visual art
Pictures and sculptures
Visual art encompasses creative works meant to be seen—painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, printmaking, and similar forms.
The term distinguishes these from performing arts like music or dance, and from literary arts.
She studied visual art in college before becoming a graphic designer.
The plural visual arts typically refers to the field or discipline as a whole.
Marks left by painting
- paletteSurface for mixing pigments
- landscapeVisible features of terrain
- portraitArtistic depiction of someone
- still lifeArt of inanimate objects
masterpiece · easel · chiaroscuro · impasto · glazing · underpainting · triptych · diptych
Heavy woven cloth
- oilSlippery viscous fluid
- acrylicSynthetic resin or fiber
- watercolorTranslucent paint medium
- charcoalBurned wood residue
pastel · gouache · ink · tempera · fresco · encaustic · collage · mosaic
Style prioritizing perception
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
- dadaismAbsurdist artistic movement
baroque · renaissance · romanticism · futurism · post-impressionism · symbolism · mannerism · neoclassicism
Complex psychological state
- creativityCapacity for original thought
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
- styleDistinctive way of expression
- aestheticsTheory of beauty
symbolism · narrative · composition · tone · gesture · form · inspiration · interpretation
Public display of items
- curatorCollection overseer
- vernissageExhibition opening reception
- frameSupporting outer structure
- installationProcess of putting in
collection · museum · patron · artwork · white cube · viewer · critique · docent
Recrystallized limestone rock
- bronzeCopper-tin alloy
- chiselEdged carving implement
- carvingShaping by cutting away
- statueThree-dimensional sculpted likeness
bust · relief · clay · stone · casting · molding · armature · bas-relief
Image capturing device
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
- apertureAdjustable optical inlet
- shutterHinged window covering
- exposureState of being unprotected
film · digital · portrait · landscape · macro · flash · tripod · monochrome
Appearance of being factual
- lifelikeResembling the real thing
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
- representationDepiction or likeness
- accuracyDegree of correctness
detail · observational · mimesis · illusionism · trompe-l'oeil · photorealism · hyperrealism · social realism
Not depicting reality
- geometricRelating to mathematical shapes
- minimalismAesthetic of reduction
- biomorphicResembling living organism shapes
- lyricalMusically expressive
gestural · suprematism · constructivism · hard-edge · action painting · abstract expressionism · organic forms · pure form
brushstrokes
Marks left by painting
- paletteSurface for mixing pigments
- landscapeVisible features of terrain
- portraitArtistic depiction of someone
still life · masterpiece · easel · chiaroscuro · impasto · glazing · underpainting · triptych · diptych · mural
canvas
Heavy woven cloth
- oilSlippery viscous fluid
- acrylicSynthetic resin or fiber
- watercolorTranslucent paint medium
charcoal · pastel · gouache · ink · tempera · fresco · encaustic · collage · mosaic · printmaking
impressionism
Style prioritizing perception
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
dadaism · baroque · renaissance · romanticism · futurism · post-impressionism · symbolism · mannerism · neoclassicism · modernism
emotion
Complex psychological state
- creativityCapacity for original thought
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
- styleDistinctive way of expression
aesthetics · symbolism · narrative · composition · tone · gesture · form · inspiration · interpretation · vision
exhibition
Public display of items
- curatorCollection overseer
- vernissageExhibition opening reception
- frameSupporting outer structure
installation · collection · museum · patron · artwork · white cube · viewer · critique · docent · portfolio
marble
Recrystallized limestone rock
statue · bust · relief · clay · stone · casting · molding · armature · bas-relief · kinetic
camera
Image capturing device
exposure · film · digital · portrait · landscape · macro · flash · tripod · monochrome · darkroom
verisimilitude
Appearance of being factual
- lifelikeResembling the real thing
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
- representationDepiction or likeness
accuracy · detail · observational · mimesis · illusionism · trompe-l'oeil · photorealism · hyperrealism · social realism · figurative
nonrepresentational
Not depicting reality
- geometricRelating to mathematical shapes
- minimalismAesthetic of reduction
- biomorphicResembling living organism shapes
lyrical · gestural · suprematism · constructivism · hard-edge · action painting · abstract expressionism · organic forms · pure form · nonobjective
- creative artsdrawing, painting, illustration, sculpture, film
- neuroaestheticsaesthetic judgment, aesthetic pleasure, brain imaging, prefrontal cortex, reward system
- artsartist, creativity, expression, songs, painting
- museumsmuseums, exhibits, galleries, exhibitions, exhibit
- art museumspaintings, The Louvre, galleries, permanent collection, exhibitions
- art historyRenaissance, Baroque, Impressionism, Romanticism, Realism
visual artmusic
Organized auditory art
sound art · literature · poetry · oral storytelling · radio drama
visual artperforming arts
Live creative presentation disciplines
dance · theater · drama · literary arts · performance art
visual artapplied arts
Design serving practical ends
industrial design · engineering · functional design · manufacturing · applied science
art, visual, visor, visualize, visualization, visualized, visualizing, audiovisual, visual arts