Artist's Resources∼Artist's Dictionary W
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Walk-off
In graphic printing, the impairment or deterioration of part of an image on the
plate during the printing process.
Wall of Troy
See
Greek key.
Wall painting
See
Mural.
Warm colors
Colors in which red, orange, and yellow predominate.
Warming the ink
In printmaking, the act of softening the ink on a hard surface.
Warp
1. The bend that develops in stretcher strips, frames, paper boards and Masonite
boards, usually due to unseasoned wood or to moisture.
2. In textile design, the lengthwise or vertical yarn in weaving.
Wash
A thin, liquid application of paint in any medium, brushed on in a free-flowing
manner; in oil colors, when applied over dry underpainting, it is a glaze.
Wash out
1. In lithography, to wash the stone with a sponge and turpentine just
before inking.
2. In water-based painting, to remove a painted area of a picture
by applying water and washing out the color as much as possible with brush or sponge.
Watercolor
Paint that uses water as the medium; categories are: traditional watercolors,
transparent watercolors-gouache, opaque: casein; a casein glue pigment. opaque,
acrylics, used as watercolor, transparent or opaque.
Watercolor block
A number of watercolor papers, bound on all four sides to lie flat, designed so the
top sheet may be painted on, then removed singly, leaving the next sheet ready for use.
Watercolor mediums
Mainly water; two special types are available from Windsor & Newton: watercolor
medium #1 encourages smooth application and #2 enriches the colors; also called
Wetting agents.
Watercolor paper
Paper made specifically for watercolors, hot pressed (HP) medium texture, and not pressed (NP)
cold pressed (CP) and rough (R) heavier, rougher texture; 100% rag content is a superior
paper.
Watercolor paper sizes
Demi, 15"x20". Medium, 17"x22". Royal, 19"x24".
Imperial, 22"x30". Elephant,23"x28".
Double Elephant, 261/2"x40". Antiquarian, 31"x53".
Imperial is the most common in single sheets, rolls of paper are also available.
Watercolor paper weights
72 lb.-lightweight. Weight-90 lb.-lightweight. 140 lb.-mediumweight. 250 lb.-mediumweight.
300 lb.-heavyweight. 400 lb.-heavyweight. 555 lb.-extra heavyweight. 1114 lb.-extra-extra
heavyweight. 72 lb, 140 lb and 300 lb. are the most commonly used.
Watercolor pencils
Pencils made in variou colors of watercolor pigments, used for drawing, or dipped
in water to create smooth color application when a wet brush is pulled across the
colored line a wash effect is acheived.
Waterleaf paper
Unsized paper.
Watermark
1.A translucent name or design molded into paper during the manufacturing process;
more visible when held to a light.
2.Some graphics programs also have "watermarking"
ability, such as PaintShopPro, which allows an
artist who has loaded pictures of their Works to the world wide web, to internally
"mark" the image.
Water mask
In silkscreen, a block-out used as a stencil filler; it dries fast and is removed
with water.
Water matte gold size
A stiff paste sizing used for illumination where gilt is applied; can become moist and
tacky to accept gilt when it is warmed by breathing on it.
Water-of-Ayr stone
See Snake slip.
Wave scroll
A running design that suggests a breaking wave.
Wax coater
A tool that applies an even coat of wax to paper, plastic film, cardboard, etc., so
it is pressure-sensitive for mounting paste-ups; one type is large and stationary
and another is a hand-held roller-like tool.
Waxed Masa
A waxed Japanese rice paper, used mostly by textile designers; soft but strong and
translucent.
Wax medium
A concentrated wax used for encaustic painting and for preserving wood carvings,
paintings, art objects, etc.
Wax painting
See
Encaustic painting.
Wax proofing
A method of pulling a rough print from a paper covered with melted wax.
Wax Varnish
A paste varnish made from beeswax and petroleum spirit; can be thinned with rectified
petroleum; applied with a cloth or brush.
Weft
See Woof.
Wet-into-wet
Painting additional color into an already wet area, creating a soft, flowing
effect; usually applies only to water-based mediums.
Wet palette
A palette of colors that are still loose and workable; the paint is not dry and hard.
Whatman board
Trade name for a quality 185 lb. English paper mounted on a heavy cardboard, suitable
for many media.
Wheel, color
See
Color wheel.
Whiplash line
A line prominent in Art Nouvrau.
Whistler, James Abbott McNeill
(1834-1903) Born in America, a painter, etcher and portrailist who spent most of his
time abroad, most known for the portrait of his mother in a rocking chair, called "Whistler's mother".
White on white
An embossed print made with an uninked plate; some avant-garde Artists have dealt with white
on white paintings. See
Suprematism.
White sable brush
A brush made from a combination of synthetic fibers; can be used with any medium,
but usually with oil or acrylics.
White spirits
See
Mineral spirits.
Whitney rotary
Trade name for a tool made of two watercolor brushes, one on each end of one handle,
designed for a quick change or lift.
Wiener Werkstatte
A Viennese organization of designers and craftsmen started in 1903, dedicated to
certain aesthetic principles, their style is related to "Art Nouveau".
Williamsburg collection
In textile design, designs pertinent to America in the 1700's, and based on the research
of the Williamsburg, Virginia restorations.
Willow stick
Vine charcoal. See
Charcoal pencil.
Win-gel
Trade name for a clear medium for oils and alkyd, to increase the gloss and
transparency.
Winton picture cleaner
Trade name of a product used to clean soiled oil paintings, an emulsified mixture
of copaiba balsam, Dipentene and pine oil with ammonia.br>
Wipe-on plate '
In photolithography, a light sensitive plate.
Woad
A blue dye that was used in the Middle Ages.
Wolf's Carbon pencils
Trade name for pencils made with pressed carbon, marked with degrees of hardness.
Wood burning tool
An electric tool with a point or interchangeable points, used to burn or incise a
design on wood, leather, and other materials, sometimes to create a wormwood
effect on frames.
Woodcut
In graphic Arts, a relief print obtained when knives and tools are used to cut a
design with the grain into wood, and the surface not cut away is printed.
Wood engraving
A process in which the design is cut on the end grain of a wood block, usually only
very hard, even-grained wood such as cherry, pear, or boxwood is used; against a
dark ground.
Wood, Grant
(1892-1942) American, a metal cratsman turned painter who became famous for his
realistic but stilted style. Famous for "American Gothic".
Woodless drawing pencil
A solid stick of graphite, lacquer-coated; can be sharpened to a drawing point; available
in a variety of weights.
Woof
In textile design; the filling threads, running horizontally in weaving; also called
the "Weft".
Workable eraser
See
Kneaded eraser.
Working proof
In graphics, a trial proof on which corrections and additions are indicated.
Worm's eye view
A picture in oblique perspective from an extremely low eye level, with the horizon
at the bottom of the picture or below it.
Wrapping
A so-called Art form mainly associated with the Bulgarian, Christo, consisting of
wrapping buildings, mountians, islands, etc. with materials such as plastic sheeting;
this procedure is called "Empaquetage".
Wrico pen
Trade name of a pen similar to a ruling pen, used for lines and lettering.