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 13 of 314 art terms
-
T
-
Tacking Margins
The outside edges or sides of the painting where tacks or staples may be used to hold the canvas in place
0 examples
-
Tempera
A painting medium in which colored pigment is mixed with a water-soluble binder, such as egg yolk; a painting done in this medium.
8 examples
-
Textile
A work consisting of natural or artificial fibers, often woven. Can refer to artist-created sculptures, hand-woven works, and industrially produced fabrics.
6 examples
-
The Great Migration
A historic mass movement of over six million African Americans between 1910 and 1970, as migrants sought to escape the racial violence and limited economic
4 examples
-
The Kamoinge Workshop
With a name derived from the Kikuyu word for “a group of people acting together,” a photography collective founded in 1963 as a shared political and artistic
4 examples
-
Tint
In painting, a color plus white; a shade or variety of color
0 examples
-
Tintype
An autopostive photographic print on a piece of blackened iron, in effect a less expensive version of the ambrotype.
5 examples
-
Tone
In painting, a color plus gray; the lightness or darkness of a color
0 examples
-
Translucent
Allowing light, but not detailed images, to pass through; semitransparent
0 examples
-
Transparent
Allowing light to pass through so that objects or images behind can be distinctly seen; see-through
0 examples
-
Triptych
A work of art consisting of three sections or panels, usually hinged together.
5 examples
-
Turpentine Burn
A turpentine burn is made by soaking a rag in solvent and scrubbing the canvas directly. This technique removes paint and leaves a stain on the canvas.
0 examples
-
Typography
The art and technique of designing, arranging, and printing with type.
8 examples
-