Words to Describe Art and Literature: Words to Describe a Work of Art

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abstract
    not representing or imitating external reality
    His paintings were gorgeous abstract masterpieces, and people were comparing him to the masters. Challenger Deep
  2. aesthetic
    relating to or dealing with the philosophy of beauty
    Some homeowners associations ban them because of aesthetic concerns; they just aren’t pretty. Washington Post (Jun 22, 2020)
  3. angular
    having straight lines and sharp points or corners
    Georgia O’Keeffe’s landscapes were of angular skyscrapers and neon thoroughfares, but mostly of the bleached bones, desert shadows, and weathered crosses of rural New Mexico. The Sense of Style
  4. avant-garde
    radically new or original
    In addition to the jewelry made for local sale, Ms. Slemmons designed more elaborate, avant-garde paper jewelry for exhibition and sale abroad. New York Times (Dec 6, 2012)
  5. baroque
    relating to an elaborately ornamented style of art and music
    A rediscovered baroque still life of fruit in a basket by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi, an Italian Caravaggesque painter active in Spain, sold to a European foundation after being priced at €5 million. New York Times (Mar 17, 2017)
  6. bold
    clear and distinct
    This selection features a dozen bold color-field paintings from the second half of the 1960s, none of which appear closely aligned with the often gauzy pictures made by Noland, Mehring and their peers. Washington Post (Aug 4, 2021)
  7. contemporary
    characteristic of the present
    The sky is like a monochromatic contemporary painting, drawing me in with its illusion of depth, pulling me up. Paper Towns
  8. creative
    promoting construction or development
    Before then, Mr. Lewis’s creative work consisted mainly of T-shirt designs. New York Times (Mar 19, 2020)
  9. cubist
    of art that renders objects as abstract, geometric planes
    The immense cubist painting, which hangs in the Reina Sofia art gallery in Madrid, depicts a harrowing scene in black and white full of tormented human and animal figures. Reuters (Apr 23, 2021)
  10. dynamic
    characterized by action or forcefulness of personality
    But their dynamic color combinations, bold patterns, and creative design decisions earn them a place in this and other museums. Seattle Times (Jun 27, 2012)
  11. enigmatic
    not clear to the understanding
    "With long hair and a pronounced profile, this energetic and enigmatic portrait is truly a rare representation from a celebrated artist," the auction house said, adding the identity of the sitter remains a mystery. Fox News (Jun 18, 2021)
  12. expressive
    characterized by communicating beliefs or opinions
    The features of these enormous portraits are naturalistically carved and amazingly expressive— thoughtful or fiercely proud, mirthful or dismayed. 1491
  13. geometric
    characterized by shapes and lines in design and decoration
    Rustic and bold, the teahouse is pleasingly geometric, a hallmark of traditional Japanese architecture. New York Times (Dec 9, 2019)
  14. inspiring
    stimulating or exalting to the spirit
    His art, it’s so dynamic and colorful and powerful and inspiring. New York Times (Dec 15, 2020)
  15. linear
    involving a single dimension
    The thieves also took a 1905 representational oil painting of a riverside windmill by Mondrian, the Dutch painter who became famous for his later, abstract linear works. Seattle Times (Jun 28, 2021)
  16. minimalist
    of or relating to extreme simplification of form and color
    At the entrance to “From an Abyss,” Ryan McCoy’s show at the Arlington Arts Center, there is a minimalist painting of a black rectangle, its hard-edge perfection neatly disrupted by one white niche. Washington Post (May 26, 2021)
  17. modern
    characteristic of present-day art and music and literature
    Opened to the public in 1960 with the mission of preserving Hudson River School paintings, the center quickly pivoted to focus on modern sculpture in a natural setting. Washington Post (Sep 17, 2020)
  18. monochromatic
    having or appearing to have only one color
    With its nearly monochromatic palette, Matisse’s “Red Studio” was challenging even to sophisticated eyes. New York Times (Oct 28, 2012)
