- 1 [countable] a picture that has been painted a collection of paintings by American artists cave paintings Synonymspicture painting drawing portrait print sketchThese are all words for a scene, person or thing that has been represented on paper by drawing, painting, etc.picture a scene, person or thing that has been represented on paper using a pencil, a pen or paint:The children were drawing pictures of their pets.painting a picture that has been made using paint:a collection of paintings by American artistsdrawing a picture that has been made using a pencil or pen, not paint:a pencil/charcoal drawingportrait a painting, drawing or photograph of a person, especially of the head and shoulders:Vermeer’s ‘Portrait of the artist in his studio’ a self-portrait (= a painting that you do of yourself)print a picture that has been copied from a painting using photography:a Renoir printsketch a simple picture that is drawn quickly and does not have many details:I usually do a few very rough sketches before I start on a painting.Patterns to draw a picture/portrait/sketch to paint a picture/portrait to make a painting/drawing/portrait/print/sketch to do a painting/drawing/portrait/sketch CollocationsFine artsCreating art make a work of art/a drawing/a sketch/a sculpture/a statue/engravings/etchings/prints 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/landscape/portrait/mural/in oils/in watercolours/(especially US English) 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 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/a pattern/a design/a name into the glass mix colours/(especially US English) colors/pigments/paints add/apply thin/thick layers of paint/colour/(especially US English) color/pigment use oil pastels/charcoal/acrylic paint/a can of spray paint work in bronze/ceramics/stone/oils/pastels/watercolour/a wide variety of mediaDescribing art paint/depict a female figure/a biblical scene/a pastoral landscape/a domestic interior depict/illustrate a traditional/mythological/historical/religious theme create an abstract composition/a richly textured surface/a distorted perspective paint dark/rich/skin/flesh tones use broad brush strokes/loose brushwork/vibrant colours/a limited palette/simple geometric forms develop/adopt/paint in a stylized manner/an abstract styleShowing and selling art commission an altarpiece/a bronze bust of somebody/a portrait/a religious work/an artist to paint something frame a painting/portrait hang art/a picture/a painting 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 a bronze/marble/life-size statue hold/host/mount/open/curate/see an exhibition (especially British English)/(usually North American English) an exhibit be/go on (British English) exhibition/(North American English) exhibit feature/promote/showcase a conceptual artist/contemporary works collect African art/modern British paintings/Japanese prints restore/preserve a fresco/great works of art see also oil painting Wordfinderpaintingart, background, canvas, exhibition, foreground, frame, fresco, painting, portrait, watercolour Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivebeautiful, fine, good, … … of paintingsseries, collection, exhibition, … verb + paintingcreate, do, execute, … painting + verbdepict somebody/something, feature somebody/something, portray somebody/something, … prepositionin a/the painting, painting by, painting in, … See full entry See related entries: Artwork and techniques
- 2 [uncountable] the act or art of using paint to produce pictures Her hobbies include music and painting. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveacrylic, oil, watercolour/watercolor, … verb + paintingdo, take up, study, … painting + nounstyle, technique phrasespainting and decorating See full entry See related entries: Artwork and techniques, Crafts and skills
- 3 [uncountable] the act of putting paint onto the surface of objects, walls, etc. painting and decorating Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveacrylic, oil, watercolour/watercolor, … verb + paintingdo, take up, study, … painting + nounstyle, technique phrasespainting and decorating See full entry Extra examples Degas did several paintings of ballet dancers. He studied traditional Japanese painting at the Kano school. He went to Europe to study painting. His early paintings were light, expressive compositions. His most famous paintings hang in the Louvre. His paintings reflect the joy and beauty in all he saw around him. I’ll do some painting this afternoon. Rauch’s paintings evoke memories of a bygone era. She collects paintings by 19th-century Australian artists. The design is based on an original painting by Matisse. The firm specializes in painting and decorating. The woman in the painting is the artist’s mistress. When she retired she took up painting. a fine painting in oils a painting by Gauguin paintings of flowers
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BrE BrE//ˈpeɪntɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈpeɪntɪŋ//
Artwork and techniques, Crafts and skills
Check pronunciation: painting
