MEDIA AND TECHNIQUES

The medium (plural, media) in a work of art refers to the material(s) from which the work is made (e.g. oil paint on canvas) or the technique or process used to create it (e.g. etching, stone carving). Sometimes these concepts are combined in a single descriptive term (e.g. cast bronze sculpture combines the technique (casting), the material (bronze) and the general media term (sculpture)). Listed below are some general media areas along with some of the more common specific media within them. This list more or less corresponds to parts three and four of your textbook, although it is arranged in a somewhat different order.

PAINTING: painting media are distinguished by their binder, the material that sticks them together and adheres them to their supporting surface. The pigment, usually composed of ground minerals, is what gives paint its color. Pigments are generally the same in all painting media.

fresco -             painting on plaster walls, either wet (buon fresco) or dry (fresco secco).
egg tempera -    the binder is egg, sometimes the white but usually the yoke.
encaustic -        the binder is wax. It is applied hot and sets as it cools.
oil paint -           the binder is oil, usually linseed oil but other seed and nut oils have been used.
watercolor -      the binder is a water soluble glue - can be either transparent or opaque.
acrylic -            the binder is polymer acrylic resin.

DRAWING:
pen & ink, brush & ink, ink wash (ink diluted with water)
pencil
silverpoint - uses a silver rod or wire on a specially prepared paper
charcoal, conté crayon, chalk
pastels

COLLAGE:

PRINTMAKING:
woodcut, linoleum cut (relief printing)
engraving, etching, drypoint, aquatint (intaglio printing)
lithography (planographic printing)
silk screen (serigraphic printing)

PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM, VIDEO, DIGITAL MEDIA:

SCULPTURE:
carved stone, wood, ivory, etc.
fired (baked) clay
cast bronze
welded steel
plastics
assemblage with various materials

ARCHITECTURE:
wood
stone
brick, concrete
iron, steel

JEWELRY & METALSMITHING:

CERAMICS & GLASS:

TEXTILES:

MIXED MEDIA: