Medium- comes from the Latin word medium denotes the means by which an artist

communicates his idea. These are the materials which are used by an artist to interpret his
feelings or ideas.
On the basis of medium, art is primarily classified into Visual and Auditory
Visual arts- whose medium can be seen and which occupy space. These are grouped into 2
classes:
• Dimensional or Two dimensional – painting, drawing, printmaking and photography
• Three dimensional- sculpture, architecture, landscape, community planning, industrial
designs, and crafts like ceramics and furniture.
Auditory arts- whose medium that can be heard and which are expressed in time.
Ex. music and literature
Combined arts – whose medium that can be both seen and heard and which exist in both space
and time.
Ex. dance, opera, drama
The Artist and his Medium
The artist thinks, feels and gives shape to his vision in terms of his medium. The artist believes
that when he choose a particular medium, this choice is the best way to express the message he
wants to convey. He normally selects the materials that can be handled with ease, that would best
suit his plan, and adequately bring out the qualities he want to show.