What is Painterly?

Have you ever started a painting, got halfway through, and then felt like it just looked… stiff? Like no matter how hard you tried, it didn’t have that feeling you were going for? That’s a common struggle—and you’re definitely not the only one.

The truth is, making something look perfect isn’t always what makes it powerful. Sometimes, it’s the rough edges, the bold brushstrokes, the bits that don’t line up just right—that make a painting come alive.

As Claude Monet said, 

“I wish I had been born blind and then suddenly gained my sight so I could begin to paint without knowing what the objects were.”

That’s the heart of painterly style—painting with feeling instead of overthinking.

In this article, we will see into what painterly actually means, why it works, and how you can start using it—even if you’ve always played it safe with your brush.

Key Takeaways

• Painterly painting is defined by visible brushstrokes, rich texture, and expressive, loose techniques that highlight the artist’s hand.

• It stands in contrast to tight, detailed, or linear styles, focusing more on emotion, movement, and mood.

• The style has roots in Baroque art but truly emerged during the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist periods, later influencing Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism.

• Famous painterly artists include Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Francis Bacon—each using the style in their own emotionally powerful way.

• Painterly techniques often involve tools like large brushes or palette knives, and methods such as impasto, scumbling, and wet-on-wet painting.

• In modern art, painterly aesthetics are still popular, showing up in contemporary painting, digital art, and even design work. 

• Anyone can try painterly painting—by working fast, using bold strokes, and letting go of the urge to make everything neat or precise.

What Is Painterly?

Painterly is a painting style where you can actually see the brushstrokes, textures, and layers of paint on the canvas. Instead of trying to hide the process, painterly artists let their technique show—boldly and proudly. It’s expressive, emotional, and often feels more alive than overly polished work.

This style is the opposite of what's called "linear" or "tight" painting. In linear styles, artists aim for smooth surfaces, clean edges, and fine detail. Everything looks neat and controlled. But painterly painting breaks away from that. It’s loose, free, and often more about the feeling than the fine detail.

You’ll notice thick brushwork, softer edges, and colors that blend naturally rather than being carefully filled in. Instead of perfection, painterly art focuses on movement, mood, and the raw energy that comes from the paint itself.

4 Key Characteristics of Painterly Painting

Painterly painting isn’t about getting everything “just right.” It’s about letting go of the need for control and focusing on feeling, gesture, and energy. These are the key traits that define the style.

1. Loose, Expressive Brushstrokes 

One of the first things you’ll notice in a painterly work is how visible and dynamic the brushstrokes are. The artist isn’t trying to hide how the paint was applied—instead, they highlight it. Brushstrokes may be quick, gestural, or layered in different directions. This gives the work a sense of movement, emotion, and spontaneity. It often feels like you’re seeing the artist’s hand in motion. 

Example: Van Gogh’s Starry Night—you can feel the swirling wind just through the brushstrokes alone. 

2. Emphasis on Color and Movement 

Over Precision In painterly art, exact proportions or realism take a backseat. The focus shifts toward color choices, rhythm, and how a painting flows. Artists may exaggerate colors, blend tones in unexpected ways, or use contrast to create visual impact. The end result might not be technically “perfect,” but it captures something much more human—energy, mood, or a fleeting moment. 

Example: Monet’s water lilies shimmer because of the shifting colors and soft blending, not because of clear outlines. 

3. Visible Textures and Layers of Paint 

Painterly paintings often include thick paint (sometimes called impasto), which builds up physical texture on the canvas. You might even see ridges, globs, or scratched-in lines. These textures aren’t flaws—they’re part of the visual language. They catch light in different ways and bring the painting closer to the viewer, almost like it’s reaching out. 

Example: Lucian Freud’s portraits have chunky, layered skin tones that feel raw and almost 3D.

4. Less Concern With Perfect Outlines or Detail 

Where tighter styles might outline every shape or clean up every edge, painterly artists allow edges to blur, disappear, or bleed into one another. Details may be hinted at rather than spelled out. This creates a sense of atmosphere and invites the viewer to feel the painting, not just look at it. 

Example: In many of Sargent’s portraits, the eyes or hands are just quick strokes—but still manage to be incredibly expressive.

Historical Origins of Painterly

The painterly style didn’t just happen—it slowly emerged as a reaction to centuries of tightly controlled, academic painting. Artists began to shift their focus from accuracy to expression, and from smooth perfection to raw, visible process. That’s when painterly truly came into its own.

When and Where Did the Painterly Style Begin? 

Painterly tendencies can be seen as far back as the 17th century, especially in the Baroque era. Artists like Rembrandt van Rijn in the Netherlands and Diego Velázquez in Spain were already experimenting with expressive brushwork and textured surfaces—especially in backgrounds, fabric, and skin.

