French Art Vocabulary

On this page you’ll find a comprehensive list of French art vocabulary including many painting terms. If you travel to France you’ll soon learn that the country has an extremely rich art history and that the society tends to hold artists in high esteem.

Painting vocabulary

acrylic paint l’acrylique
artist un(e) un artiste
brush un pinceau
canvas la toile
charcoal le fusain
darkness l’obscurité )(f)
exhibition une exposition
easel, tripod le chevalet
figurative figuratif (adj)
fresco painting la fresque
landscape un paysage
hue la teinte
lightness la clarté
masterpiece un chef d’oeuvre
negative space l’espace négatif, le vide
naturalistic naturaliste (adj)
oil paints les peintures à l’huile
painting un tableau, une toile, une peinture
paints, colors les couleurs
oil painting oil painting
palette la palette
pastel un pastel
perspective la perspective
pigment le pigment
portrait un portrait
positive space l’espace positif
poster paint la gouache
watercolor paint l’aquarelle
shading le ton
shading une nuance
still-life une nature morte

Painting verbs

to paint peindre
to sketch faire des esquisses
to frame encadrer
to smudge faire une trace
teinter to tint

Other art and related terms

artist, drawer dessinateur
clay l’argile
drawing le dessin
figurine une figurine
fine arts les arts plastiques
ink drawing un dessin à l’encre
jewelry making la joaillerie
modelling tool
pottery la poterie
printing l’imprimerie
sculpting la sculpture
sculptor un sculpteur, une femme sculpteur
sculpture une sculpture
woodworking la scupture sur bois
photographer un(e) photographe
photography la photographie
statue une statue
statuette une statuette
works of art les oeuvres

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David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language enthusiast. His head is swimming with words and sounds as he speaks over six languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private online lessons. When procrastinating working on his site, FrenchLearner.com, David enjoys his time skiing and hiking in Teton Valley, Idaho.

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