Impasto is a painting technique that adds more than just color to the canvas—it adds texture and depth you can physically see and feel.

For anyone wondering what is the impasto technique, it’s all about the application of thick paint, usually with a palette knife or stiff brush, creating three-dimensional strokes that stand out from the surface.

Artists like Vincent van Gogh and Frank Auerbach have used impasto to give their works a tactile quality, making their paintings feel alive with energy and movement.

This technique is not just about making the paint thick; it’s about how you build texture, use light and shadow, and manipulate the paint for dramatic effect.

In this article, you’ll learn the core methods for mastering impasto, how to choose the right materials and tools, and the best techniques for preservation. Whether you’re new to the style or refining your skills, this guide covers everything you need.

Materials and Tools for Impasto Painting

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Paint Types and Mediums

When you’re aiming for the rich texture of impasto, the type of paint is critical. Oil paint is the go-to for many, particularly in the works of Vincent van Gogh. It’s thick and slow-drying, which gives you plenty of time to manipulate the texture. If you’re into acrylic paint, that’s also a solid option.

Acrylics can be thickened with gel mediums designed specifically to hold their shape. The beauty of acrylic is its quick drying time, so if you’re working in layers, this can be an advantage.

In both cases, the viscosity of the paint matters. Impasto needs a heavy, buttery consistency, so thinner paints won’t work well without additives. Heavy body acrylics or high-quality oil paints have the right density straight out of the tube.

Brushes and Palette Knives

The tools for applying impasto vary. Palette knives are commonly used because they spread paint in a way that brushes can’t, creating thick, raised strokes.

A palette knife allows for that sculptural, three-dimensional texture. Brushes, especially stiff, bristle brushes, work too—although they won’t achieve the same peaks and troughs that a knife will.

A palette knife is versatile and gives more control over the texture, letting you scrape and layer as needed. On the other hand, bristle brushes can help you achieve a slightly smoother impasto while still leaving visible brush strokes.

Canvases and Surfaces

Choosing the right surface for impasto is key. Canvas is ideal because it can support the heavy layers of paint without sagging. However, if you prefer a smoother surface, wood panels or MDF boards work great too. These surfaces are more rigid and can handle the weight and thickness of impasto better than canvas in some cases.

Make sure the canvas or board is prepped with a solid layer of gesso to prevent the paint from soaking into the fabric or wood. A well-primed surface keeps the paint where it belongs—on the surface—ready to be manipulated.

Mediums for Impasto

While oil and acrylic paints can naturally hold their shape, certain mediums enhance the impasto technique. Gel mediums for acrylics allow the paint to keep its peaks while drying quickly. For oils, cold wax medium can be mixed in to speed up drying time and add more body to the paint.

There’s also the option of using texturing mediums like pumice or marble dust to create additional roughness or variation in the texture. These materials change the way the paint interacts with the surface, giving more options for depth.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Don’t go too heavy on impasto without considering the drying time. Thick layers of oil paint take weeks or even months to fully dry, which can lead to cracking if the underlayers dry too slowly. If you’re in a rush, switch to acrylics or add mediums that speed up drying.

Fundamental Techniques in Impasto Painting

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Building Texture with Thick Paint

Impasto is all about texture. You can achieve that by laying on the paint thick, straight from the tube. The heavier the application, the more pronounced the texture becomes.

I usually start with a generous amount of oil paint or heavy body acrylics on the canvas. Using a palette knife works best for this—it spreads the paint smoothly but leaves those signature peaks that impasto is known for.

The brush is different. When I use a bristle brush, the texture softens, but the strokes still show, creating a different, but equally interesting texture. With impasto, the paint sits on top of the canvas, not blended into it. This gives a tactile, almost sculptural quality to the work. Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet mastered this, making their paintings pop with movement and depth.

Layering Paint for Depth

The key here is to layer. I don’t try to finish an impasto piece in one go. Multiple layers create depth and a richness of color.

Each stroke or knife swipe brings a new dimension. You can blend colors directly on the canvas, or apply contrasting layers that peek through the cracks of the paint. The thick pigment application allows for play with light and shadow, something that doesn’t come across in flat painting styles.

If you’re using oil paint, the slow drying time can be an advantage—you can come back after a few days and build on what’s already there. Acrylics, on the other hand, dry faster but can still be worked in layers with the help of mediums like gel mediums or texturing mediums.

