Photography, Posters & Art Prints

Want to learn more about some of the terminology we use to identify and describe our selection of wall art? Use our Art Glossary to look up important art terms related to style classification, material, and subject. If you still have any questions, please give us a call!

Abstract art
Images which display objects that can not be possible in the natural world. Abstract artists select objects and then exaggerate the movements and possibilities in the world around them.

Antique art
Art which depicts styles of the Greek and Roman Empire from the 5th century A.D. Antique art also depicts ancient furniture, artifacts and classical sculptures.

Acrylic glass
A light, weather resistant type of glass used as protection in covering a painting. Acrylic glass is made of a thermoplastic polymer of methyl methacrylate which makes it difficult to break.

Art Deco
A decorative style of art between the years 1920-1939, named after Paris ‘Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes’ held in 1925. Art Deco has affected arts such as architecture, industrial, and interior design as well as visual arts while using unique materials such as Lacquer, bronze, ivory, ebony, and shagreen.

Baroque
The Baroque style started around 1600 in Rome, Italy and uses beautiful motions and easily interpreted detail to produce tension, drama, excellence, and exuberance.

Beveled print
Three dimensional style print with slanting edges. The edges of the print are cut at an angle.

Boucle
A type of yarn that has a rough texture used to make tapestries.

Burlap
A type of woven fabric usually made of jute and hemp in which paintings are made on. Another word for canvas.

Canvas
A material made of heavy cloth such as; cotton, hemp, or linen in which paintings are made on.

Canvas Transfer
A print image that has been transferred on to canvas.

Chenille
A silky yarn used to make tapestries.

Contemporary art
Art which is represented in the present day, but also can be referred to being current in any specified period of time.

Cubism
One of the most influential art movements in the 20th century (1907-1914), Cubism became popular by artists Picasso and Braque. Cubism is a normal painting but can be viewed while the position of some parts are rotated so it has a unique look to them.

Decorative art
A style of art contributing to interior decoration. Styles of decorative art can include furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork, and textiles.

Earth art
A style of art which originated in the 1960’s which is made from natural materials, such as earth, rocks, soil, plants, and snow.

Finials
An architectural device carved from wood or stone. They can be displayed at the top ends of any tapestry.

Gallery wrap canvas
An image which is stretched or wrapped onto the sides of the canvas.

Giclee
High quality digital prints produced using an innovative ink jet printer.

Hand-woven
Term used for tapestries, hand-woven refers to tapestries that have been made by hand.

Impressionism
Art movement which took place in France in the 1860’s. Impressionist artists tried to paint informal glimpses of their subjects showing the effect of sunlight at different times of the day.

Indigo
A type of color ranging from violet blue to grayish blue.

Jacobean Style
A style of art using architecture which began in England in the 1600’s.

Kinetic art
A style of art that contains random movement or the illusion of movement.

Linen
A type of fabric that is woven from flax yarns.

Matting
A firm, decorative border that separates a print from the frame.

Museum Reproduction
Popular artists paintings reproduced.

Nouveau art
French for "The New Art", Art Nouveau is art movement in the late 19th, early 20th century that is characterized by the curvilinear depiction from natural forms, such as leaves and flowers in the form of vines.

Oil Painting
An artwork painted with oil paint.

Plexiglass
See Acrylic glass.

Polypropylene
A fabric of fibers made from thermoplastic resins that are polymers and propylene.

Pop art
An art style that emerged in the 1950’s in Britain and later made its way to the United States. Pop art is characterized by themes and techniques drawn from popular mass culture, such as comic strips, supermarket products, billboards, and advertisements.

Post-Impressionism
A French art movement that immediately followed Impressionism. Post-Impressionism is the term for the work of the major artists of Western Europe, who developed away from Impressionism and rejected the emphasis the impressionist put on naturalism and the effects of light.

Poster
A reproduction of a print or painting on a large piece of paper.

Print
A reproduction of an image on high quality paper which is considered fine art.

Rayon
A fiber that is made with synthetic textile fibers produced by forcing a cellulose solution through fine spinnerets and solidify the resulting filaments

Relief
An art sculpture that has a flat surface with a carving projecting out of it to create a 3D effect.

Resin
A natural, organic substance that comes from certain plants and is used to make varnishes and plastics.

Rods
A complimentary accessory to tapestries. The rod is used as support to hang the tapestry. Finials attach to the ends of the rod.

Romanticism
An art movement in the late 18th, early 19th century that focused on emotions that were painted in a bold and dramatic manner. Romanticism involved paintings that were displayed in nature and exotic settings filled with dramatic action.

Sepia
A brown shade which is used in photography.

Serigraph
A printmaking technique using a silkscreen process to create images.

Shadow Box
A 3 dimensional box with a print or an object inside, usually covered with glass or Plexiglas.

Stretch canvas
A reproduction of original artwork which is printed onto a canvas.

Tapestry
A reproduction of a print or painting on fabric to be hung on a wall.

Tassel
A complimentary accessory to tapestries. Tassels consist of threads or other strands which hang from a knob at the top. They are displayed at the top ends of the tapestry.

Textured
An artwork that has a raised surface or an artwork in which you can see the actual brushstrokes.

Transitional art
Art produced by modern Africans re-using European materials that have been discarded.

UV Protection
Protective UV coating. Not recommended to hang artwork in direct sunlight, unless it is outdoor art.

Viscose
A type of rayon fabric that is made from viscose fibers.

Wall Grille
An art sculpture that is hung from the wall in which the background is easily seen.

Xylography
Synonym for wood engraving.

Zenga
Bold ink paintings made by Japanese artists beginning in the 15th century.

If you have a specific question that we haven't answered here, feel free to give us a call at (888) 598-6490. Our friendly staff at The Wall Art Store is always happy to help!

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