TEXTURES
TEXTURE is an element of art which refers to the surface quality or "feel" of an object, its
smoothness, roughness, softness, etc. Textures may be actual or simulated. Actual textures
can be felt with the fingers, while simulated textures are suggested by the way the artist has
painted certain areas of a picture.
Everything has a texture. Texture can be rough, bumpy, slick, scratchy, smooth, silky,
soft, prickly, furry - the list is endless.
Artists create the illusion of texture with pencil, paint, wood, stone and clay.
Take a look how this artist has used different textures to “describe” different surfaces
smooth, linear lines to recreate the texture of the car
rough, wavy lines to recreate the shrubbery
Fig 1. David York, Car Series (1996). Pencil.
HOW TO DRAW DIFFERENT TEXTURES
SOFT TEXTURES

HAIR (clusters of fine lines)
Hair can be seen as wavy, rope-like groupings or tight curls
blended into a tonal scribble.
The common error in drawing hair is to start drawing the
strands sprouting out of someone’s head. Rather look at the
shape or the hair and draw the overall shape before you add
shading.
Use a sharp pencil to get the fine feathery look for short hair
and a blunter pencil or charcoal for long curly hair

FOLIAGE
(masses of scribbles & intricate patterns)
Leaves are basically organic scribbles with light
coming through it. Get the main shape of the leaf
first and then repeat the shapes varying them a
little in places. Remember to draw in the direction
of the plant.
Texture strokes change at different distances. This is called aerial perspective. In the first example
below, the bark of the tree is easily visible, in the second example, the grasses can be still be
distinguished in clumps, in the last 2 examples, the tree and hill are no longer distinguishable shapes,
but rather, flat shading.

DRAPERY (hard and soft edges)
When drawing drapery, remember that you are drawing folds (soft shapes) so your first
task is to map them out, adding shading afterwards. The edges are the most important:
whether they are soft or hard.
Crisp, angular shapes with sharp
lines are best done in pencil
Middle and dark shapes are
added with charcoal
Rounded, irregular shapes are
worked in charcoal and softened
with fingers. Highlights are
added with a kneadable eraser.
HARD TEXTURES

METAL (generalised shapes and high contrasts)
The most exciting thing about metallic surfaces is their shiny exterior. The
first step in recreating this texture is to map out the dark and light shapes
with specific attention to your highlights. The white of the paper can be
left or a kneadable eraser can be used.
Also, pay attention to the bend and distortion of the reflection as it
conforms to the surface it’s on e.g. on something cyclindrical, the shapes
will tend to stretch out longitudinally as they follow the curvature, as in the
example alongside.

GLASS (shards of light)
The key to drawing metal or anything shiny, reflective or
transparent, is to carefully observe each little detail of light,
shadow and colour. Glass is a transparent material and the
surface of the glass object is full of reflections and
highlights.. Give special attention to the tonality,
remembering your shades, reflected light and highlights
ART THEORY
Artists who use texture in their work
Picasso: physically pasting on texture
Derain: Portrait painted
with a palette knife
Van Gogh: Impasto textured landscape
An example of all textures:
WOOD Texture: rough
Best Medium: paint
(drybrush)
PETALS
Texture: soft
Best Medium: paint
GLASS
Texture: reflective
Best Medium: watercolour
METAL
Texture: hard / shiny
Best Medium: pencil
(sharp)
MATERIAL
Texture: soft / smooth
Best Medium:
charcoal
paint (wet)
EXERCISES
1.
Remember – try to
make your textured
drawings as tactile
as possible.
Find, and create, your own examples of textures
a) Place a sheet of A4 paper on to a variety of hard, textured surfaces and make a number of
rubbings of these textures (this technique is called Frottage). Stick this in your sketch-pad.
Tip! Don’t choose textures which are too soft because they won’t come through on the paper.
2.
Using the blocked sheet provided
a) In blocks 1 – 3, draw a different texture with a different mark e.g. ballpoint pen, charcoal, paint etc.
b) In blocks 4 – 6, find samples of 3 different textures and paste them (think out the box!)
3.
Find an object that incorporates two contrasting textures in one. Draw it.
e.g.
4.
Choose any object and draw it using an inappropriate texture e.g.