- [countable] a picture made using a pencil or pen rather than paint
- a pencil/pen-and-ink/charcoal drawing
- drawing of somebody/something a drawing of a yacht
- detailed drawings of local plants and animals
- The original architectural drawings of the building had been lost.
- He did a drawing of the old farmhouse.
- The children were asked to make a drawing of a dinosaur.
- drawing by somebody a drawing by Paul Klee
Collocations Fine artsFine artsCreating art- make a work of art/a drawing/a sketch/a sculpture/a statue/engravings/etchings/prints
- do an oil painting/a self-portrait/a line drawing/a rough sketch
- create a work of art/an artwork/paintings and sculptures
- produce paintings/portraits/oil sketches/her most celebrated work/a series of prints
- paint a picture/landscape/portrait/mural/in oils/in watercolours/(US English) in watercolors/on canvas
- draw a picture/a portrait/a cartoon/a sketch/a line/a figure/the human form/in charcoal/in ink
- sketch a preliminary drawing/a figure/a shape
- carve a figure/an image/a sculpture/reliefs/a block of wood
- sculpt a portrait bust/a statue/an abstract figure
- etch a line/a pattern/a design/a name into the glass
- mix colours/(US English) colors/pigments/paints
- add/apply thin/thick layers of paint/colour/(US English) color/pigment
- use oil pastels/charcoal/acrylic paint/a can of spray paint
- work in bronze/ceramics/stone/oils/pastels/watercolour/a wide variety of media
- paint/depict a female figure/a rural scene/a pastoral landscape/a domestic interior
- depict/illustrate a traditional/mythological/historical/religious theme
- create an abstract composition/a richly textured surface/a distorted perspective
- paint dark/rich/skin/flesh tones
- use broad brush strokes/loose brushwork/vibrant colours/a limited palette/simple geometric forms
- develop/adopt/paint in a stylized manner/an abstract style
- commission a new piece/a bronze bust of somebody/a portrait/a religious work/an artist to paint something
- frame a painting/portrait
- hang art/a picture/a painting
- display/exhibit modern art/somebody’s work/a collection/original artwork/drawings/sculptures/a piece/a painting
- be displayed/hung in a gallery/museum
- install/place a sculpture in/at/on something
- erect/unveil a bronze/marble/life-size statue
- hold/host/mount/open/curate/see an exhibition (especially British English)/(North American English usually) an exhibit
- be/go on (British English) exhibition/(North American English) exhibit
- feature/promote/showcase a conceptual artist/contemporary works
- collect contemporary art/modern British paintings/Japanese prints
- restore/preserve a fresco/great works of art
Synonyms picturepicturepainting ▪ drawing ▪ portrait ▪ print ▪ sketchThese are all words for a scene, person or thing that has been represented on paper by drawing, painting, etc.picture a scene, person or thing that has been represented on paper using a pencil, a pen or paint:see also life drawing (2), line drawing, technical drawing (1)- The children were drawing pictures of their pets.
- a collection of paintings by American artists
- a pencil/charcoal drawing
- Vermeer’s ‘Portrait of the artist in his studio’
- a self-portrait (= a painting that you do of yourself)
- a Renoir print
- I usually do a few very rough sketches before I start on a painting.
- to draw a picture/portrait/sketch
- to paint a picture/portrait
- to make a painting/drawing/portrait/print/sketch
- to do a painting/drawing/portrait/sketch
Extra ExamplesTopics Arta2- a collection of children’s drawings
- The bridge looked quite different from the architect's original drawings.
- The door opened onto a courtyard, as shown in the drawing.
- The drawing shows the Market Square.
- a scale drawing of a jet
- a working drawing of the proposed power station
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- chalk
- charcoal
- ink
- …
- create
- do
- execute
- …
- depict something
- show something
- accompany something
- …
- board
- in a/the drawing
- drawing by
- [uncountable] the art or skill of making pictures, plans, etc. using a pen or pencil
- I'm not very good at drawing.
- She teaches drawing at the women's prison in Philadelphia.
- (North American English) (also draw British and North American English)[usually singular] drawing (for something) the act of choosing something, for example the winner of a prize or the teams who play each other in a competition, usually by taking pieces of paper, etc. out of a container without being able to see what is written on them
- (North American English) (British English draw)a competition in which the winners are chosen in a drawing
Check pronunciation:
drawing