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Young Hare, 1502 Albrecht Dürer
Definition: Texture is how something feels, or looks like it would feel
There are 2 types of texture artist use:
Tactile/Physical, or Actual Texture, is the way the surface feels to touch. If you run you hand over the surface, you can feel it (like an oriental rug or impasto paint)
Visual or Implied Texture, is the way a surface looks like it would feel. If you run your hand over the surface, you can not feel the texture (clever use of shading).
What is texture in art used for?
Adds depth and dimension
Draw attention to certain elements in an artwork
Can create a sense of balance with another element
Creates a sense of physicality
Untitled (S.022) by Ruth Asawa, ca. 1965, via Ruth Asawa website
Critique Words:
~Rough ~Fine ~Smooth ~Coarse ~Prickly ~Scaly ~Embossed ~Silky ~Shiny ~Wet ~Feathery
Video by KQED Art School
Texture - Sketchbook Notes 2024Complete these notes in your sketchbook
Texture uses in the beginning of this video
Teresa Elliott, Deliverance
Justin Gaffrey
Mike Kelley, 1987More Love Hours Than Can Ever Be Repaid and The Wages of Sin
Rococo Revival Armchair, Needles, John, 1786-1878Used for the nominating convention of the 1844 Whig Party in Baltimore
Auguste Rodin, Thought Emerging From Matter, 1895
Ka’apor culture, Necklace with attached flute, 1955-1962
Donatello, Penitent Magdalene, 1453-1455
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889
Robert RauschenbergMonogram, 1955-1959
Away from home (1952) by Andrew Wyeth
Head of an ObaEdo peoples18th century
Silk Kashan Carpet, 16th century
Portrait of a Textile Worker, 2005Terese Agnew
Figura en una finestra (Figure at the Window)Salvador DalíFigueras, Girona, Spain, 1904 - 1989
Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434
Armin Mersmann, Eye Drawings
Buddhas from the Otagi-Nenbutsi Temple, Kyoto Japan
"In the World But Don't Know the World" (2019) by El Anatsui
Deeper Thinking Questions:
Deeper Thinking Questions:
How can artists create the illusion of texture in a two-dimensional work?
How does texture contribute to the overall sensory experience of an artwork?
Can you think of an artwork where texture plays a crucial role in its impact or meaning?
How does the use of actual texture versus implied texture change the viewer's experience of an artwork?
Analyze how artists can create the illusion of texture on a two-dimensional surface. What techniques do they employ?
How has the concept and use of texture evolved throughout art history? Consider examples from different art movements or cultures.
In what ways can an artist manipulate texture to evoke specific emotions or sensory experiences from viewers?
How might an artist's cultural background or personal experiences influence their approach to texture in their work?
Compare and contrast the use of texture in traditional painting versus mixed media or collage art. What fundamental differences do you notice?
How can the interplay between smooth and rough textures enhance the visual and tactile appeal of a sculpture?
Analyze how artists can use texture to guide the viewer's eye through a composition or create focal points.
How do different materials (e.g., clay, fabric, digital pixels) affect an artist's ability to create and manipulate texture?
Evaluate the role of texture in architecture. How does it differ from its use in other visual arts?
How can artists use the interplay between multiple textures to create contrast or harmony in a composition?
Analyze the psychological impact of different types of textures. For example, how might rough textures affect a viewer differently than smooth textures?
How might an artist's use of texture reflect or challenge societal norms or expectations of their time?
In what ways can texture be used to create a sense of depth or dimensionality in a two-dimensional artwork?
How do you think the use of texture in art has been influenced by advancements in material science and technology?
Analyze how texture can be used to convey a sense of time or weathering in a sculpture or painting. Can you think of specific examples?
How might an artist's physical capabilities or limitations affect their manipulation of texture? Consider artists with different sensory abilities.
In what ways can texture be used to convey a sense of movement or energy in a static piece of art?
How do you think the concept and use of texture might evolve in future art forms, such as virtual reality or interactive digital art?
Analyze how the scale and proportion of textures within a composition can affect the viewer's perception and interpretation of the artwork.
How might an artist's choice of tools influence their approach to texture? Consider traditional tools versus modern or unconventional tools.
In what ways can the study of texture in art influence how we perceive and interpret textures in the natural world around us?
How can artists use texture to challenge or subvert traditional notions of surface and form in art?
Analyze how the relationship between visual texture and tactile texture can create interesting contrasts or harmonies in sculpture.
How might the concept of texture differ in representational versus abstract art? How does this impact the viewer's interpretation?
In what ways can an artist use texture to engage multiple senses beyond just sight and touch? Consider how texture might evoke associations with sound, taste, or smell.
How does the viewer's cultural background or personal experiences influence their interpretation and appreciation of texture in art?
Analyze how texture can be used to create a dialogue between the artwork and its surrounding environment, particularly in public art or site-specific installations.
How can the manipulation of texture affect the perceived weight or mass of an object in a painting or sculpture?
In what ways can texture be used to create patterns or rhythms within an artwork?
How might an artist's emotional state or mental health influence their use of texture in their work?
