Painting is an art form in which artists apply different media on various supports. Supports include wood, canvas, paper, plaster, clay, lacquer, and concrete. Painting is a fluid medium, so paint can absorb into a porous support material. Because of this, a ground is often applied between the painted surface and the support, providing a non-porous layer. Gesso is one of these grounding materials.
In addition to mass, another design element is colour. Various shades of red, yellow, and blue are all used to create a visual composition. The use of colour is important as it serves two functions: as a decorative element and as a means of reinforcing the subject’s meaning. Modern artists use the entire spectrum of pigments to achieve this. Various styles of painting are influenced by the principle of hue. However, the main purpose of colour is to convey meaning.