MEDIUMS OF

THE VISUAL ARTS

Mediums of the
Visual Arts
• REFERS TO THE
MATERIALS WHICH ARE
USED BY AN ARTIST
• MEANS BY WHICH HE
COMMUNICATES HIS
IDEAS
• MANY MEDIUMS HAVE
BEEN USED IN CREATING
DIFFERENT WORKS OF
ART
• MEDIUMS IS VERY
ESSENTIAL TO ARTS.
 PIGMENTS
…
Pigments of the painter could
be applied to:

Wet Plaster Wood

Canvas Paper
Pigments:
Oil Pastel
Tempera Fresco
Watercolor Acrylic
PAINTING

 The art of creating meaningful effects on a flat surface by the use

of pigments
OIL PAINTING
 Pigments are mixed in oil
 The most familiar type of painting is done with oil on canvass.
 The surface to be suitable must receive oil paint freely and yet
not absorb it, can withstand temperature changes and not crack
the pigment on it.
 Pigments can come from many sources: minerals, vegetable
matter, coal tars, and other chemical combinations
 Two Methods in Oil Painting

Direct method: paints are opaque and are applied to the

surface just as they are to look in the finished product
Indirect method: the paint is applied in many
thick layers of transparent color.
 Oil color is the best method for convincing
representation where exact reproduction of a
color tone is necessary.
 TEMPERA
 Mixture of ground pigments and an
albuminous or colloidal vehicle, either egg, gum,
or glue, used by Egyptian, Medieval, and
Renaissance painters.
 Special characteristic: EMULSION
-Watery, milk-like texture of oily and
watery consistency.
Advantages of Tempera
- Rapid drying
-Great luminosity of the stone
- Colors are clear and beautiful
 3 Principal Dimensions
1.Unvarnished or goauche like tempera
2. Varnished tempera
3. tempera as under painting for oil

“Resurrection with Two Angels” by Bernardino Fungai “Majesty” Segna Di Bonaventura

Temper a on Wood Siena, 1460-1616 Tempera on Panel Siena, 1298-1326
WATERCOLOR
 Pigments are mixed with water and applied to fine
white paper.

 Require a high degree of technical dexterity.

 Paper is the most commonly used for

ground.
 Opaque watercolor is also called “gouache”

Made by grinding opaque

colors with water and
mixing the product with a
preparation of gum and
adding Chinese white to
transparent watercolors.
SCULPTURES
What are Sculptures?
 the art of making two- or three
dimensional representative or
abstract forms, by the use of
different mediums. (to be
discussed later on.)
In choosing a subject for sculpture, the
most important thing to consider is the
material.
Substances available for sculpture are
limitless.
Some of the earlier sculptures are made
from bone or wood.
Different materials required different
methods of handling.
Major Sculpture Processes Used:
Subtractive Process: ( - ) Additive Process: ( + )
 The construction of a figure by
 A process in which putting together bits of clay, or by welding
together parts of a unwanted material is metal.

cut away. Final results are produced by

 Carving of Stone and putting together smaller segments of

metals.
Wood is a good
 May be plastic material and can
example. It is the 2 be molded like moist clay. major
mediums in Materials may be rigid or semisubtractive
process. rigid like metal wires, rods and
plates.
RELIEF SCULPTURES

Bonifacio Shrine
Made by: Eduardo Castrillo
FREE-STANDING SCULPTURES
 Stone and Bronze
• The media most commonly used for
sculpture are stone and metal.
• Stone is durable, resistant to elements, fire
and other hazards. On the other hand, it is
heavy and breaks easily.
• Marble is the most beautiful of stones. Plenty
in Greece and Italy and commonly used. High
gloss and polished; more or less permanent.
• “Pieta” by Michael Angelo in the Vatican City
& The head of Ptolemy I are made of marble.
 Wood
 Advantage: Really Cheap, Readily Available and
easy to cut. Polishes well and has smooth, shiny
surface and beautiful color.
 Relatively light and can be made easily into a
variety of shapes. The grain of wood that could be
seen ads to beauty.
 Carved Pulpit of the San Austin Church in
Intramuros is an example of Phil. Carving.

Disadvantage: Limited in Size and Burns Easily.

 Discolor and Decays easily in the Phil. Climate.

Ivory
Ivory Statues survive through long periods
of time due to the intrinsic value of the
material. Ivory lends itself to technical
mastery. Popular to ordinary craftspeople.
Many statues of saints have heads and arms
made of Ivory.
Ivory lacks the vigor of wooden statues.

Like wood, it also cracks.

Seldom used today.

Terra Cotta
“Terra Cotta” means “Cooked Earth”.

It is made when Moist Clay is molded and

then subjected to heat.
Moderately Coarse Clay product fired
comparatively low temperature.
Usually painted and coated in heavy glaze.
Breaks and Chips Easily, not strong; cannot
stand great strain or weight.
Mount Li(shan); Qin Shi
 Other Materials
 Aluminum
 Chromium
 Steel
 Plastic
 Chemically Treated Clay & Stone for casting in
liquid form

*** Plastic is less expensive for use as a casting

material than metals and less fragile
in many ways. Beauty; lightness makes it
preferable to other materials.
MATERIALS IN
ARCHITECTURE
 The materials used in a building and the methods
which are used in assembling them are among the
factors contributing to architectural style.
 Availability of materials is important.
 Durability and beauty is the basis of choosing the
materials.