By Medium:

Oil Paintings:

• Characteristics: Rich colors, depth, and texture. Allows for detailed work and blending.
• Examples: Works by Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh

Acrylic Paintings:

• Characteristics: Fast-drying, versatile, and can mimic both watercolor and oil techniques.
• Examples: Modern and contemporary artworks, abstract art

Watercolor Paintings:

• Characteristics: Transparent, luminous quality. Best for delicate and detailed work.
• Examples: Works by John Singer Sargent, J.M.W. Turner

Pastel Paintings:

• Characteristics: Soft and vibrant colors, easily blended. Used for both detailed and impressionistic works.
• Examples: Works by Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt

Ink Wash Paintings:

• Characteristics: Monochromatic, emphasis on brushwork and tone.
• Examples: Traditional Chinese and Japanese artworks.

By Style and Movement:

Realism:

• Characteristics: Depicts subjects as they appear in everyday life, with attention to detail and accuracy
• Examples: Works by Gustave Courbet, Jean-François Millet

Abstract Art:

• Characteristics: Uses shapes, colors, and forms to create compositions independent of visual references.
• Examples: Works by Wassily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock

Surrealism:

• Characteristics: Combines dreamlike scenes with unexpected juxtapositions, often exploring the unconscious mind.
• Examples: Works by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte

Cubism:

• Characteristics: Depicts subjects from multiple viewpoints, often breaking them into geometric shapes.
• Examples: Works by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque

Pop Art:

• Characteristics: Incorporates elements of popular culture, often using bright colors and bold graphics.
• Examples: Works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein

By Genre:

Portrait Painting:

• Characteristics: Focuses on the depiction of individuals or groups, capturing their likeness and personality
• Examples: Works by Rembrandt, John Singer Sargent

Landscape Painting:

• Characteristics: Depicts natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests
• Examples: Works by J.M.W. Turner, Thomas Cole

Still Life Painting:

• Characteristics: Focuses on inanimate objects, often arranged with attention to composition and light
• Examples: Works by Paul Cézanne, Giorgio Morandi

Historical Painting:

• Characteristics: Depicts scenes from history, mythology, religion, or literature
• Examples: Works by Jacques-Louis David, Peter Paul Rubens

Genre Painting:

• Characteristics: Depicts scenes of everyday life, often with an emphasis on ordinary activities and people
• Examples: Works by Johannes Vermeer, Pieter Bruegel the Elder