Glossary

Background: area in a work of art that appears in the distance

Collage: artwork made from different materials such as paper and fabric glued onto a surface

Cool colors: includes colors like blue, green, and purple

Foreground: area in a work of art that appears closer to the viewer (appears in front of the background)

Highlights: areas that are hit directly by light

Inanimate: something that isn’t in motion – it’s still

Mixed media: when a work of art is made from a variety of materials. For example, a painting made with acrylic paint, string, fabric, and charcoal is a mixed media painting.

Mood: the way a work of art makes us feel

Painting with paper: Megan Coyle’s collage technique where she cuts magazine strips and glues them down in such a way that they resemble the brushstrokes in a painting

Portraiture: a work of art of a person

Shadows: areas where light from a light source cannot reach

Sketch: a rough drawing

Still life: a work of art of inanimate objects

Varnish: a clear material often painted onto artwork to protect it or give it a shiny surface

Warm colors: includes colors like red, orange, and yellow

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