List of artistic media

In the arts, a media or medium is a material used by an artist or designer to create a work.

Architecture

Main articles: Outline of architecture and Index of architecture articles

In the art and science of architecture, the design and construction of buildings and interiors, infrastructure and other physical structures are created. It can involve multiple disciplines of brickwork, carpentry, engineering, stonemasonry and many other skills.

• Cement, concrete and mortar
• Glass
• Metal
• Stone, brick
• Wood

Carpentry

The art of carpentry and woodworking is by a skilled craftsperson or joiner, who designs and builds buildings, furniture and other objects.

• Adhesives
• Wood (timber)

Digital

Main articles: Digital media and Electronic media

Digital art is the use of computers and other digital technology to create and edit traditional works such as drawing, film, literature, painting, photography, printing and sculpture. A recognized artistic practice, digital art can be electronic, interactive and virtual.

Drawing

Main article: Outline of drawing and drawings

In drawing, "media" refers to both the material that is manually applied and to the base onto which it is applied.^[1] The media applied can be many things but the method of application is a stick type object with a point (not a brush) that transfers particles of media to the base. The point of the stick can be minute as it can be large. The medium applied can be graphite, fusain, pastel, ink among other things. Bases can be paper, plaster, canvas, wood or basically anything that accepts the medium applied from the point of the stick.

Common drawing media

• Chalk
• Charcoal soft or hard
• Conté
• Crayon
• Graphite (can be pencils which are small or large sticks similar to charcoal)
• Human finger (with ink or paint)
• Marker
• Pastel
• Pen and ink
• Pencil
• Watercolour

Common bases for drawing

• Canvas
• Card
• Human body
• Metal
• Paper
• Plaster
• Walls (typically for murals)
• Wood

Film

Main articles: Outline of film and Cinematic techniques

In cinematography and film, a sequence of still images is captured with a video camera. A series of individual images are called frames. When these images are shown in rapid succession, a viewer gains the displayed illusion that motion is occurring.

• Animation
• Computer animation and computer-generated imagery
• Live-action
• Live-action/animated
• Stop motion
• Video Art

Light

Further information: Lighting designer

The illumination of light as a practical use to reveal what may be shaded or dark is common. Light as an art form is a function of art works and entertainment, it is a projection source and a backlighting source, for colours, focal or focus points and can be an element to enhance or change atmosphere or mood in areas or on objects.

Literature

Main articles: Literature and Writing implement

The art of written words and typography is traditionally an ink and printed form on paper or is creatively written with many forms of media.

Common writing media

• Digital word processor and internet websites
• Letterpress printing and computer printing
• Marker
• Nib (pen)
• Pen and ink
• Pencil
• Quill

Common bases for writing

• Card
• Paper
• Ruled paper

Natural world

Main articles: Gardening and Landscape architecture

In the natural world large scale creative works can involve horticulture for the cultivation of plants, earthworks for landscaping and irrigation or rainwater harvesting for water features, in gardens, parks and botanical gardens.

• Rock
• Soil
• Vegetation
• Water

Painting

Main article: Outline of painting

In painting, "media" refers to both the type of paint used and the base (or ground) to which it is applied. A paint's medium refers to what carries a paint's pigments, and is also called a "vehicle" or a "base". A painter can mix a medium with solvents, pigments, and other substances in order to make paint and control consistency.

Common paint media

• Acrylic paint
• Blacklight paint
• Fresco
• Gesso
• Glaze
• Gouache
• Ink
• Latex paint
• Magna paint
• Oil paint
• Primer
• Stencil
• Sumi
• Tempera
• Vinyl paint (toxic/poisonous)
• Vitreous enamel
• Watercolor

Common bases for painting

• Architectural structures
• Canvas
• Cloth
• Glass
• Human body
• Metal
• Paper
• Wood

Application tools and methods

• Action painting
• Aerosol paint
• Airbrush
• Batik
• Brush
• Palette knife
• Stick

Muralism techniques

Muralists use many of the same media as panel painters, but due to the scale of their works, use different techniques. Some such techniques include:

• Cartoon
• Comics
• Digital painting
• Fresco
• Graphic novel
• Overhead and slide projection
• Pounce (technique)

Performing arts

The performing arts is a form of entertainment that is created by the artist's own body, face and presence as a medium. There are many skills and genres of performance, dance and theatre being examples. Performance art is a performance that may not present a conventional formal linear narrative.

Photography

Main article: Outline of photography

In photography a photosensitive surface is used to capture an optical still image, usually utilizing a lens to focus light. Some media include:

• Digital image sensor
• Photographic film
• Potassium dichromate
• Potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium citrate
• Silver nitrate

Printmaking

In the art of printmaking, "media" tends to refer to the technique used to create a print. Common media include:

• Aquatint
• Computer printing
  • Dye-sublimation printer
  • Inkjet printer (sometimes called giclée printing)
  • Laser printer
  • Solid ink printer
  • Thermal printer
• Engraving
• Embossing (paper)
• Etching
• Intaglio (printmaking)
• Letterpress (literature)
• Linocut
• Lithography
• Moku hanga
• Monotype
• Offset printing
• Photographic printing
• Planographic printing
• Printing press
• Relief printing
  • Linocut
  • Metalcut
  • Relief etching
  • Wood engraving
  • Woodcut
• Screen-printing

Sculpture

Main article: Outline of sculpture

In sculpting a solid structure and textured surface is shaped or combined using substances and components to form a three dimensional object.

Materials

Carved materials

• Gemstones
• Granite
• Ice
• Ivory
• Marble
• Plaster
• Stone
• Wax
• Wood

Cast materials

• Cement
• Metal
• Plaster
• Plastic
• Synthetic resin
• Wax

Modeled materials

• Clay
• Papier-mâché
• Plaster
• Sand

Assembled materials

• Beads
• Corrugated fiberboard (cardboard)
• Edible material
• Found objects
• Glue and other adhesives
• Paperboard
• Textile
• Wire
• Wood

Finishing materials

• Acids, to create a patina
• Polychrome
• Wax

Tools

• Bristled brush
• Potter's wheel and kiln
• Chisel and hammer (modern pneumatic)
• Clamps
• Hammer or mallet (modern pneumatic)
• Scraper
• Knife
• Cutting torch
• Pliers
• Power tools
• Sandpaper
• Saw
• Snips
• Wirecutters

Sound

Main articles: List of musical instruments and Music theory

The art of sound can be singular or a combination of speech or objects and crafted instruments, to create sounds, rhythms and music for the enjoyment of hearing.

Technology

Further information: Industrial design, Product design, and Engineering

The use of technology as an art is a merging of applied art and science, that may involve aesthetics, efficiency and ergonomics using various materials.

Textiles

In the art of textiles a soft and flexible material of fibers or yarn is formed by spinning wool, flax, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel and crocheting, knitting, knotting, weaving, or pressing fibres together (felt) to create a work.

See also

Arts portal

• Ceramic art
• Fashion design
• Fresco
• Graffiti
• Mixed media
• Liberal arts
• Multimedia
• New materials in 20th century art
• Plastic arts
• Publishing
• Recording medium
• Tattooing
• Video Game

References

1. ^ The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, Ralph Mayer

External links

• Media (artists' materials) definition from the Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus