Creating Texture
Texture is a word that refers to the way something feels such as “the sweater is scratchy” or “the dog’s coat is curly and soft.” But, it can also describe how something looks. In art, texture can be both something to look at and to feel. Vincent Van Gogh was famous for creating textures visually in the way he painted his sunflowers or night skies, but also in the way he built up the thick paint creating a texture on his canvases. “Starry Night” painted in 1889 while he was a patient at the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Van Gogh understood the value of art as a way to express thoughts and feelings in a very real and touchable way.
Tissue Paper Textures
Step 1: What Texture is that Feeling?
Think about something that makes you feel calm, happy, or excited. What images came to mind? What textures do those images have? Using the tissue paper, play around with creating different textures by ripping, twisting, shredding, or rolling the tissue. Try and find a texture that matches your feeling. You may even want to try creating some of Van Gogh’s textures out of tissue. Choose colors that feel right to you.
Step 2: Decorate the Space
Use the mini canvas board as your space to create your texture. You can use small pieces covering the canvas a little at a time or larger pieces. You can layer colors and different shapes of tissue together. Glue the tissue down to the canvas and hold for a few seconds to help it stick.
Step 3: Feel Your Creation
When your canvas is finished, take a moment to run your fingers over the texture. You may need to be careful if your glue is not completely dry. You may want to close your eyes and concentrate on just the feeling that the tissue has as you touch it.
Things to Think About:
Imagine being able to stand inside the painting “Starry Night” created by Van Gogh. What might you feel if you could touch things around you?
What feelings do you think Van Gogh might have been trying to communicate through his painting?