Drawing Glossary - Drawing Terms and Definitions
Drawing Glossary - find out meanings of words used in drawing, sketching and printmaking - technical terms and words you need to know.
Drawing Glossary Index
An alphabetical index of Drawing Glossary entries. Find out the meaning of drawing terminology and jargon, check spelling and pronunciation.
An alphabetical index of Drawing Glossary entries. Find out the meaning of drawing terminology and jargon, check spelling and pronunciation.
Balance - What is Balance?
Balance describes harmonious, resolved positioning and weight of line and tone within a composition.
Balance describes harmonious, resolved positioning and weight of line and tone within a composition.
Bistre Ink - What is Bistre Ink?
Bistre ink is a traditional ink made by boiling wood soot. The resulting ink color depends on the type of wood burnt to make the soot.
Bistre ink is a traditional ink made by boiling wood soot. The resulting ink color depends on the type of wood burnt to make the soot.
Burnishing - What is Burnishing?
In drawing, burnishing means layering pencil until the tooth of the paper is filled in. In printmaking, manually transferring the inked image to paper.
In drawing, burnishing means layering pencil until the tooth of the paper is filled in. In printmaking, manually transferring the inked image to paper.
Carbon Black - What is Carbon Black?
Carbon black is an inorganic, synthetic black pigment produced by the partial burning of hydrocarbons.
Carbon black is an inorganic, synthetic black pigment produced by the partial burning of hydrocarbons.
Cartoon - What is a Cartoon?
In fresco painting and other painting media and tapestry, 'cartoon' refers to the drawing made in order to transfer the artist's design onto the surface to be painted.
In fresco painting and other painting media and tapestry, 'cartoon' refers to the drawing made in order to transfer the artist's design onto the surface to be painted.
Color - What is Color?
What is Color? The Penguin Reference Dictionary defines color in part as the visual sensation caused by the perceived wavelength of light. This is a key point for the artist, for while objects posess color, our perception of it is altered by background, illumination, reflected light from other objects, and so on.
What is Color? The Penguin Reference Dictionary defines color in part as the visual sensation caused by the perceived wavelength of light. This is a key point for the artist, for while objects posess color, our perception of it is altered by background, illumination, reflected light from other objects, and so on.
Colorless Blender - What is a Colorless Blender?
A colorless blender is a colored pencil containing wax and fillers but no pigment, used in blending overlaid colors without adding any further color.
A colorless blender is a colored pencil containing wax and fillers but no pigment, used in blending overlaid colors without adding any further color.
Contour - What is Contour Line in Drawing?
What is a contour in drawing? A contour is the line which defines a form or edge. Unlike the contours in map drawing, which track across a surface, contours in art drawing are outlines, drawn to describe a visible edge or change of plane.
What is a contour in drawing? A contour is the line which defines a form or edge. Unlike the contours in map drawing, which track across a surface, contours in art drawing are outlines, drawn to describe a visible edge or change of plane.
Crosshatching - What is Crosshatching?
Crosshatching is an extension of hatching, which uses is the use of fine parallel lines drawn closely together, to create the illusion of shade or texture in a drawing.
Crosshatching is an extension of hatching, which uses is the use of fine parallel lines drawn closely together, to create the illusion of shade or texture in a drawing.
Crosshatching - What is Crosshatching?
Crosshatching is drawing two layers of hatching at right-angles in order create a mesh-like pattern. Used in various drawing mediums for textural and tonal effects.
Crosshatching is drawing two layers of hatching at right-angles in order create a mesh-like pattern. Used in various drawing mediums for textural and tonal effects.
Diptych - What is a Diptych?
Diptych - definition. What is a Diptych?
Diptych - definition. What is a Diptych?
Foreshortening - What is Foreshortening?
Foreshortening is when an object appears compressed when seen from a particular viewpoint, and the effect of perspective causes distortion. Particularly effective when well rendered on the picture plane to create the illusion of a figure in space.
Foreshortening is when an object appears compressed when seen from a particular viewpoint, and the effect of perspective causes distortion. Particularly effective when well rendered on the picture plane to create the illusion of a figure in space.
Format - What is Format?
Format refers to the size, shape and orientation of your paper or canvas. Portrait format means the paper is oriented with the shorter sides horizontal, while landscape describes paper with longer horizontals.
Format refers to the size, shape and orientation of your paper or canvas. Portrait format means the paper is oriented with the shorter sides horizontal, while landscape describes paper with longer horizontals.
Graphite - What is Graphite?
Graphite is the 'gray lead in your drawing pencil. Graphite is not lead at all; the misnomer arose because it was mistaken for a form of lead when first discovered in England.
Graphite is the 'gray lead in your drawing pencil. Graphite is not lead at all; the misnomer arose because it was mistaken for a form of lead when first discovered in England.
Grisaille - What is Grisaille
Grisaille, from the French word 'gris' for gray, is a monochrome painting or drawing, usually in gray but sometimes in sepia tones. Grisaille drawing and painting from plaster casts are done as the basis of classical art training, as the technique allows the artist to concentrate on accurate rendering of form without the distraction of color.
Grisaille, from the French word 'gris' for gray, is a monochrome painting or drawing, usually in gray but sometimes in sepia tones. Grisaille drawing and painting from plaster casts are done as the basis of classical art training, as the technique allows the artist to concentrate on accurate rendering of form without the distraction of color.