Controlling Brush Strokes and Knife Work

Here’s where the skill comes in. While impasto might look random at first glance, every stroke is deliberate. Whether it’s the curve of a brush stroke or the sharp edge of a palette knife, each movement creates a different effect.

With a palette knife, the paint gets spread flat or lifted into peaks, depending on the pressure. A brush leaves visible marks and directionality in the paint, adding another layer of texture to the surface.

The challenge is finding that balance between control and expression. When you look at Willem de Kooning or Frank Auerbach, their work feels chaotic, but every mark is intentional. There’s a rhythm to how they layer and manipulate the paint to create that energy on the canvas.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Too much thickness can cause cracking, especially with oil paints. If the top layer dries faster than the one beneath it, the surface might crack over time. It’s crucial to consider the drying time of each layer before slathering on more paint.

Also, overworking the layers can result in muddy colors. Once the paint starts mixing too much, the vibrancy disappears. So, know when to stop, when the texture and color are just right.

Techniques for Painting Specific Subjects in Impasto

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Landscapes

When painting landscapes in impasto, palette knives are essential. They let you carve out textures that feel like the physical terrain.

Think Van Gogh’s wheat fields, where each stroke of paint mimics the natural movement of grass and wind. You’ll want to layer thick strokes for foliage, using a knife to give the leaves and branches that raised texture.

For skies, I switch to a bristle brush. The brush gives a softer texture but still leaves visible marks.

Apply the paint heavily and sweep it across in broad strokes. Clouds benefit from impasto—use rounded dabs of thick paint, and you get a sense of their volume and movement.

I prefer using oil paints for landscapes because they allow me to work the texture over time without drying too fast.

Portraits

Portraits in impasto can be tricky. The heavy paint strokes that define impasto can easily distort the face if overdone. The key is subtlety. For skin, I use slightly thinner layers but still keep the texture visible.

A palette knife works well for the hair—add thick, directional strokes to create volume. Willem de Kooning was a master at this, making faces look alive and shifting with movement, even in their raw, almost chaotic form.

The eyes, nose, and mouth require more control. Use bristle brushes for the finer details, but don’t be afraid to layer. Let the impasto technique highlight shadows and contours naturally by building up the paint in the areas that catch the most light.

Still Life

Still life subjects respond well to the impasto technique. Fruits, flowers, and other objects benefit from a thick paint application, giving them depth and realism. You can use a palette knife to sculpt the shape of an apple or a vase. The raised texture makes the object stand out from the background, adding dimension.

For highlights, I apply small dabs of paint directly with the knife, letting the thickness create a natural gleam.

Shadows can be layered with darker colors to give the illusion of space. Texturing mediums like pumice or marble dust can be added to the paint to create even more variety in texture. The challenge is not going overboard. Too much texture can make objects lose their definition.

Pitfalls to Avoid

When painting specific subjects in impasto, avoid making every part of the subject equally textured. Over-texturing flattens the image, making it hard to distinguish the focal points. Balance is crucial.

Learning from the Masters

Vincent van Gogh

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

If you’re talking impasto, Vincent van Gogh is always the first name that comes to mind. He didn’t just paint with thick, visible strokes—he carved emotion into the canvas.

Look at Starry Night, and you’ll see the texture almost moves. Every swirl, every stroke, feels like it’s pulling you in, and that’s the power of impasto.

He didn’t just slap on paint; he layered it, built it up, and let the brush strokes speak for themselves.

His use of oil paint was deliberate. The thickness of the medium allowed him to create that textured, almost sculptural surface.

It’s not just the colors that stand out but the physical depth of the paint itself. And the palette knife? A tool he mastered, using it to spread and mold the paint, adding more than just texture—adding dimension.

Rembrandt

Night Watch by Rembrandt

Now, Rembrandt wasn’t known for impasto in the same way, but he used it in subtle, effective ways. Particularly in his portraits, the textures in his paint brought life to the skin of his subjects.

He used a controlled hand with his oil paint, not going overboard but adding just enough thickness in the highlights—on a cheekbone, on the folds of a cloak—to make his figures come alive. It’s a softer form of impasto, but it shows the technique’s versatility.

Frank Auerbach

AGSA by Frank Auerbach

Jumping forward to the 20th century, Frank Auerbach took impasto to an extreme. He didn’t just paint thick—he painted heavy.

