Distinguishing Mediums
Your Guide to Understanding Art Mediums.
Anne Marie Hall 'Leaning', Gouache and Ink on Paper
For the art appreciators among us who have not picked up a paint brush since high school, some key aspects of a work of art can appear mystifying. This includes the question of medium, one of the most important elements of any work of art. How to identify what a work of art is made from is vital to know when selecting and caring for new pieces in your collection. Here is a brief guide to different mediums to help you get started on your collecting journey.
Marie Mansfield 'Return to Sender', Oil on Board
Oil
Oil paints are pigments which have been suspended in a drying oil and, when applied to a canvas, appearing richly textured. Often used on canvas, oil paints are often associated with traditional and historical forms of painting, with rich colours perfect for evoking realistic scenes.
Ji Chen 'Untitled (Point Break)', Oil on Canvas
Acrylic
Acrylic paints are fast-drying paints that have been in popular use since the 1960s. Acrylic paint is often seen as the modern alternative to oil paint, however, its ability to be diluted with water allows artists to use it to create a ‘watercolour’ appearance. It is often seen as a quicker, and more accessible alternative to oil paints, and its popularity has grown in the artworld since the 20th century.
Robert Hughes 'Figure in a Landscape', Acrylic on Paper
Watercolour
Watercolour is a water-soluble paint recognisable by its semi-transparent appearance when applied to a surface. Watercolour paints are commonly applied on paper, and the whiteness of this paper often is incorporated, becoming inherent to the work of art. Due to the water-based nature and highly liquid form of the medium, the use of watercolour often results in softer, organic tones and fluid, expressive lines.
Anne Marie Hall, 'Poppies', Ink and Watercolour on Paper
Gouache
Gouache is a water-soluble paint that, unlike watercolour, appears opaque. When applied to a canvas, gouache obscures the whiteness of the paper. Gouache paints are often full-bodied in colour, with the chalkiness of the pigment creating a matte surface appearance. Gouache has traditionally been seen as a flexible medium, and has historically been favoured in commercial illustrations.
Dorothy Braund 'Sun bather (Cubist figures)', Gouache on paper
Pastels
Pastel commonly refers to pigments which are bound together by a light glue - sturdy enough to create a ‘stick’ which can be held by the artist, but soft enough that it will crumble and release pigment when applied to a surface. Varieties include soft pastels, hard pastels, pastel pencils, and oil pastels. Pastel is much drier in comparison to other mediums, and it is most commonly used on paper or surfaces that it can grip onto. Pastel is used for its vibrancy of colour, and its ability to create soft, luminous forms and contours.
John Cullinane 'Venus', Pastel on paper
Graphite and Charcoal
Although they differ somewhat in materiality, graphite and charcoal are two mediums which are both traditionally used for artists’ sketches and monochromatic drawings. Where graphite is seen most commonly in the form of a pencil, charcoal is a slightly looser medium, capable of achieving more dramatic, chiaroscuro tonal contrasts, through shading and blending.
Charles Blackman 'Striated Lines', Charcoal on paper
Ink
In art, the medium of ink intensely varies in form. Where some artists will utilise the simple ball-point pen in their artworks, others will use ink as a water-based medium, creating artworks that are evocative of water-colour paints. Often applied on a paper surface, ink has been used widely throughout history and across cultures.
