- 1[uncountable] the use of the imagination to express ideas or feelings, particularly in painting, drawing, or sculpture modern/contemporary/American art an art critic/historian/lover Can we call television art? stolen works of art Her performance displayed great art. see clip art, fine art
- 2[uncountable] examples of objects such as paintings, drawings, or sculpture an art gallery/exhibition a collection of art and antiques
- 3[uncountable] the skill of creating objects such as paintings and drawings, especially when you study it She's good at art and design. an art teacher/student/college/class
- 4the arts [plural] art, music, theater, literature, etc. when you think of them as a group private funding for the arts see also performing arts
- 5[countable] a type of visual or performing art Dance is a very theatrical art.
- 6[countable, usually plural] the subjects you can study at school or college that are not scientific, such as languages, history, or literature an arts degree compare science see also liberal arts
- 7[countable, uncountable] an ability or a skill that you can develop with training and practice a therapist trained in the art of healing Letter-writing is a lost art. Appearing confident at interviews is quite an art (= somewhat difficult). Topic CollocationsFine Artscreating art
- make a work of art/a drawing/a sketch/a sculpture/a statue/an engraving/an etching/a print
- 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/his most celebrated work/a series of prints
- paint a picture/a landscape/a portrait/a mural/in oils/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/an outline
- carve a figure/an image/a sculpture/an altarpiece/reliefs/a block of wood
- sculpt a (portrait) bust/a statue/an abstract figure
- etch a line/pattern/design/name into the glass
- mix colors/pigments/paints
- add/apply thin/thick layers of paint/color/pigment
- use oil pastels/charcoal/acrylic paint/a can of spray paint
- work in bronze/ceramics/stone/oils/pastels/watercolors/a wide variety of media
- paint/depict a female figure/a biblical scene/a pastoral landscape/a domestic interior
- have/express/depict/illustrate a traditional/mythological/historical/religious theme
- create an abstract composition/a richly textured surface/a distorted perspective
- paint dark/rich/flesh tones
- use broad brush strokes/loose brushwork/vibrant colors/a limited palette/simple geometric forms
- develop/adopt/paint in a stylized manner/an abstract style
- commission an altarpiece/a bronze bust of somebody/a portrait/a religious work/an artist to paint something
- frame a painting/a portrait/a piece/an artwork
- hang art/a picture/a painting/a piece/an artwork
- display/exhibit modern art/somebody's work/a collection/original artwork/ drawings/sculptures/a piece
- be displayed/hung in a gallery/museum
- install/place a sculpture in/at/on something
- erect/unveil/dedicate a bronze/marble statue
- hold/host/mount/open/curate/see an exhibition/exhibit
- be/go on exhibit
- feature/promote/showcase contemporary works/a conceptual artist
- collect African art/modern American paintings/Japanese prints
- restore/preserve great works of art/a fresco
to learn to do something well and efficiently I spend so much time traveling that I've got packing down to a fine art.
Check pronunciation: art