Meaning & use
artistic skill
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Meanings
phrasecountable or uncountable
The ability to make or judge art well, especially drawing, painting, or design.
Grammar: Uncountable for general ability ('great artistic skill'), countable for a specific one ('a special artistic skill').
Patterns
- have artistic skill
- show artistic skill
- develop artistic skill
Her artistic skill is clear in every drawing she makes.
He showed great artistic skill at an early age.
The job requires artistic skill as well as patience.
phrasecountable
A particular ability in art, such as mixing colors or shaping clay.
Grammar: Often used with 'a' or in the plural when talking about specific abilities.
Patterns
- a rare artistic skill
- learn artistic skills
Mixing skin tones is a difficult artistic skill to master.
Students learn artistic skills like printmaking and photography.
Word forms
| plural | artistic skills |
|---|
Common combinations
- develop artistic skill
- You can develop artistic skill with regular practice.
- natural artistic skill
- She has natural artistic skill and needs very little instruction.
- demonstrate artistic skill
- The children demonstrated artistic skill in the school exhibition.
- a high level of artistic skill
- The mural shows a high level of artistic skill.
Synonyms and how they differ
- artistic talent
- Talent suggests a natural gift, while skill often suggests ability gained through training.
- artistry
- More formal and often about the quality of a finished work; artistic skill can refer simply to a person's ability.
Word family
- skill noun
- The ability to do something well, especially after practice.
- skilled adjective
- Having or showing skill.
- skillfully adverb
- In a way that shows skill.
Commonly confused: artistic skill or artistic skill?
artistic skill vs artistic skill
Do not confuse 'skill' with 'skills' only in grammar: 'skill' is the general ability, 'skills' are specific things you can do.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
When talking about ability in general, 'artistic skill' is uncountable, so no article and no plural. 'A great artistic skill' suggests one specific ability, which is less natural here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “artistic skill”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.