Kunstitehnika

Kunstitehnika (Estonian for "art technique" or "art technology") is a field at the intersection of art and practical craft that focuses on the methods, processes, and materials used to create artworks. It covers the knowledge and skills required to plan, prepare, execute, and finish artistic work, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, photography, and digital media. In many education systems, kunstitehnika is taught as a core component of art education, providing students with hands-on experience with tools, equipment, safety practices, and studio workflow, and it complements art history and theory by enabling students to realize artistic ideas.

The scope has broadened with technological development. Traditional media remain foundational, but contemporary kunstitehnika also includes digital technologies such as computer graphics, 3D modeling, 3D printing, laser cutting, video, and interactive media, as well as design-for-manufacture workflows. Practitioners learn material properties, procedures for layering and finishing surfaces, and documentation of process, including sketches, test pieces, and technical notes.

In educational contexts, the aim is to develop technical competence alongside creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The term is primarily used in Estonian-speaking contexts, but similar concepts exist worldwide under terms like art techniques, craft, or technical drawing.