  19. multimedia
    using several forms of communication or expression
    Ms. Turk plans to create a multimedia artwork featuring kaleidoscopic images from drone footage of participants as they move about in several locations across the expansive grounds. New York Times (Nov 20, 2020)
  20. muted
    being or made softer or less loud or clear
    Richard smelled the saltiness of the air as Kainene led him through wide rooms with tastefully mismatched furniture, wood carvings, muted paintings of landscapes, rounded sculptures. Half of a Yellow Sun
  21. naturalistic
    representing what is real; not abstract or artificial
    We are so accustomed to a naturalistic tradition of accurate reproductions that we expect art to imitate reality. History of Art, Volume 1
  22. portrait
    any likeness of a person, in any medium
    She paints, mostly portraits of her friends and heroes, and sells them for as much as five figures, donating much of the proceeds to favorite causes. Washington Post (May 11, 2021)
  23. profound
    far-reaching and thoroughgoing in effect
    His pictorial sense was so profound, and his designs so influential, that his works in later years were preserved by collectors and studied as fine art. Seattle Times (Jun 26, 2020)
  24. realistic
    representing what is; not abstract or ideal
    “I like your drawings. Some are very realistic, but some, they’re, well, twisted.” Between Shades of Gray
  25. representational
    depicting objects, figures, or scenes realistically
    And yet, in the end, after a long process of revising the tapestry, it ended up looking more like a giant abstract painting than a traditional, representational rendering of the landscape. Washington Post (Aug 5, 2020)
  26. rococo
    having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation
    "This is our place," said the detective, looking up at the tall, handsome gateway and the rococo carvings that ornamented the front of this decaying dwelling. Colbron, Grace Isabel
  27. somber
    lacking brightness or color; dull
    Contrasting these somber paintings are three larger, colorful ones that attempt to translate songs into gestures, made in response to an eclectic playlist. Washington Post (Feb 17, 2021)
  28. still life
    a painting of inanimate objects such as fruit or flowers
    Look for porcelain vases, paper or fabric flowers, a small plaster cupid, and other items that turn up in his famous still lifes. Seattle Times (Aug 16, 2016)
  29. sublime
    inspiring awe
    “The idea that Mark might represent the U.S. in Venice hit me when I saw those sublime paintings of his.” Los Angeles Times (Apr 20, 2016)
  30. surreal
    characterized by fantastic and incongruous imagery
    “Visions of a Makah” are the visions of Frank Peterson — vivid paintings and carved masks that combine abstraction and figuration in surreal portrayals of Native Northwest Coast figures, symbols and legends. Seattle Times (Jun 23, 2021)
  31. symmetrical
    exhibiting equivalence or correspondence among constituents
    In 1968 and ’69, she produced a group of symmetrical geometric abstract paintings in a rich, winy palette. New York Times (Apr 2, 2020)
  32. tactile
    of or relating to or proceeding from the sense of touch
    The picture, painted just before its subject died, is a rich catalog of tactile beauty — soft fur, crepuscular skin, crisp linen, silken hair, coarse embroidery. Los Angeles Times (Nov 21, 2016)
  33. unique
    highly unusual or rare but not the single instance
    Luckily, there's a new trend here to change all that: Designers and influencers alike are turning to framed paintings, unique sculptures, and old-school busts to add an artistic touch to a workhorse space. Salon (Feb 15, 2021)
  34. vibrant
    (of colors) bright and striking
    These artists’ vibrant portraits and conceptual images fuse the genres of art and fashion photography in ways that break down their long established boundaries. New York Times (Sep 5, 2019)
  35. vivid
    having striking color
    These Williams paintings emphasize structures and frameworks, rendered with black lines and filled by blocks of vivid color. Washington Post (Jul 28, 2021)
Created on Mon Aug 16 13:35:45 EDT 2021 (updated Tue Aug 24 09:53:18 EDT 2021)

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