Collected Visions #1: The Language of Mediums
Online Commonplace Book
Art is, at its core, an act of transformation. A blank canvas becomes a portal into an artist’s imagination, a lump of clay turns into a vessel of expression, and digital pixels shift to create entire worlds. But beyond the artist’s intent and vision, it is the medium—the material through which art takes shape—that gives each work its unique identity.
Throughout history, different mediums have shaped the way we create and experience art. Some, like oil paint and marble, have long-standing traditions, while others, like digital art, are pushing the boundaries of artistic possibility. Each medium carries its own weight of history, technique, and meaning.
This first edition of Collected Visions explores the language of mediums—their origins, characteristics, and how they define artistic expression.
I. Traditional Mediums: The Foundations of Art
Painting: A Legacy of Layers
Painting has been one of the most enduring forms of artistic expression, dating back over 40,000 years to the cave paintings of Lascaux. Over time, new materials have expanded what painting can be.
Oil Painting emerged during the Renaissance and remains one of the most revered forms. The slow-drying nature of oil allows for rich color blending, depth, and intricate details. Think of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Rembrandt’s The Night Watch.
Watercolor is delicate and fluid, its transparency allowing for ethereal washes of color. It gained popularity during the 18th century, particularly among landscape artists like J.M.W. Turner.
Acrylic Paint, a 20th-century invention, dries quickly and offers intense, plastic-like vibrancy. Abstract expressionists like Helen Frankenthaler and Jackson Pollock embraced its versatility.
Each type of paint carries an emotional resonance—oil’s richness, watercolor’s dreaminess, acrylic’s intensity. The choice of medium becomes a language in itself.
Drawing: The First Mark
Before paintings, there were drawings—charcoal smudges on cave walls, ink sketches on parchment. Drawing is the foundation of artistic thought, a direct extension of hand to mind.
Charcoal has a raw, ancient feel, used for expressive, dramatic contrasts.
Graphite (the pencil) offers precision and subtlety, a staple of Renaissance studies.
Ink has a calligraphic beauty, from delicate Japanese sumi-e paintings to the bold lines of graphic novels.
Even today, drawing remains a fundamental medium, not just as a preparatory step for larger works but as an art form in itself.
II. Printmaking & Mixed Media: The Democratization of Art
Printmaking: The Art of Multiplicity
Printmaking allowed artists to reproduce their work, making art more accessible. From woodblock printing in ancient China to etching in Rembrandt’s time, prints changed the course of art history.
Etching & Engraving became crucial in the 16th and 17th centuries, used by artists like Albrecht Dürer to create detailed works on metal plates.
Lithography, invented in the 18th century, revolutionized poster art, leading to iconic works by Toulouse-Lautrec.
Screen Printing became a pop-art phenomenon in the hands of Andy Warhol, turning mass production into an artistic statement.
Printmaking exists at the crossroads of craft and technology, bridging the gap between fine art and reproduction.
Collage & Assemblage: Reconstructing Reality
Collage as an art form exploded in the early 20th century with movements like Cubism and Dada. Artists began cutting, pasting, and layering materials to create new realities.
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were pioneers, incorporating newspaper clippings and patterned paper into paintings.
Hannah Höch, a Dada artist, used photomontage to critique politics and gender roles.
Robert Rauschenberg blended painting with everyday objects, leading to the rise of "combine paintings."
Collage speaks to the fragmented nature of modern life, a patchwork of images and meanings.
III. Sculpture & 3D Art: The Physicality of Form
Sculpture: From Classical to Contemporary
Sculpture has long been associated with permanence—think of Michelangelo’s David or the statues of ancient Greece.
Marble & Stone sculptures, carved from a single block, require immense skill and patience.
Bronze Casting allowed for more fluidity, as seen in the works of Rodin.
Wood, Clay, and Mixed Materials have been used in folk and indigenous traditions worldwide.
Modern artists like Louise Bourgeois and Anish Kapoor push sculpture into new realms, using unconventional materials and scale to evoke emotion.
Installation & Conceptual Art: Space as Medium
In the 20th century, art broke free from the pedestal. Installations and conceptual works transformed entire rooms into immersive experiences.
Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms make light and mirrors the medium itself.
Ai Weiwei’s large-scale installations use everyday objects to make political statements.
Sculpture is no longer just an object—it’s an environment.
IV. Digital & Experimental Mediums: The Future of Art
Photography & Video Art: Capturing Time
The invention of photography in the 19th century challenged traditional art, but instead of replacing painting, it opened new doors.
Early photographers like James Van Der Zee approached photography as a poetic, artistic medium.
Video artists like Nam June Paik pioneered the use of moving images as art in the 1960s.
Today, photography and film remain dominant in contemporary art, from documentary-style projects to surreal digital manipulations.
Digital Painting
Technology has expanded what it means to be an artist.
Digital painting software like Procreate and Photoshop allows for infinite experimentation.
While some argue digital mediums lack the "soul" of traditional art, they offer unprecedented possibilities.
Every medium carries history, technique, and emotion. Whether an artist works in oil paint or pixels, marble or machine learning, their choice of material shapes the meaning of their work.
As artists, we are in constant dialogue with our mediums. They shape how we express ourselves, what we can say, and how our art is received. Collected Visions will continue to explore these intersections, tracing the ever-evolving landscape of creative expression.
What medium resonates with you the most? How has it shaped your artistic voice? Let’s discuss in the comments and on Discord!
The Poetry Haul Challenge
Artstack poets, we’re back for another round! Week 5 of The Poetry Haul is here, bringing a fresh set of words to spark your creativity. Whether you’re new to the challenge or a returning poet, this is your chance to push boundaries, play with language, and craft something meaningful.
My artistic path has taken me from oils to watercolors , acrylics and colored pencils, to my present medium of mixed media. Here I’ll stay.
I’ve worked in every medium you mentioned here. Over the course of my life, starting with crayons, moving through all of these or at least trying them out at one point or another I’ve landed in a blended zone. I call it mixed media, because it’s relatable to most people. They’ve heard of it. If I try to explain that my work combines my photos, digital, hand drawn elements, painted elements, collage, typography… sometimes all of it, sometimes part of it, they get lost. If I say something about using digital tools I often get dismissed or accused of cheating because I don’t exclusively use traditional tools. The thing is, artist have always embraced new tools and techniques. Pushed the boundaries of what any medium can do or be combined with. I always tell people use the tools that allow you to execute your vision, what you see in your minds eye, and ignore those people that don’t understand. It’s not so much about how you made it, but the end result, and no AI doesn’t count unless you are doing something really inventive and unique with it like Jason Salavon, or Barry Anderson.