating a relaxed and artistic atmosphere.

Cubism — A revolutionary 20th-century art movement developed by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. It deconstructs objects into abstract, geometric forms and reassembles them in a collage-like manner, challenging conventional perspectives and offering multiple viewpoints simultaneously.

Dadaism — An avant-garde movement that emerged in the early 20th century. It's marked by its ridicule of the perceived meaninglessness of the modern world, embracing chaos and irrationality in art. Dadaist works are often satirical and nonsensical, utilising a range of mediums.

Engraving — A printmaking technique where designs are incised into a hard surface. Historically used for illustrations and fine art, engraving is valued for its ability to produce detailed, precise lines and enduring prints, making it a favoured choice for high-quality reproductions.

Expressionism — An art movement originating in Germany at the start of the 20th century, emphasising the artist's emotional and subjective perspective over accurate representation of physical scenes. It often features bold, vivid use of colour and exaggerated forms to evoke moods or ideas, diverging from realistic depictions.

Fauvism — An early 20th century style, led by artists like Henri Matisse, characterised by strong colours and fierce brushwork. This avant-garde movement prioritised painterly qualities and vibrant colours over representational or realistic values.

Gallery Wall — An arrangement of artworks, photographs, or other decorative objects, typically framed and carefully curated on a wall. It's a creative way to express personal tastes and tell a story, adding character and interest to any space.

Geometric — A style that uses geometric forms like squares, triangles, and circles. It's often associated with minimalism and abstract art, where the simplicity of shapes and lines creates striking, sophisticated compositions.

Giclée — A fine art digital printing process combining pigment-based inks with high-quality archival paper to achieve prints of superior quality, durability, and detail. This technique is favoured for reproducing artworks with precision and depth of colour.

Grayscale — Refers to a range of monochromatic shades from black to white. In art and photography, grayscale images are created using varying tones of grey and are often used for their dramatic and timeless quality.

GSM (Grams per Square Metre) — A unit of measurement for paper weight. It indicates the quality and thickness of paper, with higher GSM values denoting heavier, more durable paper. This is a crucial consideration in printing and paper crafts.

Half-Tone — A printing technique that simulates continuous tone imagery through the use of dots, varying either in size or in spacing. It's commonly used in newspapers and books to reproduce photographs and illustrations. (modern architecture, guggenheim)

Impressionism — A 19th-century art movement that originated in France. It's characterised by small, thin brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light, and ordinary subject matter. Impressionists sought to capture the momentary, sensory effect of a scene.

Industrial — A style in art and design that reflects an urban aesthetic, often incorporating elements such as exposed steel, rustic wood, and utilitarian objects. It emphasises a raw, unfinished look, echoing the architecture and interiors of factories and warehouses.

Lithography — A printing process based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The image is drawn with a greasy substance on a flat surface, usually stone, and then ink is applied, adhering only to the drawn areas. It's known for producing high-quality, detailed prints.

Matte Finish — A non-glossy, flat surface finish. This type of finish minimises light reflection, making it ideal for artworks and photographs intended for display under varying light conditions.

Mid-Century — Refers to styles that emerged roughly between the mid-1930s and mid-1960s. Characterised by clean lines, organic forms, and minimal ornamentation, it's a reflection of the era's emphasis on functionality and simplicity.

Minimalism — An art movement that emerged in the 1960s, focusing on the essentials of form and colour. It strips away excess, leaving only the necessary components, often resulting in geometric shapes and flat, monochromatic colour palettes.

Mixed Media — A work that combines various artistic mediums – such as paint, ink, and collage – in a single composition. It allows for complex, layered creations that utilise the strengths and textures of different materials.

Modernism — A broad cultural movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It represents a significant shift in cultural expressions, breaking away from traditional forms and experimenting with new techniques and philosophies.

Monochrome — A palette that uses a single colour or varying shades of a single colour. This approach emphasises composition, texture, and form, often resulting in striking and emotionally evocative works.

Mount — The material, usually cardboard or paper, used to frame or support a picture within a frame. It enhances the artwork, providing a border and helping to focus the viewer's attention.

