Texture
Actual texture refers to the
qualities of a surface that are experienced through the sense of touch. Graphic artists such as painters sometimes use thick applications of paint called scumbling or impasto, to stimulate tactile interest. However, actual texture is most evident in the work of three-dimensional artists who select materials and use treatments such as patinas and glazes to enhance the tactile qualities. Often artists use contrast, playing very different textures off of one another, to amplify the visceral impact of the textures and make the viewer more sensitive to the physicality of the work.