Art terms
This glossary explains some of the techniques, mediums, art movements, and other terms you’ll encounter on our website, along with links to examples in the collection.
All
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Showing 10 of 244 art terms
-
B
-
Bauhaus
The school of art and design founded in Germany by Walter Gropius in 1919, and shut down by the Nazis in 1933. The faculty brought together artists, architects,
8 examples
-
Ben-Day dots
An inexpensive mechanical printing method developed in the late 19th century and named after its inventor, illustrator and printer Benjamin Henry Day,
4 examples
-
Binder
The material that holds the pigment together in paint and creates uniform consistency. Binder is often a liquid or an oil, like linseed oil, which is commonly
0 examples
-
Biomorphic
Derived from the Greek words bios (life) and morphe (form), the term refers to abstract forms or images that evoke naturally occurring forms such as plants,
9 examples
-
Black Arts movement
This 1960s and 1970s cultural movement, begun by African American artists and intellectuals based in the United States, arose during a time when Black
5 examples
-
Black Maria
The world’s first film studio, developed in 1892–93 by American inventor Thomas Alva Edison and his assistant and protégé, William K. L. Dickson. Comprised
1 example
-
Black Mountain College
A small liberal arts college founded in 1933 by John Rice on a farm in Asheville, North Carolina, and continued under changing leadership until 1957. Courses
7 examples
-
B movie
A low-budget movie, especially one made for use as a companion to the main attraction in a double feature.
4 examples
-
Brazilian Concrete art
Two groups interested in Concrete art emerged in the 1950s in the rapidly industrializing country of Brazil. Based in Some Brazilian concrete artists, such as Lygia Clark, Helio Oiticica, and Lygia Pape, grew frustrated with the limits of Concrete art and pushed it to a new level of experimentation. Around 1960 Oiticica said, “All real art does not separate technique from expression.” They called this work, which often included the viewer as a participant, Neo-concrete art.
6 examples
-
Built Environment
The spaces that human design and actions have shaped. These include infrastructural systems like electricity grids or highway networks, cities, buildings
12 examples
-