Oil Paint — A medium consisting of pigments suspended in drying oils. Renowned for its versatility and rich colour saturation, oil paint has been a favoured medium for centuries, allowing for a range of techniques from glazing to impasto.

Pastels — A drawing medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder. They provide artists with bright, vibrant colours and are favoured for their ease of blending and soft, velvety texture.

Perspex — A clear, lightweight alternative to traditional glass, also known as acrylic glass, used in picture framing. Now an industry standard, it's shatter-resistant and offers excellent clarity, making it a popular choice for displaying artwork safely and effectively.

Photorealism — An art movement that emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s, characterised by paintings that resemble high-resolution photographs. Artists in this genre pay meticulous attention to detail to create works that are visually akin to a photograph.

Pigment — The coloured material used in paints. Made from various organic and inorganic compounds, pigments are responsible for the colour and opacity of the paint, and they are essential in determining the quality and longevity of the artwork.

Pointillism — A technique of painting developed by Georges Seurat and Paul Signac in the late 1880s. Pointillism involves applying small, distinct dots of colour in patterns to form an image. This technique explores the way the eye and mind blend colour spots into a fuller range of tones.

Pop Art — An art movement that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, challenging traditional fine art by incorporating imagery from popular and mass culture. It often uses bold, simple, and everyday imagery and vibrant block colours, and is known for its visual impact.

Post-Impressionism — An art movement that developed in the late 19th century as a reaction against Impressionism. It retained the vivid colours and real-life subject matter, but emphasised more on geometric forms and distorted forms for expressive effect.

Print on Demand — A process where art prints are not printed until an order has been received. This allows for a much larger catalogue of artworks, since the manufacturer does not need to hold stock of every design.

Public Domain — Creative work that is not protected by intellectual property laws and is therefore available for public use. Works in the public domain are those whose exclusive intellectual property rights have expired, been forfeited, or are inapplicable.

Renaissance — A period of great cultural change and achievement that began in Italy during the 14th century and spread throughout Europe. It is known for its advancements in art, architecture, literature, science, and music, and for the revival of classical learning.

Retro — An art and design style that refers to new creations that borrow styles and trends from the past, particularly from the 1950s to the 1970s. It embodies a nostalgic or ironic adaptation of past aesthetics, often infused with a contemporary twist.

Scandi — Short for Scandinavian, a style that is characterised by simplicity, minimalism, and functionality. It reflects the design ethos of the Nordic countries, favouring clean lines, muted colours, and natural materials, aiming for a balance of aesthetic and practicality.

Screen Printing — A technique where mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. Widely used in artistic prints and on fabrics, it allows for vibrant, durable printing.

Still Life — A piece that depicts mostly inanimate subject matters, typically commonplace objects which may be natural (food, flowers, plants) or man-made (glasses, books, vases). It's a genre known for its focus on composition, light, and shadow.

Sumi-e — A traditional East Asian art form using black ink, similar to calligraphy, also known as ink-wash painting. It emphasises simplicity, elegance, and a deep connection to the spiritual world, focusing on the beauty of each brushstroke.

Surrealism — A 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. It features bizarre, dream-like scenes and odd juxtapositions, aiming to challenge reality and conventional artistic norms.

Triptych — A work of art that is divided into three sections. The central panel is typically larger than the two side panels. Originating from early Christian art, it’s often used for altar paintings and can convey a narrative across its three panels.

Ukiyo-e — A piece that depicts mostly inanimate subject matters, typically commonplace objects which may be natural (food, flowers, plants) or man-made (glasses, books, vases). It's a genre known for its focus on composition, light, and shadow.

Vector Art — A traditional East Asian art form using black ink, similar to calligraphy, also known as ink-wash painting. It emphasises simplicity, elegance, and a deep connection to the spiritual world, focusing on the beauty of each brushstroke.

Watercolour — A 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. It features bizarre, dream-like scenes and odd juxtapositions, aiming to challenge reality and conventional artistic norms.

Hopefully, this crash-course in art lingo has given you a broad insight into all the different types of popular styles, important movements and technical jargon you might come across when discussing art. For more in-depth explorations on specific artists, periods and genres, check out our Journal.