Notes on Painting ~ Texture

Reflect, acrylic on cradled birch panel, 12 x 12 inches

I search for the realness, the real feeling of a subject,
​all the texture around it. . . I always want to see the third dimension of something. . . I want to come alive with the object. 
~Andrew Wyeth~

Our world is full of texture. Almost as much as color, I am keenly aware of the textures in my environment. Soft grasses, bristly pines, wispy clouds, ripples on water, are just a few of the endless textures we can experience in the landscape. Keep reading to discover why I love the element of texture in painting.

Awaken, acrylic on cradled birch panel, 12 x 12 inches

As an element of design texture can be actual, invented or simulated. In painting, texture is a perceived surface quality. When I painted representationally, I strived to simulate the texture of the subject as much as the color and form. Now that I enjoy abstraction, actual and invented texture play an important role in my paintings. 

Wonder, acrylic on cradled birch panel, 12 x 12 inches

​I like how texture can draw the viewer in as it stimulates two senses, sight as well as touch. Texture can add depth to a painting. When combined with other design elements such as rhythm and contrasting value the use of texture can create emphasis. A rough textured surface is more visually active while a smooth surface may be more restful.

Secrets, acrylic on cradled birch panel, 12 x 12 inches

But what I like best about texture is that it brings attention to the act of painting – to the very process itself. I have always responded more positively to art that looks like the media it was created with. I like seeing pencil marks in a graphite drawing and evidence of brush strokes in a painting. I enjoy the juxtaposition of a smooth, polished area next to one that is roughly layered. I find there is an energy in the texture of the media left behind for the viewer to discover.  And it's that energy, energy of the environment that inspired the work as well as the energy of the painting process itself, that I hope to communicate in my art.

I’m never afraid of pattern or texture.
~Ashley Nell Tipton~ (American designer)

As always, paintings shown here are available in my Etsy shop. Clicking on the photos should take you right there.
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​*All images and content in this article is ©Ann Thompson Nemcosky.
Please do not reproduce in any way. Thank you. *