Art

Oar: design, types, history and use Oar An oar is a lever-like tool used to propel and steer boats. This article explains its parts, varieties, historical development, uses in transport and sport, and how it differs from…

Odd Future (OFWGKTA) — Los Angeles hip hop collective Odd Future Odd Future (OFWGKTA) is an American hip hop collective formed in 2007 in Los Angeles by Tyler, the Creator. Known for a DIY approach, provocative lyrics, and launching influential…

Ode (poetic form) Ode An ode is a dignified lyric poem that praises or reflects on a person, object, event, or ideal. It has ancient roots in Greek and Roman practice and evolved through varied stanza f…

Oil paint — artist's medium of pigment and drying oil Oil paint Oil paint is pigment bound in a drying oil (commonly linseed). Valued for slow drying, blending, glazing and durability, it shaped Western easel painting and remains a central fine…

Old master print A fine-art print produced in Europe before c.1830, made by relief and intaglio methods such as woodcut, engraving and etching; associated with artists like Dürer, Rembrandt and Goy…

Olfaction (Sense of Smell): Biology, Function, and Significance Olfaction Olfaction is the sensory system for smell. This article explains how olfaction works in vertebrates and insects, its anatomy, neural processing, roles in behavior, and common disor…

Olive (color) Olive is a subdued yellow‑green hue named for the olive fruit; it appears in nature, design, military uniforms and minerals, with muted, grayish and brownish variations used as a v…

Olympia (Manet) Olympia is an 1863 oil painting by Édouard Manet that shocked the 1865 Paris Salon with its candid depiction of a reclining nude and its challenge to academic traditions.

Op art: Optical illusion and visual perception in modern art Op art Op art is a mid-20th-century art movement that uses geometry, contrast and repetition to create visual illusions. It spans painting, kinetic constructions and design, and links art…

Optical illusion: how the brain creates misleading visual perceptions Optical illusion An optical illusion is a visual percept that differs from physical reality. This article explains types, mechanisms, historical ideas, common examples, and why illusions matter in…

Optima — humanist sans‑serif typeface by Hermann Zapf Optima Optima is a humanist sans‑serif typeface by Hermann Zapf, noted for its flared terminals inspired by Roman capitals and Renaissance stone carving; designed for both text and displa…

Orange-red — the color between orange and red Orange-red Orange-red is a warm color blending red and orange. It appears in nature, design, safety, and culture; it conveys energy and visibility and sits between red and orange on the color…

Origami: The Art and Practice of Paper Folding Origami Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding, spanning traditional cranes and modular forms to contemporary mathematical, educational and engineering applications.

Output (result produced by a system, device, or process) Output Result produced by a system, device, or process; covers meaning in computing, electronics, economics and systems theory, common forms, characteristics, and distinctions from relate…

Outsider art Art made outside formal artistic institutions by self-taught creators expressing personal visions; often called art brut and associated with visionary environments and unconvention…

Page layout: principles, elements, history and practical uses Page layout Page layout is the arrangement of visual and textual elements on a page. It combines typographic, structural, and aesthetic choices to create readable, usable, and attractive docum…

Paint (coating): composition, types, uses and history Paint An overview of paint as a pigmented coating: composition, major types, application methods, historical development, uses in art and industry, and environmental and safety considera…

Paintball: rules, equipment, formats, history and safety Paintball Paintball is a tactical game in which players tag opponents with dye-filled pellets. It is played recreationally, competitively, and as a training aid, with specific equipment, rul…

Painter, Virginia: small town on the Eastern Shore Painter, Virginia Painter is a small incorporated town on Virginia's Eastern Shore known for its rural character, agriculture, and close-knit community. This article outlines its setting, history, e…

Painting: materials, techniques, history and cultural roles Painting An overview of painting as a visual art: materials and supports, common techniques, historical development, notable works and how paintings are displayed and preserved.

Palette (art and color): materials, history, and uses Palette A palette is a surface or set of colors used by artists and designers to mix, select, and organize pigments. Covers physical palettes, common materials, historical use, techniques,…

Papunya Tula: Origins and Impact of the Western Desert Art Movement Papunya Tula Papunya Tula is an Aboriginal-owned artists' cooperative founded in the early 1970s that pioneered the Western Desert 'dot painting' style and helped bring contemporary Aboriginal…

Parody: Imitation, Exaggeration, and Social Commentary Parody Parody imitates and exaggerates an original work to ridicule, critique, or illuminate its style, assumptions, or social implications across media.

