Pointillisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A technique in painting that uses small dots or strokes of color to create an image
2. An artistic method that involves applying distinct points of pigment that blend visually when viewed from a distance
3. A style characterized by the use of tiny dots of paint that produce an overall effect as the viewer steps back to observe the artwork

Etymology: "Pointillisms" is the plural of "pointillism", a noun for a style of painting built from tiny dots of colour that blend into a unified image when the viewer steps back. The plural is used when speaking of several such styles or movements, or of the distinct approaches that artists have taken under that name. The base word comes from French "pointillisme", formed from "pointiller", meaning "to dot" or "to mark with points", which itself derives from "point", meaning "dot" or "point". So the term describes its technique literally: painting with dots. The French form took its shape from the verb for making small marks, and the English word followed the same pattern, with the "-ism" ending marking it as a named movement or doctrine.

Synonyms: dot techniques, pointillist techniques