Hatching - What is Hatching?
Definition of Hatching. What is hatching in drawing? Hatching is the use of fine, parallel lines drawn closely together...
Definition of Hatching. What is hatching in drawing? Hatching is the use of fine, parallel lines drawn closely together...
Horizon Line - What is the Horizon Line?
What is the Horizon Line in drawing? The horizon line in perspective drawing is a horizontal line across the picture...
What is the Horizon Line in drawing? The horizon line in perspective drawing is a horizontal line across the picture...
India Ink
What is India Ink?
What is India Ink?
Iron Gall Ink
What is Iron Gall Ink?
What is Iron Gall Ink?
Ivory Black
What is Ivory Black?
What is Ivory Black?
Juxtaposition - What is Juxtaposition?
Juxtaposition is placing compositional elements close together, in order to compare or contrast their qualities.
Juxtaposition is placing compositional elements close together, in order to compare or contrast their qualities.
Juxtaposition - What is Juxtaposition?
Juxtaposition is the placing of compositional elements side-by-side, with the intention of comparing or contrasting them.
Juxtaposition is the placing of compositional elements side-by-side, with the intention of comparing or contrasting them.
Lamp Black
What is Lamp Black?
What is Lamp Black?
Line - What is 'Line' in drawing?
In drawing, what is meant by the term 'line'? A definition of the drawing term 'line'.
In drawing, what is meant by the term 'line'? A definition of the drawing term 'line'.
Lineweight
What is 'lineweight' in drawing?
What is 'lineweight' in drawing?
Negative Space - What is Negative Space?
Negative Space is the area of an image not occupied by shapes or forms.
Negative Space is the area of an image not occupied by shapes or forms.
Orthogonals - What are Orthogonals ?
In Linear Perspective drawing, the diagonal lines that can be drawn along receding parallel lines (or rows of objects) to the vanishing point.
In Linear Perspective drawing, the diagonal lines that can be drawn along receding parallel lines (or rows of objects) to the vanishing point.
Papyrus - Definition
What is Papyrus?
What is Papyrus?
Parchment - What is Parchment?
Parchment is a paper-like material made from sheep or goat skin. Very fine parchment is called Vellum and is made from calf skin.
Parchment is a paper-like material made from sheep or goat skin. Very fine parchment is called Vellum and is made from calf skin.
Perspective - What is Perspective?
Definition of Linear Perspective and Atmospheric Perspective as applied to drawing.
Definition of Linear Perspective and Atmospheric Perspective as applied to drawing.
Quill Pen
What is a quill pen?
What is a quill pen?
Scumbling - What is Scumbling?
In drawing, scumbling is sometimes used to describe a random, scribbled texture, with figure-eight and concave shapes used to create a spiky texture, rather than the common circular scribble.
In drawing, scumbling is sometimes used to describe a random, scribbled texture, with figure-eight and concave shapes used to create a spiky texture, rather than the common circular scribble.
Sepia Ink
What is Sepia Ink?
What is Sepia Ink?
Tetraptych - What Is a Tetraptych
Tetraptych - What Is a Tetraptych? A tetrapych a picture in four parts. Usually a single scene, but sometimes a group of four images, usually paintings, drawings or photographs. Diptych and Triptych are more commonly known.
Tetraptych - What Is a Tetraptych? A tetrapych a picture in four parts. Usually a single scene, but sometimes a group of four images, usually paintings, drawings or photographs. Diptych and Triptych are more commonly known.
Texture - What is Texture?
Texture describes the tactile quality of a form. Accurate rendering of an object's texture is the key to very realistic (particularly 'photo-realistic') drawing.
Texture describes the tactile quality of a form. Accurate rendering of an object's texture is the key to very realistic (particularly 'photo-realistic') drawing.
Tone - What is Tone or Tonal Value?
In art, tone refers to the degree of lightness or darkness of an area. Tone varies from the bright white of a light source through shades of gray to the deepest black shadows. Also known as value.
In art, tone refers to the degree of lightness or darkness of an area. Tone varies from the bright white of a light source through shades of gray to the deepest black shadows. Also known as value.
Tortillon - What is a Tortillon?
Definition of the drawing term 'tortillon'
Definition of the drawing term 'tortillon'
Trois Crayons - What is Aux Trois Crayons Technique?
Literally 'with three pencils', 'aux trois crayons' technique is a traditional style of drawing using black, red (sanguine) and white chalk, often on a tinted (cream) paper.
Literally 'with three pencils', 'aux trois crayons' technique is a traditional style of drawing using black, red (sanguine) and white chalk, often on a tinted (cream) paper.
Vanishing Point - What is a Vanishing Point?
In Linear Perspective drawing, the point(s) on the horizon line to which the receeding parallel lines diminish.
In Linear Perspective drawing, the point(s) on the horizon line to which the receeding parallel lines diminish.
Vitruvian Man - What is the Vitruvian Man
Vitruvian Man - What is the Vitruvian Man? Leonardo da Vinci's famous drawing of the Vitruvian Man, showing a nude male drawn within a circle and square.
Vitruvian Man - What is the Vitruvian Man? Leonardo da Vinci's famous drawing of the Vitruvian Man, showing a nude male drawn within a circle and square.