MEDIUMS OF VISUAL ART

RUBRICO, MA. ELISA L.

 OBJECTIVES

• To understand the diverse range of mediums in visual

art
• To identify the key characteristics and techniques of
each medium
• To appreciate the historical significance and evolution
of these mediums
 MEDIUM OF THE VISUAL ARTS
• Medium – refers to the materials which are used by an
artist.
• It is how an artist expresses their ideas and concepts, it
is the tool the artist chooses to use to convey their
message or artistic expression. The medium an artist
chooses can affect the outcome of a piece of art and can
be used to communicate certain ideas or emotions.
• VERY ESSENTIALS TO ARTS.
 VISUAL ARTS
• Visual arts, a captivating realm of human expression,
encompass a vast array of mediums that serve as tools
for artists to translate their imagination and emotions
into tangible creations. From the intricate
brushstrokes of paintings to the captivating forms of
sculptures, each medium offers a unique approach to
conveying artistic vision.
 PAINTING

• Painting, one of the oldest and most

celebrated art forms, involves
applying pigments to a surface,
typically a canvas, to create an image.
Artists employ a variety of
techniques, from the delicate strokes
of watercolors to the bold impasto of
oil paints, to bring their artistic
visions to life.
DIFFERENT MEDIUM OF ART
• Painting's versatility allows for the
expression of a wide range of
emotions, narratives, and abstract
concepts. The materials of the painter
are pigments applied to wet plaster,
canvas, wood or paper.
A. OIL
A. OIL
A. OIL
A. OIL
EXAMPLE OF OIL PAINTING
B. TEMPERA
B. TEMPERA
B. TEMPERA
EXAMPLE OF TEMPERA PAINTING
C. WATERCOLOR
C. WATERCOLOR
GOUACHE
The term gouache was first used in France in the
eighteenth century to describe a type of paint
made from pigments bound in water-soluble
gum, like watercolor, but with the addition of a
white pigment in order to make it opaque.
C. WATERCOLOR
C. WATERCOLOR
D. PASTEL
D. PASTEL
D. PASTEL
EXAMPLE OF PASTEL PAINTING
E. FRESCO
E. FRESCO
E. FRESCO
E. FRESCO
EXAMPLE OF FRESCO PAINTING
EXAMPLE OF FRESCO PAINTING
F. ACRYLIC
ACRYLIC PAINTS
EXAMPLE OF ACRYLIC PAINTING
SCULPTURE
SCULPTURE
SCULPTURE
SCULPTURE
SCULPTURE
SCULPTURE
EXAMPLE
SCULPTURE
EXAMPLE
SCULPTURE
EXAMPLE
SCULPTURE
EXAMPLE
SCULPTURE
SCULPTURE
EXAMPLE
SCULPTURE
ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURE
EXAMPLE
DRAWING
• Drawing is a fundamental art form that
involves creating marks on a surface
using a variety of tools. It's a versatile
medium with countless possibilities for
expression, and artists choose different
drawing mediums to achieve specific
effects and textures
DRAWING
• 1. GRAPHITE
• Graphite is the most common medium
used for drawing. It comes in pencils of
various grades, from soft B grades for
dark and expressive marks to hard H
grades for crisp and precise lines. Graphite
is versatile, easy to control, and allows for
a wide range of tones and textures.
GRAPHITE
DRAWING
• 2. CHARCOAL
• Charcoal is a soft, black material
produced by burning wood. It creates
bold, expressive marks with a rich,
velvety texture. Charcoal is excellent
for quick sketches and capturing
gesture and movement.
CHARCOAL
CONTÉ CRAYON:
• Conté crayon is a compressed stick of
pigment and wax that comes in various
colors. It offers a smooth, rich color
application and can be used to create a
range of tones and textures, from
delicate lines to bold strokes. Conté
crayon is ideal for blending and shading.
CONTE CRAYON
PEN AND INK
• Pen and ink offer a clean and precise
drawing experience. Various pens and inks
are available, each with its unique
characteristics. For example, dip pens offer
a more fluid and expressive line, while
technical pens provide consistent,
controlled lines. Ink drawings are often
combined with other mediums like wash or
watercolor.
Dip pen
Technical pen
PASTEL
• Pastels are sticks of pigment and binder
that come in a vast range of colors. They
create a soft, powdery texture and are
ideal for creating subtle gradations and
blending colors. Pastels can be used for
both delicate and bold strokes, making
them versatile for various drawing
styles.
COLORED PENCIL
• Colored pencils offer a vibrant and
precise way to draw. They come in a
wide range of colors and can be used to
create detailed and realistic drawings.
Colored pencils are excellent for
layering and blending colors to achieve
smooth transitions and create depth.
COLORED PENCIL
MARKERS
• Markers are available in various types,
including felt-tip pens, alcohol-based
markers, and brush pens. Each offers a
different level of precision and ink flow.
Markers are ideal for bold lines, graphic
illustrations, and quick sketches.
MARKER
DIGITAL DRAWING
• Digital drawing tools like tablets and
software offer a versatile and convenient
way to draw. They allow for pressure
sensitivity, undo functions, and a vast
library of brushes and colors. Digital
drawing can be used for realistic and
stylized illustrations, animation, and
concept art.
DIGITAL DRAWING
MIXED MEDIA DRAWING
• Combining different drawing mediums
is a fantastic way to explore texture,
depth, and unique effects. Artists often
combine graphite with charcoal, pen
with ink, or colored pencils with pastels
to create richer and more expressive
drawings.
MIXED MEDIA DRAWING
 PRINTMAKING

