If someone were asked to define texture, they might reply, ". . .the feel of an object's surface." This is an example of the way in which we often assume texture is something which must be physically felt in order to understand it. Texture is something which we feel when we interact with our surroundings. But, our understanding of texture is not limited to touch. Texture can be "felt" with our eyes also.
The visual element of texture must be looked at first from a tactile standpoint. If one picks up a peach, one may say that it feels, "soft." Likewise, if one looks at a picture of peach, one might say that it looks, "soft." This is because our sense of touch cooperates with our eyes to give us a better understanding of our surroundings. Just as the fingers can sense that a rock may have a rough and coarse surface, the eyes can also pick up the small variations in texture before even being touched. This has great significance in the world of visual arts and literacy. If the element of texture is more understood, then a more "hands-on" approach can be given when observing the intense visual world which we live in today.
Some of the other elements of visual literacy are also related to texture. For instance, dot and line are the basic elements by which all visual images are composed. Thus they can add to or take away from the element of texture. Also, the eye interprets visual texture as the implied minute variations in dimension which have no actual tactile value.
The following examples show the different textural aspects of images. ____________________________________________________________________
In the image above, the baby's skin appears smooth and soft. There are few dots or lines interrupting the surface of the baby's cheeks, as one finds in the wrinkles of an older person's skin. The value is also very even, enhancing the illusion of the skin's smoothness.
In the above closeup of the baby's face, one can see even better how the lack of detail communicates a smooth texture while the gentle nuances of color and value make the viewer believe the baby's skin would be soft.
____________________________________________________________________
The above painting shows an old woman's face which is delineated and roughened by age. This is in sharp textural contrast to the smooth image of the baby. The surface of her skin is interrupted with lines, changes in value, and variations of hue.
The above image is a closeup of the woman in the painting. When one gets a closer look, it is easy to see how the artist used delicate alterations in dimension to give the wrinkles depth, an illusion which "roughens" the skin. In this closeup, the brush strokes resemble the curves on an etching or a topographic map. This image provides a clear depiction of how a two-dimensional image can give the impression of three-dimensional texture. ____________________________________________________________________
Both of the sets of images give us a clear understanding of texture's influence on visual images. Hopefully, these examples have made the difference between tactile and optical texture more clear and applicable to daily life. Tactile texture is what we can feel with our sense of touch, while optical texture is what we make of visual texture in the images we see. In addition, the sense of sight and touch are obviously related when observing two-dimensional images. This is shown by our ability to tell what the texture of a photograph or painting would represent in reality. Our knowledge of the visual element of texture is also made possible with the help of the dot and the line. These two elements compose everything we see in an image, including texture. For example we see how the artist made use of both of these elements when marking the old woman's face. Also, dimension is one of the more important aids to the appearance of texture. For example, if one looks at the surface of the old lady's face blown up, the rough edges of her wrinkles almost appear to be cut into the painting. By manipulating the brush the artist enhances the texture of the old lady's face by imitating subtle changes in dimension.
Introduction
References
Credits