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Glossary Of Art Terms [27]

B Balance Balance, in the context of art and design, refers to the distribution of visual elements within a composition to create a sense of equilibrium, harmony, and stability. Achieved through the careful arrangement of shapes, colors, textures, and spatial relationships, balance ensures that no single element overwhelms or dominates the overall composition, but rather contributes to a cohesive and unified whole. There are various types of balance, including symmetrical balance, asymmetrical balance, and radial balance, each offering distinct strategies for organizing visual elements and guiding the viewer's eye across the picture plane. By employing principles of balance, artists and designers can create visually engaging and aesthetically satisfying compositions that resonate with viewers and convey a sense of order, rhythm, and beauty within the realm of visual expression.
Baltic Birch Baltic Birch Plywood is the leading plywood that is light in color with fine grain patterns. Its high durability and resistance is its strength, preventing warpage and blending. A Baltic Birch Plywood is made of a strong material due to the usage of high-quality MR for veneer gluing. It is one of the most sold products for its long durability, low weight, surface hardness, quality, and high performance.
Baroque A 17th century artistic period that produced dramatic paintings with a lot of color, motion and easily interpreted details. Today, baroque picture frames are usually ornate gold foil, with intricate designs.
Basis Weight Basis weight refers to the mass of paper or other substrates per unit area, typically expressed in grams per square meter (g/m²).
Batik An art technique that involves soaking wax-covered fabric in dye. The wax resists the dye, and is then removed with boiling water. As a result, the sections of the fabric covered with wax are uncolored. If multiple colors are required, the wax-covered sections can be dyed once the wax is removed.
Bauhaus A school of artistic thought that originated in Germany following the Industrial Revolution, in an attempt to renew the link between industry invention and creativity many artists felt had been lost.
Beauty Beauty is a subjective and multifaceted concept that encompasses qualities of aesthetic excellence, harmony, and emotional resonance perceived in objects, experiences, and individuals. Rooted in cultural, historical, and personal perspectives, beauty elicits feelings of pleasure, admiration, and wonder, evoking sensory and intellectual responses that transcend rational analysis. While beauty is often associated with physical attractiveness, it also encompasses broader dimensions of spiritual, moral, and existential significance, reflecting ideals of symmetry, proportion, and balance that have informed artistic traditions and philosophical inquiry throughout history. From the sublime landscapes of nature to the sublime achievements of human creativity, beauty inspires contemplation, creativity, and a sense of connection to the transcendent and the divine, inviting individuals to seek meaning, truth, and fulfillment in the pursuit of aesthetic experience and cultural expression.
Beaux-Arts Beaux-Arts, meaning "fine arts" in French, refers to a neoclassical architectural style and academic tradition that originated in 19th-century France and became influential throughout Europe and the United States. Characterized by its grandiose scale, formal symmetry, ornate decoration, and classical design principles, Beaux-Arts architecture sought to integrate elements of Greek, Roman, and Renaissance aesthetics into monumental public buildings, civic spaces, and cultural institutions. Inspired by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, which emphasized rigorous training in drawing, drafting, and design, Beaux-Arts architects and urban planners aimed to create cohesive urban environments and civic landmarks that embodied principles of order, proportion, and civic pride. Notable examples of Beaux-Arts architecture include the Grand Palais and Petit Palais in Paris, the New York Public Library, and the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., all of which reflect the enduring legacy and monumental aspirations of this influential architectural style.
Ben-day Dots A color printing process developed in the late 19th century that accounts for the multi-colored blocks of color seen in many old comic books. The artist Roy Lichtenstein recreated this style by hand in many of his paintings.
Bierstadt, Albert An American painter originally from Germany, Bierstadt was best recognized for his romanticized landscapes of the American West. He was a part of the Hudson River School and the Rocky Mountain School of painters. He was known for creating highly publicized events around his exhibits, with extensive promotion and even the sale of tickets. His piece "Rocky Mountain Landscape" is displayed in the White House.
Binder One of the components that makes up paint, the binder is the substance that determines consistency, and ensures cohesion between the ingredients.
Biomorphism Biomorphism is an artistic and design movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by organic, fluid, and abstract forms inspired by elements of nature, biology, and the human body. Rooted in Surrealism, Art Nouveau, and modernist aesthetics, biomorphic art seeks to evoke the visual and tactile qualities of natural organisms, cellular structures, and anatomical motifs through stylized and imaginative compositions. Biomorphism encompasses a wide range of artistic mediums and disciplines, including painting, sculpture, architecture, and industrial design, where artists and designers explore themes of growth, transformation, and interconnectedness between living organisms and their environments. From the sinuous curves of Art Nouveau to the biomorphic abstractions of Surrealist painting, biomorphism celebrates the fluidity, dynamism, and aesthetic diversity of organic forms while challenging conventional distinctions between nature and culture, reality and imagination, in the quest for new modes of sensory experience and creative expression.
Blanket The rubber surface in a printing press onto which the ink is transferred from the metal plate before it is pressed to the paper or other printing material. This is a necessary step between the metal plate and the paper because the rubber allows the blanket to conform to the subtle textures of different papers, adhering the ink more completely.
Blind Image This term refers to an image on printed paper that is stamped, embossed, or otherwise imprinted into the paper, but not delineated by any color of ink or foil.
