Impasto
/ɪmˈpæstəʊ/noun
A painting technique where paint is laid on a canvas in very thick layers so you can see brush or knife marks.
Van Gogh often used impasto in his art to add texture and bring his paintings to life.
Often appears as...
- impasto technique
- thick impasto
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Art Technique
Understand 'impasto' as a method artists use to add texture and depth to paintings.
She admired the impasto, feeling the ridges formed by the painter's knife.
Pro Tip 2/3Visible Strokes
'Impasto' means you can often see the tool marks left on the painting, like brushstrokes.
The impasto created a sense of movement with the visible brush strokes.
Pro Tip 3/3Thick Application
The paint is applied very thickly in 'impasto', sometimes straight from the tube.
In his impasto work, the artist's thick use of paint gave a 3D effect.
Compare with
bodyconsistencyfullrichtextureviscosity
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