Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

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Definition of categories and sub-categories

•	Book/Album
	A work of art in the form of a book or album. This sub-category includes illustrated books, artists' books, object books and albums belonging to more than one discipline. It does not include sketchbooks, which are to be classified in the "Drawing" sub-category, albums of prints, which are to be classified in the "Print" sub-category, or photograph albums, which are to be classified in the "Photography" sub-category.
•	Drawing
	A work of art, most often two-dimensional, consisting mainly of lines made directly on the surface of the support, generally paper. This sub-category includes drawing notebooks, albums containing mostly drawings, collages, silhouettes and illuminations. It also includes digital drawings.
•	Fibre/Paper-matter
	A work of art created from paper or other animal, mineral, metallic, plant or synthetic fibre. Consists of hollowed-out, flat or relief shapes rather than lines or graphic signs as in traditional drawings; may also include materials or highlighting done with dry or liquid media.
•	Installation
	A work of contemporary art associating various materials or objects in a given space that forms an integral part of the work. Installations are characterized by their multidisciplinary approach.
•	Mixed Media
	A work of art employing different expressive techniques associated with at least two sub-categories, unless one sub-category is obviously predominant. The different media, supports and materials are often mixed with three-dimensional elements or found objects. Complementary collages or assemblages, however, are not necessarily considered mixed medias. Similarly, installations are not part of this sub-category, because of the concept of space that forms an integral part of the work.
•	Multimedia Work
	A work of art created with technology using electronics, computers or new means of communication, unless it is less important or less evident than of another sub-category.
•	Painting
	A work of art, most often two-dimensional, produced mainly through the application of one or more dry or liquid media, in masses of colour more than in lines, on one or more generally rigid supports.
•	Photography
	A work of art, most often two-dimensional, produced by the action of light or any other type of radiant energy on a sensitive surface. This sub-category includes holograms and digital photography.
•	Print
	A work of art, most often two-dimensional, presenting an image printed from a matrix or any other printing process, including digital. This sub-category also includes albums of prints.
•	Sculpture
	A three-dimensional work of art suggesting shapes, representations or volumes in space.
•	Video/Film
	A work of art, created by recording and processing images, possibly accompanied by sound, using electronic means, on magnetic media, film or digital media.

In classifying objects, first use the sub-category of which the generic term is related to the function, e.g. "Jewellery," "Game/Toy" or "Furnishings," and then the more specific sub-category related to the raw material used, such as "Ceramics," "Enamels" or "Ivory," etc.

•	Bookbinding
	An object created to bind the pages of a book together using artisanal methods. Such objects are often included in leatherwork. Artists' books should be included in the "Book/Album" sub-category of the "Fine Arts" category.
•	Ceramics
	An object created from clay or any other derived product (faïence, porcelain, etc.). Some ceramic figurines, such as Etruscan or pre-Columbian figurines, are associated with sculpture. This restriction also applies to more-contemporary pieces, with the exception of knick-knacks.
•	Costume
	An object made from plant, mineral, animal or synthetic fibres, created to cover the body. This sub-category includes clothing accessories.
•	Enamels
	An object obtained by applying a vitreous coating to a hard surface and then baking it to solidify it. Enamels are most often made on metal plates.
•	Furnishings
	An object created to make individuals comfortable in their working and living areas. The "Furnishings" sub-category includes all objects used in homes and other premises, such as chairs, tables and desks.
•	Game/Toy
	An object created for entertainment. This sub-category includes games and puppets.
•	Glass
	An object created from glass. Pieces associated with the "Furnishings," "Stained Glass" and "Mosaics" sub-categories are not included.
•	Gold- and Silversmithing
	An object fabricated by a gold- or silversmith from precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum. It may be for decoration, adornment, worship, table service or other domestic use, and may also serve as a medium of exchange.
•	Graphic Design
	An object created to develop a concept or image to attract public attention to a product, a service or an event and to encourage a positive reaction to the elements promoted. This sub-category may include posters or advertising logos, trademarks and company logos.
•	Industrial Design
	An object produced in series and created with industrial methods intended to achieve a high level of formal quality. Although this encompasses all objects in the human environment, it is best to choose sub-categories related to such traditional groups as "Furnishings," "Jewellery" and "Game/Toy."
•	Ivory
	An object resulting from working ivory. Relief pieces (diptychs and triptychs) and figures related to sculpture should be included in the "Sculpture" sub-category, and paintings on ivory in the "Painting" sub-category, both in the "Fine Arts" category.
•	Jewellery
	An object created to be worn on the body or on clothing as an ornament. This sub-category includes talismans or amulets to which magic powers are attributed.
•	Metals
	An object created from metal. This sub-category includes weapons and armour. Objetcs of gold, silver or platinum, however, are included in the "Gold- and Silversmithing" sub-category, while some other metal objects are associated with the "Jewellery" and "Furnishings" sub-categories.
•	Mosaics
	An object created by assembling tessera or small heterogeneous pieces (enamels, marble, stone, smalt, terra cotta, glass, etc.), generally cemented together and combined to form a motif or image.
•	Numismatics
	An object, most often of struck or cast metal, characteristic in shape, used as a medium of exchange (coins), commemoration (medals) or authentication (seals).
•	Stained Glass
	An object or panel whose transparent composition is achieved by assembling pieces (mainly glass) or plates of coloured or painted glass.
•	Textile
	An object consisting of plant, mineral, animal or synthetic fibres or materials, with the exception of those associated with the "Costume" sub-category. These hand-made or machine-made objects are used to decorate inhabited spaces.
•	Various Crafts
	An object created by craft techniques, using various materials, and which cannot be included in any other sub-category.
•	Wallpaper
	An object or paper created to decorate walls and woodwork. This work, associated particularly with interior decoration, is related to printing techniques.
•	Wood/Woodcraft
	A utilitarian object produced by woodwork. This sub-category includes carved ornaments or reliefs applied to architectural elements. Furniture and furniture accessories are associated with the "Furnishings" sub-category and objects created by carving, such as figureheads, are included in the "Sculpture" sub-category of the "Fine Arts" category.