Pas de deux A pas de deux is a ballet duet showcasing partnered technique; traditionally it has an entrée, adagio, two solo variations and a coda. Famous examples include the pas de deux from…

Pas-en-Artois — commune in Pas-de-Calais, northern France Pas-en-Artois Pas-en-Artois is a small rural commune in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France. It lies within the historic Artois area and the modern Hauts-de-France region.

Pastel (art medium and pale color) Pastel Pastel is a dry art medium formed into sticks of powdered pigment with a binder, and by extension a family of soft, pale colors. This article covers materials, types, history, tech…

Paul Baum: German Post‑Impressionist Landscape Painter (1859–1932) Paul Baum Paul Baum (1859–1932) was a German painter whose art moved from Impressionist light studies to a structured Post‑Impressionist approach; he is best known for landscapes from Flande…

Paul Émile Chabas: French Academic Painter Known for Lyrical Nudes Paul Émile Chabas Paul Émile Chabas (1869–1937) was a French painter noted for portraits and delicate naturalistic female nudes, travel-inspired subjects, and the widely reproduced 1912 work Septemb…

Peach (color): description, history, uses and variations Peach (color) Peach is a pale, warm tint between orange and pink, named for the fruit; used in design and fashion for its soft, approachable warmth. Origins as a color name date to the late 16th…

Pear (color) Pear is a pale yellow-green (chartreuse-leaning) hue named after pear skin, used in design to suggest freshness, nature, and gentle brightness.

Pencil: Construction, Types, History and Uses Pencil A pencil is a handheld writing and drawing tool with a solid core—typically graphite mixed with clay—encased in wood or a mechanical barrel. This article explains composition, grad…

Penjing — the Chinese art of miniature landscape and container trees Penjing Penjing is the Chinese tradition of creating miniature trees and landscapes in containers. It emphasizes naturalism, composition and expressive pruning, and has influenced related…

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Founded in 1805 in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the oldest art school and museum in the United States, with a major collection of American art and act…

Pentathletes (Carpenter Painter) — Attic drinking cup, c. 510–500 BC Pentathletes (Carpenter Painter) An Attic drinking cup attributed to the Carpenter Painter, c. 510–500 BC, showing athletic pentathlon scenes and an intimate tondo image tied to symposium culture.

Performing arts: forms, characteristics, history, and cultural role Performing arts An overview of the performing arts: live, time-based practices—dance, theatre, music, and related forms—covering characteristics, history, common forms, functions, and distinctions…

Periwinkle (color) Periwinkle is a soft blue-violet (lavender-blue) hue named for the Vinca minor flower; it appears in design, fashion, and art and is often described as a pastel indigo. First recor…

Persian Armenia Armenian lands that were ruled or influenced by successive Persian empires from antiquity through the early modern period, notably under Achaemenid, Sasanian, Safavid and Qajar rul…

Persian blue Persian blue is a deep, vivid blue historically used in Persian ceramics and architectural tiles, associated with lapis lazuli and prominent in Iranian and Middle Eastern decorativ…

Personification (literary and artistic device) Personification Personification attributes human qualities to non-human things in literature and art. Explains forms, history, functions, examples, and how it differs from related devices such as…

Perspective: Visual Techniques, Cognitive Viewpoints, and Mathematical Projection Perspective Overview of perspective across disciplines: visual techniques for depicting depth, cognitive viewpoints shaping interpretation, and mathematical projection in geometry and computer…

Perspective (graphical) Graphical perspective is the set of techniques artists and designers use to portray depth and spatial relationships on a flat surface, including linear and atmospheric methods and…

Photo editing and image manipulation Photo editing Overview of photo editing: techniques, history, common uses, tools, ethical issues and best practices for working with digital and traditional images.

Photogram — cameraless photographic images and techniques Photogram A photogram is a cameraless photographic image produced by placing objects on light-sensitive material and exposing them to light. Used in art, education, and scientific recording…

Photographer: Roles, Techniques, History and Specializations Photographer A photographer captures images for art, documentation or commerce. This article explains the roles, skills, history, specializations and how photography is used today.

Photography: history, technique, and uses Photography Overview of photography: how cameras and light produce images, historical developments from daguerreotype to digital, main techniques, genres, and ethical and practical considerati…

Photomontage: techniques, history, and contemporary uses Photomontage Photomontage is an image created by combining two or more photographs to form a new composition. This article explains techniques, history, applications, and distinctions between a…

Photorealism (art movement) Photorealism Photorealism: a painting and drawing approach that aims to reproduce the appearance of a photograph through meticulous, technique-driven rendering developed in the late 20th centur…

Pictogram: Visual symbols for communication and signage Pictogram A pictogram is a simplified image used to convey information quickly across language barriers. This article covers their forms, history, design principles, accessibility, standards…