Blocking In offset printing, the unfortunate occurrence of printed sheets sticking together due to tacky ink, humidity, or other factors, which is problematic when separating the pages at a later date.
Blow up Another word for enlargement; the act of increasing the print size of an image, photograph, or block of text.
Blueline An inexpensive photographic proof created prior to printing the full run of the image on a printing press. A blueline is created from a negative on which all the colors are blue (or possibly a different color) and shades of blue. Printing plate negatives are exposed to photosensitive paper to create the proof. Blueline proofs are "contact proofs," so called because the creation process requires they come into contact with a specific kind of paper.
Board paper Also called paperboard, the designation given to papers greater than 110 lb, or 80lb cover stock - 200 gsm. Paper of this thickness is often used for file folders or post cards.
Body Art Body art refers to any form of artistic expression or adornment applied to the human body, including tattoos, body painting, scarification, piercing, and other forms of modification and decoration. Rooted in cultural traditions, rituals, and personal expressions of identity and belonging, body art encompasses a wide range of styles, techniques, and meanings across different societies and historical periods. From tribal markings and ceremonial tattoos to contemporary forms of self-expression and body modification, body art serves as a powerful vehicle for communication, social commentary, and individual empowerment, challenging conventional norms of beauty, gender, and identity while celebrating the diversity and resilience of the human spirit. As a dynamic and evolving art form, body art continues to inspire creativity, self-discovery, and community engagement, inviting individuals to explore the boundaries of their bodies and minds through acts of transformation and self-expression.
Bouguereau, William-Adolphe A French painter (1825 – 1905) who worked in the Realism style, often choosing mythological and Classical themes for his paintings.
Bristol paper/board Bristol refers to papers with a 90lb to 200lb weight (200-500 gsm). This style of paper is often used for index cards and display signage.
Bromide In photography, refers to a print that is created on bromide paper. The paper is coated in silver bromide, resulting in neutral black and white images, or those with a blue-black tint.
Bronzing In printmaking, an effect created when the print is dusted with metallic powder before the ink has dried.
Brushstroke A brushstroke is a visible mark or gesture made by a paintbrush or similar tool on a surface, typically associated with painting and drawing techniques. Brushstrokes vary in size, shape, direction, and pressure, reflecting the artist's intent, technique, and expressive style. They can range from precise and controlled to loose and gestural, conveying a sense of texture, movement, and spontaneity within a composition. Brushstrokes play a crucial role in creating visual interest, rhythm, and depth within a painting, allowing artists to manipulate color, form, and texture to evoke emotions, suggest spatial relationships, and capture the essence of their subjects with nuance and sensitivity. From the impasto textures of Vincent van Gogh to the delicate washes of watercolor landscapes, brushstrokes serve as a signature of artistic identity and a testament to the creative process of painting as a medium of expression and exploration.
Brushwork Brushwork refers to the manner or technique by which an artist applies paint to a surface using a brush or similar tool. It encompasses a wide range of mark-making gestures, strokes, and techniques employed by artists to manipulate color, texture, and form within a painting. Brushwork can vary in its speed, pressure, direction, and viscosity of paint, resulting in distinct effects such as smooth blends, textured impastos, expressive flourishes, or delicate glazes. Artists often develop their own unique brushwork styles and methods, drawing inspiration from diverse traditions, schools, and movements in art history while also experimenting with new materials, tools, and approaches to achieve their desired aesthetic effects. Whether bold and expressive or refined and meticulous, brushwork serves as a fundamental aspect of painting, reflecting the artist's creative vision, technical proficiency, and emotional engagement with the act of mark-making on canvas or other surfaces.
Byzantine Byzantine refers to the art, architecture, and culture associated with the Byzantine Empire, which flourished from the 4th century AD until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Characterized by its blend of Greco-Roman, Christian, and Eastern influences, Byzantine art and architecture are known for their opulent ornamentation, intricate mosaics, and religious iconography, reflecting the empire's status as a center of Christian faith and imperial power in the Eastern Mediterranean. Byzantine artists and craftsmen produced a rich legacy of illuminated manuscripts, frescoes, religious icons, and monumental structures such as Hagia Sophia and the Church of San Vitale, which exemplify the fusion of classical motifs with symbolic and spiritual themes. Byzantine art exerted a profound influence on subsequent artistic traditions in the Eastern Orthodox world, as well as in medieval Europe and the Islamic world, shaping the development of religious iconography, decorative arts, and architectural design for centuries to come.
Byzantine Art Byzantine art refers to the artistic traditions, styles, and cultural expressions that flourished within the Byzantine Empire from the 4th to the 15th century AD. Rooted in the Christian faith and influenced by Hellenistic, Roman, and Eastern traditions, Byzantine art encompassed various mediums including mosaic, icon painting, manuscript illumination, fresco, metalwork, and textiles. Characterized by its spiritual symbolism, stylized forms, and rich ornamentation, Byzantine art served both religious and political purposes, conveying the theological teachings of the Orthodox Church and asserting the imperial authority of the Byzantine rulers. Iconography, in particular, played a central role in Byzantine art, with religious icons serving as objects of veneration and meditation for believers while also embodying the divine presence and mystical essence of the Christian faith. Notable examples of Byzantine art include the mosaics of Ravenna, the icon paintings of Mount Athos, and the illuminated manuscripts of the Byzantine monasteries, which continue to inspire awe and reverence for their timeless beauty and spiritual significance.