Paint chipping is an example of actual texture.
Texture refers to the surface character of an object. It is interpreted by light and dark areas. Rough texture appears bumpy because the surface intercepts different variations of light and darkness. Glossy texture appears smooth because the surface reflects light evenly. When working with paint, an artist can use four basic types of texture: actual, simulated, abstract and invented.
Actual Texture
Actual texture is real. It is the way an object's surface looks and feel. A rough texture looks and feels rough, a smooth texture looks and feels smooth. Application involves fixing a textured object onto a work surface, such as paint or something that can be painted. Actual textures is most associated with 3-D art, but is also used in 2-D painted works. One example is Seo-Bo Park's piece "Ecriture No. 940110."
Simulated Texture
Artists use simulated texture to illustrate the character of an object's surface. In painting, the light and shadows can be rendered so well that the surface can have the appearance of actual texture. While simulated texture can capture the same details and elements of real texture, in reality it is a smoothly painted surface. Gary Schumer's painting "Simulations" is an example.
Abstract Texture
Artists who want to use a texture in a specific way may choose to alter or abstract it. Abstract textures usually retain the look or feeling of the original texture, but it has been modified to meet the needs of the artist. This type often appears in paintings where the level of abstraction is consistent throughout the piece. An example is "Cubist Still Life With Play Cards" by Roy Lichtenstein.
Invented Texture
Invented textures are not variations of actual textures. They are not simulations or abstractions, but inventions of the artist's imagination, used to produce a tactile surface that is not natural. Depending on the artist's intent, invented textures may not refer to the objective world and often appear in abstract works. Vincent Van Gough used paint to create invented textures in his piece "Starry Night." Another example is Knowlton and Harmon's "Computerized Nude."
