Smooth Surface
Objects with even, polished or seamless surfaces, whether from the nature of the material or careful finishing.
No works indexed yet · 10 related artists
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About
Smoothness hides the labour that produces it. A polished surface removes tool marks and lets form, colour and reflection take over. Chinese potters of the Song dynasty sought flawless, jade-like glazes, and Japanese lacquerers built up many thin coats, each rubbed down, to reach a deep, glassy finish.
In Europe, Antonio Canova brought marble to a soft glow in figures such as Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss (1787–93). Modern sculptors and designers pursued seamless forms with new means: Constantin Brancusi polished bronze until outlines dissolved in reflection, Art Deco lacquer and silver pieces prized unbroken planes, and moulded fibreglass let Eero Aarnio make the Ball Chair (1963) as one continuous shell. Look for the absence of joins, tool marks and texture, and for how evenly light slides across the form.
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Symmetrical
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Wrapped
Abstract Illusionism
Allover Composition
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Asymmetrical
Balance
Biomorphic
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Black and White
Blown-Off-Roof Perspective
Blurred
Bright and Vivid Colors
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Color Gradient
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