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Texture Elements of Design

Design, be it the composition of a piece of fine art, the look of a piece of furniture, the visual components of a book or a magazine or the landscaping elements of a park or garden, is comprised of certain basic elements. Along with elements such as line, form and color, texture is an important factor in determining how something will look and what sort impression it will give.
  1. Tactile Texture

    • Tactile texture refers to the elements of a piece that create a third dimension to the piece and can actually be felt by one's hands. For example, the surface of a painting might have globs of paint that stick out from the surface creating texture. In fashion, the weave of the fabric will create tactile texture.

    Visual Texture

    • Visual texture is a bit more abstract than tactile texture. Elements that creates tactile texture also give a visual impact because that which can be felt by the hands can also be understood simply by looking at a piece. Visual texture, however, can also be experienced when looking at an otherwise flat piece of design such as a photograph of a furry dog or a website that employs textural elements.

    Contrasting Texture

    • Another way to create texture using both visual and tactile elements is to use a lot of contrast in the kinds of textures used. If you intend for one element to stand out particularly, contrast it by placing it next to an element with highly contrasted kind of feel. A very textured piece of shrubbery, for example, is given more depth if the scenery around it is given a very flat treatment.

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