Terms and Definitions
See the custom framing section for descriptions of framing-related processes.
Acrylic paint[1] – a fast-drying paint that can be diluted with water or modified with acrylic gels to attain different characteristics, sometimes resembling a watercolor or oil painting; acrylic paint is water-resistant when dry.
Aquatint[2] – an intaglio printmaking technique in which tonal variations are created on a metal plate by applying powdered resin to the plate, and then etching sections of the plate for varied times, depending on the lightness or darkness of tone desired.
Drypoint[3] – an intaglio printmaking technique in which an image is incised into a plate using a hard-pointed metal tool
Etching[4] – the process of using acid to cut into unprotected parts of a metal plate to create an intaglio design
Giclée[5] – a high-quality ink-jet digital print used as fine art; the term originally referred to the Iris Graphics created on Iris printers, but is now used to indicate any fine art ink-jet print
Intaglio[6] – a family of printmaking techniques which incise an image into a metal plate; to print such an image, ink is first evenly applied to the plate, and is then rubbed with a tarlatan cloth until ink only remains in the incised sections of the plate, as opposed to a woodcut
Linocut[7] – a relief printmaking technique created by carving into a linoleum surface
Lithography[8] – a method of printing using a smooth plate to which ink is applied, using oil or fat and gum arabic to define the areas of the surface which will receive ink
Oil paint[9] – a slow-drying paint with a natural sheen that allows for longer painting sessions and an increased allowance for blending of colors after application; consists of pigments (can be natural or synthetic) suspended in drying oils
Pastel[10] – an art medium consisting of powdered pigment and binder produced in the form of a stick; the intensity of color and tendency to smudge varies with the type of binder used
Relief print[11] – an image created by a printmaking process where the areas of the plate or block that will hold ink are parts of the original surface, and areas that will print white (and will not hold ink) are parts of the surface that have been removed; ink is applied to the surface of the plate or block and is then transferred to paper
Serigraph[12] – a printing technique, also known as screen printing, that uses a woven mesh material to support an ink-blocking stencil over which a roller or squeegee is applied to force ink past the open mesh areas onto the paper or other material receiving the image
Watercolor[13] – a paint composed of pigment suspended in a water soluble medium, most commonly applied to a paper support
Woodcut[14] – a relief printmaking technique in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood (along the grain) with a knife or chisel