The art of
how art is made.
Five ways to follow a work back to its materials. Explore a process, then find it in the collection.
Woodblock printing
An image carved in relief, printed from wood onto paper. Each colour can require a separate block, carefully aligned with the others.
Understand the process ↗◒MATERIAL STUDY / 02Ink painting
Brush, ink and an absorbent surface make a remarkably expressive combination. In Chinese painting, brushwork has a close relationship with calligraphy.
Understand the process ↗〰MATERIAL STUDY / 03Oil painting
Pigment mixed with a drying oil produces a slow-drying paint. Artists can blend colours, build layers and vary the surface from smooth passages to thick impasto.
Understand the process ↗◡MATERIAL STUDY / 04Ceramics
Clay becomes ceramic through firing. Different clay bodies, temperatures, surface treatments and glazes create a wide range of appearances.
Understand the process ↗◈MATERIAL STUDY / 05Metal casting
Casting creates a form by pouring molten metal into a mould. In lost-wax methods, wax is removed to leave a cavity for the metal.
Understand the process ↗