Term: Medium

The term medium has various meanings in art. It is used to describe the substance that binds the pigments in paint (such as, linseed oil as the binder in oil paints). A medium can also be something used to change the consistency of the paint. For example, paint thinners are used as a medium to thin paints and gel mediums are to thicken paints for impasto painting. To add to the confusion, the term medium is also used to describe a category of painting or a type of paint, such as oil painting, acrylics, or watercolors.