But at the time, this wasn't the norm. Their approach stood out because the dominant tradition in Europe was about realism, polish, and tight detail.

It wasn’t until the mid-to-late 1800s in France that painterly painting really took hold as a movement. Artists began painting outdoors (plein air), capturing fleeting moments of light and movement. They were no longer trying to make “perfect” art—they were painting what they felt in the moment.

5 Art Movements That Embraced the Painterly Approach

1. Impressionism (1870s–1880s)

This is where painterly techniques truly took center stage. Artists like Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro started painting with quick, visible strokes to capture how light and color changed throughout the day. The goal wasn’t a smooth finish—it was a living impression of a scene.

2. Post-Impressionism (1880s–1900s) 

Painters such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and Paul Gauguin built on the looseness of Impressionism, but added more structure, bold color choices, and personal expression. Van Gogh, in particular, turned brushstrokes into a kind of emotional language—thick, swirling, almost sculptural.

3. Expressionism (Early 1900s)

In Germany and Austria, artists like Edvard Munch, Wassily Kandinsky, and Egon Schiele pushed the painterly style even further. They distorted forms, exaggerated colors, and let their emotions pour through the brush. It wasn’t about painting what they saw—it was about painting what they felt.

4. Fauvism (Early 1900s) 

A short-lived but powerful movement led by Henri Matisse, Fauvism took painterly to bold new levels, with wild colors and carefree brushwork. It broke rules and redefined beauty in painting. 

5. Abstract Expressionism (Mid-20th Century) 

Even in the U.S., the painterly tradition continued with artists like Willem de Kooning and Joan Mitchell, who took gesture and brushwork to a whole new, non-representational level. The paint itself became the subject.

How It Broke Away From Academic Realism 

Before these movements, Academic Realism was the gold standard—taught in art schools (or "academies") across Europe. The focus was on historical, religious, and mythological themes, with flawless technique and barely visible brushwork. Everything was planned, posed, and polished.

Painterly artists were rebels. They painted real people, everyday life, and emotional states. They worked quickly, often outside, and didn’t worry if a brushstroke was “messy” or if a form was slightly off. Their work looked unfinished to critics at the time—but that “unfinished” look became a new way of seeing art.

By stepping away from perfection and embracing the process, painterly painters paved the way for modern art—and for artists to paint more honestly, more personally, and more boldly.

 Famous Painterly Artists and Works

Painterly Techniques and Materials

Painterly art type isn’t just about style—it’s also about how the paint gets onto the surface. From brush choices to texture-building methods, painterly painters rely on hands-on, expressive techniques that leave the mark of the artist in every stroke.

Brushes and Tools Commonly Used

Painterly artists often use a variety of tools to create visible marks and build texture.

• Bristle brushes

Thick, stiff bristles hold more paint and leave bold, textured strokes—great for expressive work.

• Palette knives

Used to apply paint in thick layers or scrape away areas for dramatic texture and sharp contrasts.

• Fingers or rags

Some artists use their hands or cloths to blend, smear, or blur parts of the painting.

• Fan brushes and round brushes

Good for layering and softer edges when needed—but still keeping strokes visible.

Unlike fine-detail painting, the goal here isn’t precision—it’s impact.

4 Paint Application Techniques

1. Impasto

One of the most common painterly methods. Paint is applied thickly, often straight from the tube, creating ridges and visible depth. This technique adds a sculptural quality to the painting—light hits the surface and enhances the texture.

2. Scumbling

A dry-brush technique where a layer of lighter (or sometimes darker) paint is brushed thinly over a dry layer, allowing the underpainting to show through. It adds a hazy, atmospheric effect while keeping visible marks.

3. Wet-on-wet (alla prima)

Paint is added on top of still-wet layers, blending colors directly on the canvas. This helps create softer transitions and spontaneous color mixing. 

4. Dragging and scraping

Using knives, rags, or even the end of a brush to scratch or drag through layers for raw, dynamic effects.

Use of Color, Light, and Layering

In painterly work, color isn’t just about realism—it’s about emotion and visual energy.

• Color

Often used boldly or unexpectedly. Instead of blending everything smoothly, painterly artists might place vibrant, contrasting colors side by side to let them “vibrate” on the canvas.

• Light

Rather than carefully rendering shadows and highlights, light is often suggested through loose, quick changes in color and tone—capturing how light feels rather than how it looks exactly.

• Layering

Multiple layers of paint are built up to create depth, richness, and complexity. You can often see earlier layers peeking through, giving the painting a sense of history and movement. 

