Art Media
In the arts, media (plural of medium) are the materials and techniques used by an artist to produce a work.
Drawing
In drawing, “media” refers to the type of held dry tool used and the base onto which it is transferred. The “held dry tool” normally means a pencil, or stick medium, referred to as a “crayon”. Small particles of broken-off stick medium are transferred to a base or plane of production on which the artwork is produced. A typical base is paper, but canvas and other surfaces can also be used.
Common Drawing Media Chalk Pastel, Charcoal, Colored Pencil, Conté Crayon, Graphite and graphite pencils, Marker, Oil pastel, Pen and ink
Painting
In painting, “media” refers to both the type of paint used and the base (or ground) to which it is applied. A paint’s medium refers to what carries a paint’s pigments, and is also called a “vehicle” or a “base”. A painter can mix a medium with solvents, pigments, and other substances in order to make paint and control consistency.
Common Paint Media Acrylic Paint, Enamel Paint, Gesso, Glaze, Gouache, Ink, Latex Paint, Magna Paint, Oil Paint, Primer, Sumi, Tempera, Vinyl Paint (toxic/poisonous), Watercolor
Common Ground Media Architectural Structures, Canvas, Cloth, Glass, Metal, Paper, Wood
Application Tools and Methods Action Painting, Aerosol Paint, Airbrush, Batik, Brush, Finger Painting, Muralism, Palette Knife, Stick
Muralism Techniques
Muralists use many of the same media as panel painters, but due to the scale of their works, use different techniques. Some such techniques include:
Cartoon, Overhead and Slide Projection, Pounce (technique)
Sculpture
Materials Beads, Clay, Edible Material, Found Objects, Glue and Other Adhesives, Ice, Jewels, Marble, Metals, Paperboard, Papier-Mâché, Plaster, Plastics, Sand, Stone, Textile, Wax, Wire, Wood
Tools Bristled Brush, Ceramic Wheel and Kiln, Chisel, Clamps, Cutting Torch, Hammer or Mallet, Knife, Pliers, Power Tools, Sandpaper, Saw, Scraper, Snips, Wirecutters
Printmaking
In the art of printmaking, “media” tends to refer to the technique used to create a print. Common media include:
Engraving, Etching, Inkjet Printing (sometimes called Giclée printing), Laser Printing, Linocut, Lithography, Moku Hanga, Offset Printing, Plate Printing, Photographic Printing, Screen-Printing, Woodcut