Arts activities in French cover a wide range of creative expressions and hobbies, from painting and drawing to sculpting and visiting galleries. This vocabulary set will help you talk about art-making processes, materials, and places where art is appreciated.
Vocabulary
Peinture (Painting)
Painting vocabulary includes words for materials, techniques, and styles used by painters.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la peinture | painting |
| le pinceau | paintbrush |
| la toile | canvas |
| la palette | palette |
| peindre | to paint |
| colorier | to color |
| aquarelle | watercolor |
| acrylique | acrylic |
| gouache | gouache |
| un tableau | painting, picture |
| un chevalet | easel |
| une peinture à l’huile | oil painting |
Dessin (Drawing)
Drawing vocabulary covers tools and actions related to sketching and creating images by hand.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le dessin | drawing |
| dessiner | to draw |
| un crayon | pencil |
| une gomme | eraser |
| un fusain | charcoal |
| un feutre | marker |
| un carnet de croquis | sketchbook |
| un trait | line, stroke |
| esquisser | to sketch |
| un modèle | model |
Sculpture
Sculpture vocabulary includes terms for materials and techniques used to create three-dimensional art.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la sculpture | sculpture |
| sculpter | to sculpt |
| un sculpteur / une sculptrice | sculptor |
| le marbre | marble |
| l’argile (f.) | clay |
| le bronze | bronze |
| tailler | to carve |
| modeler | to model |
| un atelier | workshop, studio |
| une statue | statue |
Visiter les galeries (Visiting Galleries)
This vocabulary set helps you talk about visiting art galleries, museums, and exhibitions.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| une galerie d’art | art gallery |
| un musée | museum |
| une exposition | exhibition |
| exposer | to exhibit |
| un vernissage | opening (of an exhibition) |
| une œuvre d’art | work of art |
| admirer | to admire |
| un visiteur / une visiteuse | visitor |
| le public | audience, public |
| une collection | collection |
We spent the afternoon exploring a ________ filled with contemporary art.
galerie d’art
'Galerie d’art' means art gallery, a space for showing artworks. 'Musée' is a museum, 'atelier' is an artist’s studio, and 'carnet de croquis' is a sketchbook.
Expressions utiles (Useful Expressions)
Common phrases for talking about creating, appreciating, and discussing art.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| faire de la peinture | to do painting |
| faire du dessin | to do drawing |
| créer une œuvre | to create a work of art |
| avoir du talent | to have talent |
| être inspiré(e) | to be inspired |
| exprimer ses émotions | to express one’s emotions |
| prendre des cours d’art | to take art classes |
| visiter une exposition | to visit an exhibition |
| acheter une œuvre | to buy a work of art |
| exposer ses créations | to exhibit one’s creations |
Après des années de pratique, elle a vraiment ________ en peinture.
du talent
'Avoir du talent' means to have talent. The other options are tools or objects, not expressions of skill.
Conclusion
Arts activities in French span a rich vocabulary that allows you to describe processes, tools, and experiences in the world of visual arts. Whether you’re creating or simply appreciating art, these words and expressions will help you navigate conversations in French.
Flashcards (1 of 52)
- English: painting
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
