Artist's Resources∼Artist's Dictionary I
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I
Icon, Ikon, Eikon
A religious image, particularly of the Eastern orthodox churches; a sacred likeness or representation, often
painted on wood.
Ideogram
A sign or symbol representing an object or idea.
Illumination
The Art of decorating manuscripts with fanciful letters, pictures and designs; the
earliest known example was found in "The book of the Dead" in Egypt.
Illusionism
See
Trompe l'oeil.
Illustration board
A good quality paper mounted to a stiff backing board; available in two thicknesses and
two textures; hot pressed and cold pressed; used in a variety of types of ArtWork.
Imbrication
A pattern in which the motifs overlap like shingles on a roof.
imp.
(Latin, abbreviation for "impressit", "he printed it")
Same as "exc." See
Exc.
Impasto
A thick application of paint on a painting.
Imposition
In printing, the positioning of pages on the press so they will be in proper
sequence when printed and folded.
Impression
An imprint made by means of applying pressure.
Impressionism
An Art movement beginning in France in the 1870's, founded by an individualistic
group of Artists including Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley and Camille Pissarro;
all concerned themselves mainly with the components of light and the immediate visual impression
of a scene using unconnected colors that were to be mixed by the eye; bright colors and
bold brushwork were often used to acheive these impressions.
See also
Pointillism,
Postimpressionism.
Inc.
(Latin, "indicit", or "he cut it") Found on a print as
credit for the engraver or etcher when different than the Artist.
India ink
A dark black liquid ink, available in what is called waterproof or nonwaterproof
formulas.
India oil stone
A stone used to sharpen knives, burins and scrapers.
Inkless intaglio
See Embossed print.
Innes, George
(1825-1894) An American romantic landscape painter who developed without formal
training. His early paintings were influenced by the Works of the Barbizon School, but
his later Works were done in a more intimate manner of unpicturesque subjects.
Insert frame
See Liner.
In situ
(Latin, "in position") On the spot, said of a painting when painted on location.
Instant Mount sheets
Double-faced adhesive sheets (20"x25") used where heat, glue or wax may
damage the Art Work.
Intaglio
1. In sculpture, hollow or concave relief. See "Cavo rilievo".
2. In printmaking, design or lettering cut below the surface of a plate,
with ink left only in the depressions, as in etching, drypoint, aquatint,
photogravure and line drawing.
Intaglio relief plate
A plate that has been inked on the surface rather than in the lines.
Intarsia
Inlay work, usually wood inlaid with contrasting wood, but may be ivory, mother of
pearl, or other material. See also
Marquetry.
Interference Colors
Pastels made with two different colors in one stick.
International reply coupon
A form purchased at the Post Office and enclosed with ArtWork sent to a foreign
country; used to cover return postage.
Interpret
In Art, to represent or illustrate in light of the Artists' belief; not necessarily a literal copy
of real things.
In the round
See
Sculpture in the round.
Intimism
A style of painting concerned with intimate domestic settings; major Artists were
Pierre Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard.
Intutitive painting
Painting from a subjective, or personal frame of reference.
inv.
(Latin, abbreviation for "invenit" or "he invented it")
Credit given on a print to the one who designed it.
Investment casting
See
Lost wax method.
Iridescence
Delicate tints of rainbow colors caused by a diffraction of light.
Iron gall ink
An ink made from tannin or gallotannic acid, which comes from oak galls, used in
the Dark Ages.
Irregular curve
See
French curve.
Isometric projection
A form of axonometric projection used in mechanical drawing which has equality of
foreshortening of the 3 planes of an object, with the height, width, and depth
drawn on the same scale; horizontal lines are usually all drawn at 30 degrees to
base, and verticals perpendicular to base; distortion is evident; first used by
East Indian and Persian Artists.
Italian earth
Pigment, an old name for Sienna.
Ives Color Wheel
The red, yellow, blue color wheel introduced by Herbert Ives, an American, (1882-1953)red was
called achlor, yellow was zanth and blue turquoise was cyan.