Glossary

A glossary of global art terms, alongside jargon and phrases coined in Southeast Asia. These definitions cite examples of artists, exhibitions, techniques, and more, in which the phrases have been applied.

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  • Embossing

    An embossed surface is a raised or depressed surface created during printmaking processes.  In printmaking any process used to create a raised or depressed surface is referred to as embossing. This is sometimes used to create false plate-marks in lithographs or screenprints. Source: Tate.org.uk. AWDB highlighted organisation: STPI. 

  • Embroidery

    Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials with thread or yarn using a needle. Source: www.moma.org. AWDB highlighted artist: Cian Dayrit.

  • Engraving

    Engraving is a printmaking technique that involves making incisions into a metal plate which retain the ink and form the printed image.  The design is manually incised into an engraving plate using a burin, an engraving tool like a very fine chisel with a lozenge-shaped tip. The burin makes incisions into the metal at various angles and with varying pressure which dictates the quantity of ink the line can hold – hence variations in width and darkness when printed. The technique of engraving metal dates from classical antiquity as a method of decorating objects. However, it was not until about 1430 in Germany that engraved plates began to be used for making prints. Photoengraving is a process using acid to etch a photographically produced image onto a metal plate that can then be printed from.  Like etching and aquatint, engraving is an intaglio technique. Intaglio refers to all printing and printmaking techniques in which the image is incised into a surface, and the incised line or sunken area holds the ink. Source: Tate.org.uk. AWDB highlighted organisation: STPI. 

  • Environmental Art

    Environmental art, also known as earth or land art, is art that is made directly in the landscape, sculpting the land itself into earthworks or making structures in the landscape using natural materials such as rocks or twigs. It can also be art in which artists make artworks in an art space, such as a gallery or museum, by bringing in material from the landscape and using it to create installations. Source: tate.org.uk and AWDB team. AWDB highlighted artist: Ruangsak Anuwatwimon.