impasto

[im-pas-toh, -pah-stoh]

noun

Painting.

1. the laying on of paint thickly.

2. the paint so laid on.

3. enamel or slip applied to a ceramic object to form a decoration in low relief.

impasto

/ ɪmˈpæstəʊ /

noun

1. paint applied thickly, so that brush and palette knife marks are evident

2. the technique of applying paint in this way

Word History and Origins

Origin of impasto¹

1775–85; < Italian, noun derivative of impastare to impaste

Word History and Origins

Origin of impasto¹

C18: from Italian, from impastare; see _impaste

Example Sentences

The paint itself ranges from thick impasto to thin washes that can presage those of Color Field paintings.

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Was it possible that van Gogh had deliberately added handfuls of sand and pebbles to his paint to thicken his impasto and give it a grittier texture?

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But the artist’s representational pictures retained elements of his abstractions, including their loose brushwork, thick impasto and a palette heavy on pink, red and black.

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“Rail,” which is thick with black impasto and bright colors fighting to be seen, has been cut apart and stitched back together.

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It’s here where he starts moving on from the more conservative palette of his earlier work to the vivid colors — and the beginnings of his signature thick brushstrokes, or “impasto” — of his most famous works.

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