Canvas Painting Painting Techniques and Brushwork 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the 'impasto' technique in canvas painting?
- Applying thick, textured paint that stands off the canvas (Correct answer)
- Painting thin glazes over dried layers
- Blending wet paint with a soft brush
- Scraping paint off with a palette knife
Correct answer: Applying thick, textured paint that stands off the canvas
Impasto is the technique of applying paint thickly so that brushstrokes or palette knife marks remain visible as texture.
Question 2: What is the 'wet-on-wet' technique in oil painting?
- Applying wet paint directly into or onto still-wet paint (Correct answer)
- Painting over fully dried layers
- Wetting the canvas before adding paint
- Diluting paint with water before application
Correct answer: Applying wet paint directly into or onto still-wet paint
Wet-on-wet involves applying fresh paint into existing wet paint, allowing colors to blend directly on the canvas.
Question 3: What is 'scumbling' in canvas painting?
- Dragging dry or semi-dry paint loosely over a dry layer (Correct answer)
- Mixing paint on the palette with a brush
- Applying paint in thin transparent washes
- Removing paint with a rag
Correct answer: Dragging dry or semi-dry paint loosely over a dry layer
Scumbling drags a thin, dry layer of opaque or semi-opaque paint over a dried layer, partially obscuring it.
Question 4: What painting technique involves applying thin, transparent layers of paint over dried ones?
- Glazing (Correct answer)
- Impasto
- Scumbling
- Alla prima
Correct answer: Glazing
Glazing applies translucent paint layers over a dry surface to modify color, value, or depth optically.
Question 5: What does 'alla prima' mean in canvas painting?
- Completing a painting in one session while the paint is still wet (Correct answer)
- Painting on a white primed surface
- Painting with the first color that comes to mind
- Using a single brush for the entire painting
Correct answer: Completing a painting in one session while the paint is still wet
Alla prima (Italian for 'at first') means finishing the painting in a single session without waiting for layers to dry.
Question 6: What is the purpose of using a palette knife instead of a brush for applying paint?
- To create flat, bold strokes and thick textural effects (Correct answer)
- To blend colors more smoothly than a brush
- To apply very thin washes of paint
- To remove dried paint from the canvas
Correct answer: To create flat, bold strokes and thick textural effects
A palette knife applies paint in thick slabs and bold strokes, producing flat, textured marks that brushes cannot replicate.
Canvas Painting Painting Techniques and Brushwork 1
What is the 'impasto' technique in canvas painting?