Impasto

Impasto (Italian: " dough ") is a painting technique in which the colors are applied very thick. You can see the brush strokes or the imprints of Malmessers significantly. The color can also be applied so thick that individual colors are mixed directly on the painting surface and not on the pallet. After drying, the relief-like structure is preserved.

Because of their rather thicker consistency and its long drying time, which can be further extended by adding linseed oil, especially oil paint is often used for impasto. Also acrylic paint can be used, besides, the short drying time of the ink is often extended by appropriate mediums. Water or tempera paints can not be used because of its liquid consistency for impasto.

The impasto is used mainly for two reasons. Firstly, the light is reflected by the surface structure, the artist can directly influence the incidence of light. Secondly, the image will have power and dynamism, the viewer can see the brush strokes, the speed and the strength of the paint. Painters such as Rembrandt or Titian used the impasto mainly to affect the light in her paintings, the folds of clothing or jewelry received the desired plasticity. In later times, the expressive power of the impasto was a reason for the use. So impasto by Vincent van Gogh has often been applied. As a modern example of the work of the English painter Frank Auerbach can serve, which creates impasto with almost three-dimensional images.

• Technique