WordValeimpasto
paint applied thickly so brushstrokes are visible
In more detail
1. (noun) a painting technique where paint is applied thickly to a canvas so that the brushstrokes or palette knife marks are visible and create a textured surface
2. (noun) the thick paint or pigment itself applied in this way
Examples
- 1. The artist used impasto to create bold, three-dimensional effects in the landscape painting.
- 2. You can see the impasto built up on the canvas, giving the flowers a rich, tactile quality.
How to use impasto
Impasto is a specialized art term used primarily in painting and art criticism to describe both the technique of laying down thick paint and the resulting visual and tactile texture. It is most commonly associated with oil painting but can be used with acrylics and other media. The term emphasizes the physical materiality of paint itself rather than its illusionistic properties, often creating a three-dimensional quality on the canvas surface.
Common phrases
- impasto technique
- apply impasto
- impasto texture
- oil paint impasto
- impasto brushwork
- heavy impasto
Synonyms
thick paint application · textured paint · paint buildup · heavy paint layer
Word family
impastoed (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse impasto with simply 'thick paint' without recognizing that the defining feature is the deliberate creation of visible, expressive brushmarks or palette knife marks that remain textured on the surface rather than being blended smooth.
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