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Glossery Of Art Terms

100% rag (watercolour paper)
100% rag means the paper is made from 100% cotton, which is of  higher quality than wood based papers.


140lb, 300lb, 96gsm, 300gsm etc.
These are examples of paper weight, scroll down for more information.

2B, 2H, 3B etc. 
Variations of pencil lead hardness, scroll down for more information.

Acid-free
Acid-free means paper that was manufactured without using acid at "pulp" stage. Papers with high-acid content degrade quickly. Acid-free paper is more commonly used in fine art and limited edition prints.

Ferrule 
Is simply the name given to the metal band joining a paint brush to the handle.

Filbert
Is a brush with shape similar to that of a flower petal (something in between a flat and a round). Used to create soft edges and blend colours etc...

Gloss 
Gloss refers to a finish, light reflecting and "shiny"

Hardness
The hardness of a pencil lead. H = 'hard', B = 'black'. The number before the H or B shows how hard or soft the pencil is. For example, 5H is very hard, and 5B is very soft. HB is medium.

H, HB
see hardness (above)

HP
HP stands for "Hot Pressed" watercolour paper. It has a very smooth surface and is commonly used for mixed ink and watercolour techniques.

Hue
"Hue" means colour and indicates that a modern pigment has been used instead of the traditional one.

Imperial
Imperial is a traditional English measurement of paper size. The size being 30" x 22".

Internally sized
see sizing (scroll down for more information)

Lightfastness
Means how well the paper (or colour) resists fading and yellowing when exposed to light.

Matt
Refers to a finish with no "shine", that absorbs light.

Mould made
Mould made papers simulate the handmade process on a mechanised paper machine. These papers can be mistaken for handmade but there are distinct differences. Mould made paper combines the consistent quality of machine made (fourdrinier) papers, but with the individual character of handmade papers. They are of particular interest to artists because of their increased surface strength and beautiful surface texture.*

NOT (or cold-pressed)
NOT watercolor paper has a slightly textured (medium) surface, somewhere in between rough and hot-pressed paper. It is the most common form of Watercolour paper.
 
Paper weight 
The thickness of paper is indicated by its weight, measured either in grams per square metre (gsm) or pounds per ream (lb).

pH neutral 
pH neutral paper will tend not to discolor with age. As will Acid-free paper.
 
Primed (canvas)
Primed means a canvas that has had a primer already applied to it, which prepares the canvas for being printed on. Primed canvases unlike other canvases do not need to be primed again before use and can be painted on straight away.

Rough
Rough refers to the texture of watercolour paper. This creates a grainy effect as the watercolour collects in the indentations of the textured paper.

Sizing
Sizing refers to the treatment of paper that gives it resistance to the penetration liquids (particularly water) or vapors. Papers are traditionally sized with gelatine. The amount of sizing determines the amount of color the paper takes into its structure. Heavier sizing allows more color to stay on the surface and allows easier reworking of the paint. Internally sized paper has the sizing added in the vat before the paper is made. Tub sized (or externally sized) papers are soaked in a sizing bath after the paper is made. Tub sized paper is the preferred choice of watercolorists. A paper that is too heavily sized can resist your brush strokes. To remedy this sponge your paper with clear water once or twice. This will eliminate some of the surface sizing and make the surface more receptive. Papers that are stretched lose any excess sizing in the streching process.*

Watermark
A pattern or design deliberately made in the paper. The watermark usually depicts the logo of the manufacturer and is used as a mark of authenticity (to be sure you're paying for quality paper)


*information extract from www.artsupplies.co.uk
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