is a process of creating artworks by transferring

images from one surface to another, usually paper.
There are many types of printmaking techniques,
each with its own characteristics and effects.
 PRINTMAKING

is a process of creating artworks by transferring

images from one surface to another, usually paper.
There are many types of printmaking techniques,
each with its own characteristics and effects.
 PRINTMAKING

Here are some of the most common printmaking mediums :

1. WOODCUTS
Woodcuts became one “of the great forces which were to
transform mediaeval into modern life,” as George E.
Woodberry wrote in his 1883 book History of the Wood
Engraving. As the author noted, woodcuts not only
revolutionized printmaking processes, but also people’s ability
to access literature and art.
 WOODCUT

By the 15th century, people had started using the technique to print
multiples of texts and images. The process of carving out every letter of
a book from a block of wood, however, was a grueling task, so only
popular works, such as the Bible and Buddhist sutras, were chosen for
this type of reproduction. Woodcuts are a subset of relief printmaking
—where you carve out negative space from a surface, leaving only the
lines and shapes that you want to appear in the print.
 For example, an artist making a woodcut will carve into the
surface of a piece of wood, then coat the remaining surface with
ink. Next, they’ll typically place the inked surface on a piece of
paper, and finally, they’ll create their print by placing pressure on
the back of their block––with a roller, printing press, or other
tool––to transfer the ink onto the page.
The Great Wave off
Kanagawa (Kanagawa
oki nami ura), from the
series "Thirty-six Views
of Mount Fuji"
("Fugaku
Sanjurokkei"), 1830 -
1833
 Collagraph
Collagraphs are another kind of relief print that can be completed without a printing
press. Rather than cutting away from a surface, however, this technique involves adding
to the surface of a printing plate. To accomplish this, you begin by collaging thin items––
such as fabrics, plants, or plastic––onto the plate. The objects will create the elevated
surface needed for a relief print, but usually, the items will not exceed a quarter of an inch
in height; otherwise, you risk tearing the paper you’re printing onto. Once the collage is
complete, the whole plate is coated with a substance known as a medium. Then, after it
dries, you can roll ink onto the plate and press it onto paper by hand with the help of a
tool, or with a printing press. When the paper is peeled back from the plate, an impression
will appear with textures that vary according to the collaged items.
Wangechi
Mutu
Second Born,
2013
 ETCHING

