The Greeks used three types of columns.
Like the Egyptians, the Greeks created many techniques artists have used for thousands of years. Many modern techniques can be traced back to those invented by the Greeks, and we still see Greek influence in modern architecture, painting and sculpture. Many of these styles seems simple, yet at the time, they were considered ground-breaking forms of art.
Sculpture Techniques
The Greeks used two major materials for sculpture: bronze and marble. Artists would use bronze over copper in sculptures because bronze is softer and has a melting point at a lower temperature. Filling molds with bronze was simply more efficient. The Greeks would also hammer thin sheets of bronze over wooden armatures. Artists carved sculptures from marble using a chisel and a hammer. Later, artists used an acrolithic technique in which they would attach a marble head or bust to a wooden base, saving money and time.
Pottery Techniques
Greek artists created stories on urns.
The Greeks used two figure techniques on pottery: red-figure technique and black-figure technique. Both of these techniques used flat figures to represent characters in visual stories. The black-figure technique used silhouettes, similar to the silhouettes used by the ancient Egyptians. Most of these stories depicted funeral scenes and scenes in Greek literature. According to Yasou, the red-figure technique replaced black figure around 500 to 525 BC. This technique gave the artist more opportunities for shading and the ability to spotlight each character in the stories displayed on pottery. Finally, the cavalier technique was introduced, which allowed the artist to portray distance, using slightly smaller and slightly larger figures.
Painting Techniques
The Greeks used fresco painting techniques.
The Greeks often used tempera and fresco techniques to paint large surfaces. Tempera is a mixture of egg, paint and water. The painter mixes the ingredients together and applies the mixture to the surface. Tempera dries very quickly, so the painter must work fast, and if he makes a mistake, he must start all over again. The fresco technique is very similar to tempera, but instead of egg, the painter uses wet plaster to create the desired effect.
Architecture Techniques
Corinthian column bases are ornate.
According to the Art Encyclopedia of Visual Arts in Ireland, "The history of art and architecture in ancient Greece can be divided into three basic eras: the Archaic Period (c. 600-500 BCE), the Classical Period (c. 500-323 BCE) and the Hellenistic Period (c. 323-327 BCE)." In 600 BCE, the Greeks began building the stone structures lined with columns we recognize in famous structures such as the Parthenon. The Greeks used three types of columns on their buildings. Doric columns had basic, simple bases. Ionic columns can be identified by the intricate scrolls on their bases. Corinthian columns have decorative, floral motifs carved into their bases.
