Texture in Art

Grade 2 · Art · Study Guide

Learn how artists use texture to make artwork feel rough, smooth, bumpy, or soft.

Texture is the way something feels when you touch it, or the way it looks like it would feel. Artists use texture to make their artwork more interesting.

There are two kinds of texture in art. Real texture is something you can actually feel with your fingers. If you touch tree bark or sandpaper, you feel real texture. Implied texture is texture you can see in a picture but cannot feel because it is flat. A painting of fur looks fluffy, but the paint is smooth.

Artists create texture in many ways. They can use thick paint and spread it with a knife or brush to make bumpy surfaces. They can also do rubbings by placing paper over a rough surface and rubbing a crayon over it. Collage is another way to add texture by gluing different materials like fabric, sand, or leaves onto paper.

Looking at texture helps us describe artwork. We use words like rough, smooth, bumpy, fuzzy, hard, soft, scratchy, and silky to describe textures. Next time you look at a piece of art, ask yourself: does this look rough or smooth? Does it look soft or hard?

Key terms

Texture: The way something feels or looks like it would feel
Real texture: Texture you can actually touch and feel with your fingers
Implied texture: Texture you can see in a picture but the surface is actually flat
Collage: Artwork made by gluing different materials onto a surface
Rubbing: A technique where you rub a crayon over paper placed on a textured surface

Flashcards

Texture: The way a surface feels or looks like it would feel
Real texture: Texture you can actually touch, like sandpaper or tree bark
Implied texture: Texture that looks real in a picture but is flat when you touch it
Rough: A texture that is bumpy and uneven, like rocks
Smooth: A texture that is flat and even, like glass
Collage: Art made by gluing materials like fabric or paper together
Rubbing: Placing paper on a surface and rubbing crayon over it to copy the texture
Soft: A texture that feels gentle, like cotton or fur

Questions

What is texture in art?
1. The colors used in a painting
2. The way something feels or looks like it would feel
3. The size of a piece of artwork
4. The shape of an object
Show answer
Answer: The way something feels or looks like it would feel
Texture describes the way something feels or looks like it would feel, which is what makes surfaces seem rough, smooth, bumpy, or soft.
Implied texture is texture you can actually feel with your fingers.
Show answer
Answer: False
Implied texture only looks like it has texture but is actually a flat surface you cannot feel.
Which of these is an example of real texture?
1. A photo of fur
2. A drawing of sandpaper
3. Actual tree bark
4. A painted brick wall
Show answer
Answer: Actual tree bark
Actual tree bark is something you can touch and feel, making it real texture.
Artwork made by gluing different materials onto a surface is called a ______.
Show answer
Answer: collage
A collage is created by gluing different materials such as fabric, sand, or paper onto a surface.
Artists can create texture by doing rubbings with a crayon over paper placed on a rough surface.
Show answer
Answer: True
Rubbings are made by placing paper over a textured surface and rubbing a crayon across it to pick up the texture pattern.

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