Etching is one of the most commonly used intaglio techniques. Unlike

engraving, where you gauge out lines with a burin, etching involves incising
marks into a plate through a process called “biting.” First, you cover a metal
plate with a thin wax-like layer called the “ground.” Then, you draw your
design onto the plate with a needle; you don’t have to press hard when making
these marks, as you only need to scratch through the surface of the ground.
When the drawing is finished, you coat the back of the plate with a varnish,
then immerse the plate in a bath of acid.
Since the ground and varnish are impermeable to acid, the acidic bath will only
affect the metal where lines are drawn. As the plate lays in the bath, the acid
will eat away at the marks you made, creating fine incisions.
Artists have been known to render delicate effects on these plates by
playing with the bath’s level of acidity, the amount of time it bathes, and a
technique called “stopping out.” To stop out, you bathe the plate until the
lightest parts of the print are properly incised, then remove it from the
bath and cover those areas with varnish before placing the plate back into
the bath. This technique allows you to achieve a range of shallow and deep
grooves; where an incision is shallow, the ink will be fainter, and where the
incision is deeper, the ink will be more prominent.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Three Crosses (First State),
1653
 ENGRAVING

Engraving is the oldest form of intaglio printmaking, and one of the most
difficult to execute. Unlike relief printmaking (where the ink is placed onto the
uppermost surface), intaglio involves making incisions or grooves in a plate,
covering the plate with ink, and wiping the surface, so that the ink remains in
the grooves. Then, the plate is placed in a printing press, which forces the paper
into the plate’s grooves to pick up the ink. When the paper and plate are peeled
apart, you’ll see that the ink has adhered to the paper. To keep the two
processes straight, it’s helpful to remember that with intaglio, anything you
carve into the plate will show up in ink, whereas in relief printmaking, it’s the
parts that you don’t carve that will show up in ink.
The term “intaglio” comes from the Italian word intagliare, which means “to cut
in.” The incisions in an engraving are entirely produced by carving into the
plate by hand, which is why it’s one of the most challenging printmaking
methods to master. The incisions in an engraving are entirely produced by
carving into the plate by hand, which is why it’s one of the most challenging
printmaking methods to master. Don’t be fooled by how simple this technique
may sound; using a burin to accurately incise a metal surface is no easy feat. In
addition to the great dexterity it requires, mistakes can only be repaired by
expertly hammering the back of the plate to push the metal back into place,
then smoothing it back down with a scraper and burnisher.
Antonio
Pollaiuolo
Battle of the
Nudes,
 AQUATINT

The process of an aquatint is similar to that of an etching, but the results of

an aquatint are focused less on line, and more on shapes. Aquatints are
accomplished through a version of biting, where the plate (usually made of
copper or zinc) is covered with tiny particles of rosin (a type of resin derived
from pine) that act as stop out. After sprinkling the white powder evenly
over the plate, you should inspect the surface to verify that about half of the
plate is covered with the particles. Then, you place the plate on top of a hot
ring until the rosin begins to melt onto the plate. Once the plate is heated, it
can be placed into an acid bath; as the plate sits in the bath, the acid will eat
away at the tiny areas of exposed metal between the specks of rosin. This
version of biting creates large areas of incision, so when the plate is inked
and printed, planes of color emerge.
To incise specific shapes onto the plate, an artist can use liquid stop out to
block out areas of the composition. When the plate is placed into the bath,
the acid will eat away at the areas that are still exposed.
Liquid stop out can also be used to create different tones. The artist can
remove the plate and coat areas with liquid stop out multiple times, so the
areas bathed for the least amount of time will be the lightest parts of the
print, and the areas bathed for the longest amount of time will be the darkest.
Patricia Treib Elizabeth
Cuff, 2018 Peyton
RM, ROO7