Glossary of Terms
Architectural Paint Analysis – The scientific analysis of architectural paints, metallic coatings, and clear and translucent finishes
Architrave – The linear ornamental moldings and bands that surround a window, door, panel, niche, or other opening
Calcium carbonate – In historic paints, calcium carbonate (chalk) serves as a base ingredient in whitewashes and a thickener in oil paints
Cross-polarized transmitted light illumination – The intersection of different light waves used to illuminate a sample in order to highlight different elements
Cross-section – A profile view of a paint or varnish flake that reveals the layers of that sample, from the earliest (bottom) to most recent (top)
Distemper coating – A traditional paint made with dilute animal hide glue and pigments which is well-suited to painting on wall plaster
Faux graining – The artistic imitation of wood or wood grains in various media
Flax plant– The fibers of the flax plant can be processed into linen yarn for thread and the seeds can be used to make linseed oil
Flocked wallpaper – A treatment created to mimic a textile, composed of chopped wool fibers adhered to wet block-printed patterned paper
Generation – For paint analysis, a reference to an individual layer of paint or combination of finishes that comprise one decorative scheme
Iron oxide – A pigment category derived from natural clay sources, typically yellows, oranges, reds, and browns
Limewash – An inexpensive coating consisting of lime, water, and sometimes colored pigments
Optical microscopy – A type of microscopic analysis that uses visible and ultraviolet light for illumination and a range of lenses to magnify samples
Paint stratigraphy – The arrangement of layers of paint and varnishes over time
Polarized light microscopy – Optical microscopic analysis using transmitted light controlled by polarizing filters to illuminate a sample
Quatrefoil – A four-lobed foliation in architecture
Ultraviolet (UV) light – A wavelength shorter than that of visible light but longer than x-rays; used to illuminate a sample in order to highlight different elements