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"impasto"

By Shelley Esaak, About.com

Vincent van Gogh - Starry Night

The Starry Night (1889), The Museum of Modern Art, New York

Scan © Mark Harden, used with permission

Definition:

(noun) - A painting technique, impasto is a thick application of paint (usually oil) that makes no attempt to look smooth. Instead, impasto is unabashedly proud to be textured, and exists to show off brush and palette knife marks. Just think of nearly any van Gogh painting to get a good visual.

Pronunciation: im·pahs·toe

Examples: "I continue to get further away from the usual painter’s tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc. I prefer sticks, trowels, knives and dripping fluid paint or a heavy impasto with sand, broken glass or other foreign matter added." - Jackson Pollock

Shelley Esaak
Guide since 2003

Shelley Esaak
Art History Guide

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