Painterly technique is more physical, more intuitive, and more alive than styles that aim for perfection. The goal isn’t to hide the process—it’s to make it part of the final image.

How to Identify a Painterly Work

Painterly paintings are often easy to spot once you know the signs. Here's what to look for and how this style shapes your experience as a viewer.

1. Look for visible brushstrokes. The strokes are usually loose, energetic, and unapologetically on display. You can often tell how the paint was applied just by looking at it.
2. Notice the texture of the surface. Painterly works often have areas where the paint is thick or layered. You might even see ridges or patterns created by the brush or palette knife.
3. Check for blurred or soft edges. Instead of clean outlines, forms may blend into each other. Details are often suggested rather than fully defined.
4. Pay attention to color layering. You may see one color peeking through another, or unexpected color combinations used for emotional effect rather than realism.
5. Ask yourself how it feels, not just how it looks. Painterly art often gives off a strong emotional vibe—whether it’s calm, chaotic, joyful, or tense. The texture and looseness often amplify that feeling.
6. Notice the sense of movement or spontaneity. Because of the way the paint is applied, the scene might feel like it’s shifting, alive, or just captured in a fleeting moment. 

Painterly art invites you to feel the painting as much as you see it. It’s more about presence and personality than perfection.

The Painterly Style Today

Even though painterly painting has deep roots in history, it’s far from outdated. In fact, the painterly approach is still alive and evolving—showing up in everything from canvas to digital art, gallery shows to branding design.

Many modern artists still paint in a painterly way, using expressive strokes, thick textures, and emotional color choices. Painters like Jenny Saville, Cecily Brown, and Frank Auerbach continue to explore the physicality of paint, pushing the style into new directions—sometimes raw and messy, sometimes playful and abstract. What connects them is that same sense of energy and honesty in their brushwork.

Digital artists have also adopted painterly aesthetics, even though their tools are pixels, not paint. With software like Procreate, Photoshop, and Corel Painter, digital creators simulate textured brushes, layering, and hand-drawn strokes to give their work a more organic, human feel. Games, animation, and concept art often borrow this look to stand out and feel more “handmade.”

Painterly style is also influencing design—from editorial illustrations to branding. Brands and creatives use painterly textures, loose illustration styles, and visible brushstrokes to create warmth, authenticity, and emotional connection. It’s a way to break from the overly polished and digital feel of much modern content. 

Painterly isn’t stuck in the past—it keeps showing up wherever artists want their work to feel real, expressive, and full of life.

How to Create a Painterly Painting Yourself

You don’t need to be a master to paint in a painterly style. In fact, this approach is perfect for letting go of perfection and just painting. Whether you’re brand new or just trying to loosen up, here’s how to start embracing painterly techniques in your own work.

1. Start with large brushes

Small brushes encourage detail and control. Bigger ones force you to think in shapes and movement rather than tiny lines.

2. Use thick, confident strokes

Apply paint generously and try not to go back and “fix” each stroke. Let the texture build up and let your hand stay loose.

3. Limit your color palette

Choose 3–5 colors and work with those. It’ll help you focus more on brushwork and layering instead of constantly mixing and correcting.

4. Try palette knives

Swap your brush for a palette knife and experiment with spreading, scraping, or layering paint. It’s almost impossible to be tight with this too.  

5. Paint fast, in short sessions

Give yourself a time limit—15 or 30 minutes—to finish a small study. This helps train your brain to make bold decisions instead of getting stuck in overthinking.

6. Avoid outlining your shapes

Try blocking in shapes with color instead of drawing them first. Let your forms emerge through brushwork and contrast, not lines.

7. Focus on light and mood, not accuracy.

Think about how the scene feels. Use color temperature, quick strokes, and value shifts to show light rather than carefully shading every part.

8. Step back often

Every few minutes, take a step back from your canvas. Painterly work is meant to read well from a distance—and too much refining can flatten the energy.
 

The key is to let go of the need to make it perfect. Painterly painting is about expression, instinct, and being okay with the mess. The beauty is in the imperfection.

Conclusion

The painterly style isn’t just a technique—it’s a mindset. It reminds us that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. By showing the brushstrokes, the texture, and even the mess, painterly painting brings us closer to the artist’s hand and heart. It captures movement, emotion, and the raw beauty of the process itself.

Whether you’re looking at a Monet garden, a Van Gogh sky, or a modern digital piece with rough, painterly textures, the impact is the same: it feels alive.

As Pierre Bonnard once said, 

“Painting has to get back to its original goal, examining the inner lives of human beings.”

That’s what painterly painting does best—it makes us feel something real.

And that’s why it still matters.