Cross-sections of two thick raised strokes on a ground: oil can hold tall, crisp ridges; acrylic is often built up with gel or paste.

Concept · Working With Each

Brushwork and Impasto

Impasto is paint laid on thick enough to stand up from the surface and keep the mark of the brush.

Some oil colors come stiff and buttery from the tube; others flow.

  • Acrylic gels and pastes are thickened acrylic mediums; fillers such as calcite or silica change their texture.
  • A Jules Olitski impasto at MoMA, probably built from gel, was found still slightly soft and uncracked; the gel had discolored somewhat.

See

Image: Made for this site · Original work

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