The plastic arts are as old as human beings. Throughout the history of humanity, different cultures have created art through a series of materials that, molded with their hands or through tools, have become artistic expressions in which human beings have expressed their beliefs, their religiosity and its feelings.
What are the plastic arts? Below we offer you a brief summary and some illustrative examples.
We consider plastic arts to be those that They use materials that, modified by humans using specific techniques, become a final work For example, literature and music would not be plastic arts, since the main support for creation is intellectual (even though, technically, paper is needed to write).
There are various plastic arts: from the most famous, such as painting or sculpture, to some less known, such as goldsmithing, engraving or ceramics.
What types of plastic arts exist?
As with most classifications, the plastic arts have varied throughout history. Although currently the classic (painting, sculpture and architecture), the evolution in the cultural panorama has promoted the emergence of new media and techniques, such as modern digital technology.
Below, we offer you a list of the most important plastic arts, as well as a brief description of what each of them consists of.
1. The painting
Along with sculpture, it is one of the plastic arts par excellence. Practiced since ancient times, painting You need, first, pigments or other material to compose the work and, second, a support on which to fix them Depending on the technique and material, we distinguish several types of paint.
The fresco, for example, is pigments agglutinated in water and adhered to the mortar of the wall, so it is necessary to paint when the wall is still wet. Encaustic is a technique that uses wax as a binder and whose usual support is the board (wood), although we can also find manifestations on walls. Oil painting, on the other hand, is made with pigments and oil as a binder, and its most common support is the canvas, although we can also find it to a lesser extent on board and wall.
There are many more painting techniques and, of course, they have all undergone variations over the centuries, due to technological evolution and the materials used.
2. The sculpture
Another of the plastic arts par excellence is sculpture, practiced since time immemorial. The base is the material (which can be of various types), in which the sculptor shapes the work
Depending on the material used, the artist’s tools vary. In the case of marble or stone, the most common are the chisel and the drill bit. As for the carving, whose material is wood, the artist must use tools such as the gouge or the chisel. A complex technique is, for example, the lost wax technique, which allows bronze sculptures to be made from a model.
During the history of art, new techniques have emerged, such as the assembly of materials such as iron, as well as other new materials in the field of sculpture such as paper, plastic or cork.
3. The architecture
Architecture is the art that consists of erecting buildings that have various functions They can be religious or civil buildings, leisure or state places, etc. Throughout history, architectural styles and materials used have varied enormously, from stone and marble to iron architecture and from linteled to vaulted structures.
4. The drawing
Drawing is closely related to painting, but it has its own character and autonomy. Like that one, it needs pigment and support; Usually, materials such as pencil and charcoal on paper are used, although other resources such as pen or digital drawing are currently becoming fashionable.
5. The engraving
Probably not as popular as painting or drawing, printmaking is, however, a very common resource in the history of art, as it was a recurring method to disseminate works by other authors
Among the techniques historically used for engraving we have woodcuts or engravings, closely related to the first printed books. On the other hand, there is copper engraving using the burin tool and the etching technique.
6. Goldsmithing
Traditionally considered a “minor art”, goldsmithing constitutes one of the most impressive fine arts.
It is a very laborious process that shapes and joins metals and precious stones to fit the desired shape There are numerous techniques: assembly, embossing, openwork, hammering…
Goldsmithing made its way into history from the ages of metals and the obtaining of the necessary skill to shape them. In many ancient cultures, goldsmith’s materials were a symbol of status and often accompanied the deceased as they were buried. Later, in Christianity, they became an authentic symbol of religion and power: famous is the ecclesiastical goldsmithing and its extraordinary works destined for cathedrals and churches.
7. Ceramics
In ancient civilizations, the possession of ceramic objects was an indication of status. The discovery of firing clay promoted ceramic production in the ancient world increasingly sophisticated and elaborate.
Depending on the type of clay and the firing, there are several types of ceramics, including earthenware, stoneware or the famous porcelain. The latter, for example, is fired at much higher temperatures than usual ceramics and, in addition, in its composition we find a special type of clay. All this gives it its characteristic soft and luminous appearance.
