Materials, Techniques & Processes
Visual Language
Ideas & Meaning
Exhibiting
Conservation & Care
100
This term refers to the physical substances an artist uses to create an artwork, such as oil paint, clay, charcoal or fabric.
What are materials?
100
This term describes how artists use art elements and art principles to communicate ideas and meaning.
What is visual language?
100
This term refers to the people, objects, places or events that are visibly represented in an artwork.
What is subject matter?
100
This person selects, organises and interprets artworks for an exhibition.
Who is a curator?
100
This document records the condition of an artwork before and after handling, transport or display.
What is a condition report?
200
This term describes the method or skill used to manipulate a material, such as blending, carving, glazing, stitching or impasto.
What are techniques?
200
Line, colour, texture, shape, form, tone and space are collectively known as these.
What are art elements?
200
When an artist uses an object, colour or image to represent an idea beyond its literal meaning, this is called what?
What is symbolism?
200
This piece of exhibition text gives visitors information about the overall exhibition, including its theme, ideas or context.
What is a didactic panel?
200
This instrument is used to measure the amount of light falling on an artwork.
What is a lux meter?
300
This term refers to the sequence of actions an artist undertakes to develop and create an artwork, including experimentation, refinement and production.
What is a process?
300
Balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, rhythm and unity are examples of these.
What are art principles?
300
Personal experiences, culture, history and society can all influence the ideas an artist communicates. Collectively, these influences can be described using this term.
What is context?
300
This type of exhibition brings together artworks that are connected by a common idea, subject or concept
What is a thematic exhibition?
300
This term describes the amount of moisture present in the air and should be kept stable when displaying and storing artworks.
What is relative humidity (RH)?
400
This painting technique involves applying paint thickly so that brushstrokes or palette-knife marks remain raised and visible.
What is impasto?
400
An artist uses one bright red figure surrounded by dull grey figures to draw the viewer’s attention to it. Which art principle is being used most strongly?
What is emphasis?
400
This artwork responds to the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. What major idea does the artwork communicate?
The horror, suffering and destruction caused by war.
400
What term describes the planned arrangement of artworks, walls, entrances and movement through an exhibition space?
What is exhibition design / spatial planning?
400
A fragile artwork is placed in direct sunlight for long periods. Name one major risk this creates.
Fading, discolouration, UV damage or deterioration.
500
An artist makes several test pieces using different materials and techniques before creating their final artwork. What stage of the art-making process are they demonstrating?
What is experimentation and refinement?
500
This term describes the visual qualities of an artwork that contribute to how it looks and feels, created through choices such as colour, texture, composition and materials.
What are aesthetic qualities?
500
If an artist uses a wilting flower to represent mortality or the passing of time, what device are they using to communicate meaning?
Symbolism.
500
A curator places a large dramatic artwork directly opposite the gallery entrance so it is the first work visitors notice. What exhibition consideration is the curator deliberately controlling?
What is audience experience / viewing sequence?
500
A ceramic sculpture with delicate protruding parts needs to be moved. How should it be handled safely?
It should be lifted from its strongest structural points by trained handlers, avoiding pressure on fragile or protruding areas.