Grades K–2 · Arts & Music
How can marks suggest a texture?
A drawing of a furry animal can look soft even though the page feels smooth. The artist has used marks that remind us of visible features of fur. Looking gives clues about a surface without letting us touch that surface.
In the diagramMarks can suggest a pictured textureAppearance is different from touch.Repeated marks give a surface appearance.Suggested appearance: rough.
Many short, hair-like marks can suggest fur because real fur has many strands. Uneven, jagged marks can suggest rough edges or bumps. Long flowing marks can suggest a smoother surface. The marks work together to create a pictured texture.
Changing those marks changes the appearance inside the picture. It does not turn the flat page or screen into stone, silk or fur. A picture can tell us something about how a material might look while remaining made of a different material itself. Seen texture and felt texture are related ideas, but they are not the same experience.
About this explanation
Starting knowledge: Notice jagged, smooth or hair-like marks in a picture with adult read-aloud support.
Sources
- Getty Education — Understanding Formal Analysis: Texture