image DAY 31 ART 101

Texture

FEELING WITH YOUR EYES

 

Unlike other elements of art, texture engages our sense of touch. Soft, silky, rough, bumpy, slick, grainy—all of these tactile qualities (and more) can be represented with drawing or painting media, triggering our brain to imagine what the surface may feel like.

 

The appearance of texture (or perceived texture) emerges when light falls across a surface. Light defines even the subtlest of peaks and dips, helping us “read” the feel of a surface. Communicating this dynamic between light and shadow is essential for realistic drawing and painting. Don’t underestimate the benefits of incorporating a variety of textures into your work; a scene without texture can run the risk of appearing flat.

 

Distinct from perceived texture is actual texture. Just as you might guess, this refers to the physical texture of a surface—one that you can touch and feel. Artists sometimes enhance their paintings with actual texture by applying thick impasto strokes. In this case, the thick paint has dimension and casts subtle shadows onto the canvas. —ETG

SEE FOR YOURSELF!

• For an example of perceived texture, turn to Boucher’s Lovers in a Park on page 372. Note the satin-soft billows of fabric that make up each woman’s dress.

• In van Gogh’s Sunflowers on page 22, the actual texture of the blue background enlivens what could have been a flat, solid space.

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