As usual, my grandkids had me laughing.

During an art project, four-year-old Liam watched paper spin as paint flew to the edges. When I said the word centrifugal, his tongue twisted trying to repeat it — and we both burst out laughing.

Centrifugal was officially declared a funny word.

A few minutes later, we switched tools and started painting with brayers. Liam tilted his head and said,“It sounds like a donkey snorting… bra-a-a-ay!”

Another funny word.

That’s when it hit me — the art world is full of wonderfully odd, silly-sounding words. And sometimes, that’s reason enough to smile.

My top 10 favorite funny-sounding art words — no art degree required.

PLEIN-AIR (pleh-nair)

A French term used to describe painting outdoors, capturing natural light and atmosphere.

Think Claude Monet, and Pierre-Au guste Renoir.

I’ll admit — I’m not a plein air painter.

Three reasons why:

• Flies in my rinse water

• Hot summer heat drying my paints

• Bright sun distorting color intensity

• Wind making my canas sail like a kite

I much prefer the controlled atmosphere of my studio.

Developed in the mid-19th century to characterize painting outdoors, capturing the natural air and light by the artist.

GICLEE (zhee-clay)

Another French word — and a tricky one.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pronounce it, you’re not alone. It’s a soft “zh” sound, followed by clay.

In the art world, a giclée is a high-quality reproduction printed with archival inks. It’s advanced technology that has changed how artists share their work — without massive print runs.

Funny word. Serious quality.

DIPTYCH - (dip-tik)

A work of art made of two panels that belong together, forming one unified piece.

Two parts. One story.

EMULSION (ih-muhl-shuhn)

A mixture of two liquids that don’t naturally blend — like oil and water.

When they do come together, they can create beautifully unexpected textures. Paint pouring techniques rely on emulsion to work their magic.

ASSEMBLAGE - (uh-sem-blij)

(uh-sem-blij)

Three-dimensional art created from found objects.

This style dates back to early 20th-century artists like Pablo Picasso  and later became popular through artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns.

Scrappy. Inventive. Delightfully unexpected

GOUACHE - (goo-ahsh)

An opaque watercolor paint with rich, vibrant color.

Henri Matisse  famously used gouache in his later years, cutting shapes from painted paper to create what we now call his cut-outs.

Simple materials. Powerful results.

FROTTAGE -  (fraw-tahzh)

A technique that involves rubbing graphite, charcoal, or chalk over textured surfaces to capture patterns beneath.

 Max Ernst helped popularize this technique, turning texture into storytelling.

TURPENTINE (tur-puhn-tine)

A familiar word — but still a funny one.

Sharp scent. Tangy smell.If you’ve ever stepped into an oil painter’s studio, you know it instantly.

Turpentine cleans tools — and announces itself boldly.

Why Funny Words Matter

Sometimes laughter doesn’t come from jokes or punchlines.Sometimes it comes from the simple absurdity of language.

Funny words interrupt seriousness.They loosen the grip of a long day.They remind us not everything needs to be heavy to be meaningful.

Art words can make you laugh — and that’s reason enough to keep them around.

If you’re smiling, mission accomplished

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Enjoy more, read Don’t Pull Your Hair Out — Laugh Instead