"Pastoral," derived from the same root as "pasture," typically indicates something having to do with shepherds or other kinds of livestock keepers. In art, a "pastoral" piece depicts figures in rural life in some form, even if not necessarily a scene of herding. After the Industrial Revolution, such paintings were made to evoke a country life that was seen as gone.

A study is done before a work is finished, and does not refer to how elements are put together in a work. Matte refers to a non-glassy surface or finish. A collage may incorporate different style or mediums (the material the artist works with), but does not refer to how these are arranged. Composition describes how the elements come together to create the work.