His canvases are layered so deeply that they almost become three-dimensional. His works feel raw, like they’re still in progress. You can see the influence of expressionism here, where the paint itself becomes as much the subject as the figure he’s painting.

In Auerbach’s hands, impasto became about energy. His heavy paint strokes build up the canvas to a point where the figure is nearly buried under the weight of the paint. It’s chaotic but intentional, pushing the boundaries of how impasto can be used in modern art.

Pitfalls to Avoid

One thing I’ve learned from studying these masters is balance. It’s easy to go too thick with impasto and lose control.

Van Gogh had control even in chaos. Rembrandt knew when to stop. Auerbach embraced chaos but never let it ruin the composition.

Advanced Impasto Techniques and Tips for Mastery

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Sculpting with Paint

Impasto can go beyond thick strokes—it becomes sculpting. The key is understanding how to manipulate the paint on the surface.

Use a palette knife to carve into the wet paint, creating ridges and valleys. This isn’t just for texture; it adds physical depth. The paint starts to act more like clay at this stage, especially with oil paint.

A knife allows you to pull the paint in different directions. Frank Auerbach took this to the extreme, applying so much paint that the surface became almost unrecognizable as a flat canvas. Push the medium and see how far you can go before it collapses under its own weight.

Mixing Mediums for Texture

Experimenting with texturing mediums is another advanced approach. For acrylics, gel mediums help build more body without adding too much paint.

If you’re working with oils, cold wax medium can give your layers a rich, matte finish while holding peaks and ridges.

You can also mix in unconventional materials like sand or marble dust. These texturing mediums create a rougher, more tactile surface.

It’s about making the texture itself part of the composition, not just a byproduct of the paint. Rembrandt often used a subtler version of this, layering oil paint in controlled strokes to highlight skin texture and fabric folds.

Controlling Light and Shadow

Impasto interacts with light differently than flat painting. Every raised surface catches light at a different angle, which means that texture creates its own highlights and shadows.

You don’t just paint the light—you sculpt it. This is especially effective in landscapes. Think about the thick swirls of Van Gogh’s wheat fields and how the sun seems to dance on the ridges of the paint.

Pay attention to where the natural light hits the canvas. Use thicker applications of paint in areas where you want the highlights to be more pronounced.

For shadows, thinner layers or less texture can create the illusion of depth. This balance of texture, light, and shadow is what makes impasto so dynamic.

Avoiding Overworking the Paint

A common pitfall in mastering impasto is overworking the paint. Once the paint starts to dry, don’t try to manipulate it further.

Oil paint, especially, will begin to lose its elasticity as it dries, which can cause cracking. Too many layers too fast will ruin the effect and might even ruin the canvas.

Let each layer settle before you build upon it. Work patiently, layer by layer. Overworking also leads to muddy colors, especially with acrylics that dry quickly. Keep your strokes deliberate, even if you’re working thick.

Preservation and Maintenance of Impasto Works

Protecting Thick Layers of Paint

When it comes to impasto works, preservation starts with the understanding that thick paint layers are more vulnerable.

Oil paint in particular, can take a long time to fully dry. I’m talking months, even years. And that’s the tricky part. Thick layers dry unevenly. The surface hardens, but the inner layers stay soft, which increases the risk of cracking.

So, once the piece is done, keep it in a stable environment. That means no extreme temperature changes, no direct sunlight, and minimal humidity. If the paint dries too fast or too slow, the cracks will show up.

Varnishing for Protection

Varnishing impasto pieces is a delicate process. The uneven surface makes it hard to apply a consistent layer.

Traditional varnish can settle into the crevices of the texture, dulling the peaks and making the surface look flat. I tend to use a spray varnish rather than a brush-on type. This allows for an even coat without interfering with the texture.

If it’s an oil painting, you’ll have to wait for the piece to fully cure before applying any varnish.

This could take six months to a year, depending on how thick the layers are. For acrylics, you can varnish much sooner, but make sure to use a non-yellowing varnish to preserve the vibrancy of the colors.

Cleaning Impasto Paintings

Cleaning impasto works requires caution. The raised paint surfaces make it easy for dust to settle in the crevices. I never use a wet cloth for cleaning. It can get into the grooves and cause damage over time.

Instead, I recommend using a soft, dry brush to gently remove dust. For more significant cleaning, consult a professional conservator, especially with older or more fragile pieces.

