How Does Art Express Emotion?
Texture in art expresses emotion. A watercolor painting, for example, will usually have a very mellow, placid tone because of the way the paint absorbs into the painting. There are usually no individual brush strokes, but a soft landscape where the edges blend into each other. A work with sharp, percussive strokes, like a Vincent Van Gogh painting, will portray a different emotional tone altogether. In Van Gogh’s art, the brush strokes always give the painting an anxious tone, no matter what the subject matter. Even a starry night can look dizzying and disorienting. Modern art often takes the role of texture in expressing emotion even further. Modern artists can use nails and other jagged objects to make a work seem threatening and violent, or use textiles and soft things to give a sense of comfort or warmth. Color plays a significant role in expressing emotion. Bright colors often express excitement, while duller or darker ones can express relaxation, depression, sleepiness, or other