Analyze how texture can be used to create symbolism or metaphor in art. How can different textures carry cultural or universal meanings?
How can the study and manipulation of texture in art translate to other fields, such as product design, fashion, or interior architecture?
In what ways can texture be used to challenge the traditional boundaries between different art forms (e.g., painting and sculpture)?
How might the use of unexpected or contrasting textures in an artwork challenge the viewer's preconceptions or create cognitive dissonance
Analyze how texture can be used to represent different social or economic classes in portraiture or genre painting.
How can artists use texture to create optical illusions or trompe l'oeil effects?
In what ways can the absence of texture (extreme smoothness) be used as a powerful artistic choice?
"Unique Forms of Continuity in Space" by Umberto Boccioni showcases dynamic texture through the depiction of a figure in motion, with rippling lines and flowing surfaces that convey a sense of movement and energy.
"Unique Forms of Continuity in Space" showcases dynamic texture through its depiction of a figure in motion. The sculpture's rippling lines and flowing surfaces convey a sense of movement and energy, capturing the essence of a body in motion and emphasizing the sculpture's fluid and dynamic form. The varying textures create visual interest and invite viewers to engage with the sculpture from different angles.
Explanation: Boccioni's "Unique Forms of Continuity in Space" features a textured surface that conveys a sense of movement and dynamism. The rippling lines and flowing contours of the sculpture's surface create a tactile quality that suggests the figure's motion through space. The varied textures, from smooth curves to sharp angles, enhance the sculpture's visual interest and invite tactile exploration, adding depth and dimension to the overall composition.
Texture:
Isamu Noguchi's "The Well" - Noguchi's sculpture features a rough, textured surface that invites tactile exploration. The artist's use of uneven textures adds depth and visual interest to the sculpture, creating a sense of ruggedness and natural beauty. Viewers are drawn to touch the sculpture's surface, engaging multiple senses in the experience of the artwork.
Anish Kapoor's "Cloud Gate" - Kapoor's iconic sculpture showcases a smooth, reflective surface that creates an interactive experience for viewers. The mirror-like texture of the sculpture reflects the surrounding environment, blurring the boundaries between art and reality. The seamless, polished texture of the sculpture invites viewers to see themselves reflected in the artwork, creating a sense of connection and self-awareness.
Louise Nevelson's wooden sculptures - Nevelson's intricate wood assemblages play with texture, light, and shadow to create complex visual experiences. The artist's use of varied textures in her sculptures adds richness and depth to the work, inviting viewers to explore the interplay of light and dark, rough and smooth surfaces. The tactile quality of the sculptures enhances their sculptural presence and materiality.
Jean Arp's "Sculpture to Be Lost in the Forest" - Arp's sculpture features organic, rough textures that blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. The artist's use of textured surfaces mimics the rough bark and uneven terrain of a forest, creating a sense of harmony and unity with nature. The tactile quality of the sculpture invites viewers to engage with its surface, forging a connection between art and environment.
Value in Ceramic Art:
Bernard Leach's Tea Bowls - Leach's ceramic tea bowls showcase the Element of Art 'Value' through his mastery of creating subtle variations in light and dark values on the surfaces of his vessels. The artist's tea bowls feature rich glazes that interact with light to create a range of values, from deep shadows to highlights, accentuating the form and texture of the vessels. The value quality of Leach's tea bowls highlights his skill in using value to enhance the visual and tactile qualities of his functional ceramics, inviting contemplation of the interplay between form, surface, and light in ceramic art.
Maria Martinez's Blackware Pottery - Martinez's blackware pottery illustrates the Element of Art 'Value' through her iconic black-on-black pottery style that relies on subtle variations in sheen and texture to create depth and dimension on ceramic surfaces. The artist's pottery features polished and matte areas that create a contrast of light and dark values, emphasizing the sculptural and graphic qualities of her vessels. The value quality of Martinez's blackware pottery highlights her innovation in using value as a design element to evoke a sense of elegance, timelessness, and cultural heritage in her ceramic artworks.
Peter Voulkos' Abstract Sculptures - Voulkos' abstract ceramic sculptures showcase the Element of Art 'Value' through his bold and expressive manipulation of form, texture, and value in his monumental artworks. The artist's sculptures feature dynamic and gestural surfaces that capture the interplay of light and shadow, creating dramatic contrasts of values that emphasize the raw and tactile nature of clay. The value quality of Voulkos' sculptures highlights his pioneering approach to using value as a means of creating visual impact, energy, and presence in ceramic art, pushing the boundaries of traditional ceramic practice into the realm of abstract expressionism.
Beatrice Wood's Lusterware Vessels - Wood's lusterware vessels illustrate the Element of Art 'Value' through her lustrous and iridescent glazes that create shimmering and reflective surfaces with a range of values. The artist's vessels feature intricate patterns and metallic finishes that play with light to produce effects of depth, luminosity, and richness in color and value. The value quality of Wood's lusterware vessels highlights her experimental and innovative use of glaze technology to enhance the visual allure and decorative appeal of her ceramics, showcasing the transformative and magical qualities of value in ceramic art.
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