TEXTURES

Texture

Texture is the appearance of a surface. In art, texture can play an important role in making a work more expressive or even define a composition.

Texture can be described as smooth (free of irregularities), uneven (irregular), rough (irregular and coarse), bumpy (covered with bumps), etc.

      Smooth                  Uneven                      Rough                    Bumpy

Tactile and graphic texture

Tactile texture is perceived using touch and sight. When you touch and observe the surface of an object, you perceive whether it is smooth, uneven, rough, etc. Each material has a different texture.

Graphic texture depicts tactile texture using media such as painting, drawing or photography. It can only be perceive using our sense of sight.

Graphic texture can imitate the tactile textures of real objects or be produced creatively, enhancing the expressiveness of a composition.

There are many techniques for creating texture, such as scraping, white space, stencils and printing.

Natural and artificial textures

Natural textures are found on the surface of objects in nature: tree bark, the skin of a rhinoceros, the surface of a quartz crystal or a flower petal.

Artificial textures make up the surface of the materials used to create man-made objects: a vinyl handbag, a painted wall, wrapping paper, etc.

Light and colour in texture

Light and colour are very important aspects to consider when approaching an artistic composition, as they can have a significant effect on how textures are perceived and their expressive qualities.

Side lighting will enhance the effect of relief in a texture, while front lighting can hide and flatten the texture.

Reading comprehension

True or false? Correct the false sentences.

1. A smooth surface is covered with irregularities and rough sections.

2. If you rub your hand on a rough surface, you might hurt it.

3. We use only our sense of touch to perceive tactile textures.

4. Graphic textures represent tactile textures using different artistic mediums.

5. We cannot perceive graphic texture using our sense of touch.

6. Tree bark is an example of a natural texture.

7. Light and colour do not affect how texture is perceived.

8. Side lighting makes it more difficult to see the texture of a surface.

ACTIVITY

You have to create visual textures using the following methods.

1. Cover the surface using points, lines and spots.

2. Make a frottage placing a rough surface under the paper. Then rubbed on the sheet with a soft pencil or crayons until  texture underneath  arise.

3. Smudge color pencils with a cotton swab.