Water is your enemy here. Even minimal moisture can seep into the paint layers, causing damage. And with impasto, once moisture gets in, it’s tough to get out without affecting the integrity of the work.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

One of the biggest pitfalls with impasto is improper storage. Flat surfaces can crush the texture over time. Always store impasto paintings upright.

If you stack them, even with protection between each piece, the weight of other artworks can flatten or damage the peaks of the paint.

Touching the surface is another no-go. The oils from your skin can react with the paint, especially if it’s still drying, leading to discoloration or weakening of the texture. Keep your hands off, even if the temptation to feel the texture is strong.

FAQ on What Is The Impasto Technique

What is the impasto technique?

The impasto technique involves applying thick layers of paint, often using a palette knife or a stiff brush, to create visible texture on the surface of the artwork. It’s about building up paint to give a tactile, three-dimensional feel. Artists like Vincent van Gogh used it to bring depth and movement to their pieces.

What materials are best for impasto painting?

For impasto, oil paint and heavy body acrylics work best because they naturally hold thick, raised strokes. You can add mediums like gel medium for acrylics or cold wax medium for oils to increase the paint’s body and achieve even more dramatic textural effects without losing flexibility or drying properly.

How does impasto affect the texture of a painting?

Impasto brings a painting to life by creating physical texture. The thick layers of paint can reflect light differently across the surface, enhancing the contrast between highlights and shadows. This adds dimension, making the artwork more dynamic and engaging from different viewing angles, especially in landscapes or portraits.

What tools are needed for impasto painting?

The most commonly used tools are palette knives and stiff-bristled brushes. A palette knife allows for thick, sweeping strokes and is ideal for sculpting the paint. Brushes can be used for more controlled applications but still leave visible, textured marks. A good canvas or wood panel is recommended for support.

How do you prevent impasto paint from cracking?

Cracking happens when thick layers dry unevenly. To prevent this, make sure each layer dries fully before applying the next. If using oil paint, be patient as it can take months to fully cure. You can also mix in a medium like cold wax to speed up the drying process.

Can impasto be done with acrylics?

Yes, impasto works well with heavy body acrylics, especially when combined with a gel medium. Acrylic dries faster than oil, making it easier to build up layers without long waiting times. Plus, acrylics tend to stay flexible after drying, reducing the risk of cracking, unlike their oil-based counterpart.

What types of surfaces work best for impasto?

A strong surface is necessary to support the weight and thickness of impasto. Canvas is widely used, but wood panels or MDF boards offer more stability, especially when layering very thick paint. Prepping the surface with gesso ensures the paint doesn’t soak in and stays on the surface.

Which famous artists used the impasto technique?

Artists like Vincent van Gogh, Frank Auerbach, and Willem de Kooning are well-known for using impasto. Van Gogh used thick brushstrokes in works like Starry Night, while Auerbach took the technique further with heavily layered, almost sculptural paintings. Their works show the versatility of the technique across styles.

How do you clean and preserve an impasto painting?

Use a soft brush to gently remove dust from the textured surface. Avoid moisture, as water can damage the thick layers of paint. For long-term preservation, store impasto paintings upright to protect the texture, and consider applying a spray varnish for additional protection from dust and UV light.

Can beginners try the impasto technique?

Absolutely. Beginners can start with heavy body acrylics for quicker results or experiment with oil paint for a more traditional feel. Start with simple subjects and focus on layering and texturing the paint. Using a palette knife can be easier for applying thick strokes without overcomplicating the process.

Conclusion

Understanding what is the impasto technique means grasping the power of texture and depth in painting.

Impasto allows artists to apply thick layers of paint, creating a three-dimensional effect that adds energy and movement to the artwork. Whether you’re using oil paint or heavy body acrylics, the technique invites you to sculpt the paint directly on the canvas.

Mastering impasto involves not just the application of paint, but also knowing how to choose the right tools, like palette knives or bristle brushes, and how to maintain the integrity of the work over time.

Proper storage, varnishing, and cleaning methods are essential to preserving the texture and vibrancy of impasto paintings.

By integrating impasto into your practice, you add another dimension to your artwork—one that goes beyond the visual and into the physical. The possibilities for expression are endless, with each stroke bringing more character to the piece.

Author

Bogdan Sandu is the editor of Russell Collection. He brings over 30 years of experience in sketching, painting, and art competitions. His passion and expertise make him a trusted voice in the art community, providing insightful, reliable content. Through Russell Collection, Bogdan aims to inspire and educate artists of all levels.

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