The HarperCollins Dictionary Art Terms & Techniques

Book excerpt: The HarperCollins Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, 2nd edition, contains over 3,200 clear definitions of terns encountered in the study and practice of the visual arts and in their literature. It covers all forms of easel and mural paintings, drawing, sculpture, the graphic arts, photography, ceramics, and mosaic. There are entries on schools, styles, and periods, but the chief emphasis of the book is on the materials and methods of the artist. Materials are defined in terms of compositions, source, use, and characteristic properties; processes and techniques are defined in terms of their practical application and results. Tools and equipment are concisely described and illustrated with copious line drawings.