Impasto Oil Painting Style

Apply a thick layer of paint to your canvas. Works better with landscape, weaker on people. All the examples are using DPM++ 2M with the SGM Uniform scheduler at 20 steps or 5 steps with the Schnell LoRA. If you find the effect too strong, try Euler or Euler_A instead.

Variant 3 was trained with Florence 2 captioning, in the hope that the brushstroke will be more "targeted". The training set differs slightly from Variant 2 in that a few images with "rectangular" brushstrokes have been removed. This is probably going to be the last variant of this LoRA 😹.

The different between variant 1 and variant 2 are not big but noticeable. Variant 1 has the tendency to produce trees, and the brush strokes can be more rectangular. One can also try different weight combinations of the two variants to dial up one or the other.

Variant 2 has more of an oil painting effect on people, but the brush stroke can seem to be more random. Colors also seem to be slightly more vibrant with Variant 2?

Brushstrokes tend to be more rectangular and more pronounced when this LoRA is used together with the 4 steps Schnell LoRA. To see the difference, you can compare the sample gallery against this post and this post, which are generated 20 steps without the use of the 4 steps Schnell LoRA.

To give you some idea of the images that went into the training set, you can see this post, which was created using the Florence 2 captions for the training set.

You can find other epochs of Variant 1 here: tensor. art/models/802426665713054686/Impasto-Oil-V1-NoCapD6A6Cos6-2024-12-01-23:22:40-Ep-10

Epoch 5 in particular is worth trying: tensor. art/models/802413737861519059

All epochs of Variant 2 can be found here: tensor. art/models/803870187041456795/Impasto-Oil-V5-NoCapD6A3Cos5-2024-12-04-19:44:33-Ep-10

All epoch of Variant 3 can be found here: tensor. art/models/804233992246203471/Impasto-Oil-V6-CapD6A3Cos5-2024-12-06-19:09:36-Ep-11

Here is what ChatGPT has to say about the subject

The impasto technique is a painting method where thick layers of paint are applied to a surface, creating a textured, three-dimensional effect. The term "impasto" comes from the Italian word for "paste" or "dough," reflecting the dense, sculptural quality of the paint.

Key Characteristics

1. Thick Paint Application: Paint is applied so thickly that brushstrokes or palette knife marks are clearly visible.

2. Texture: The raised areas of paint create physical texture, adding depth and dimension to the artwork.

3. Light and Shadow: The ridges and grooves of the paint catch and reflect light differently, enhancing the sense of movement and energy in the piece.

4. Expressive Style: Impasto is often associated with bold, expressive work due to the dramatic texture and emphasis on the artist's gestures.

How It’s Done

• Tools: Artists typically use a palette knife, bristle brushes, or fingers to apply thick paint.

• Paint: Impasto works best with heavier paints like oil or acrylic, which retain their shape and thickness. Mediums or additives can also be mixed into paints to increase their viscosity.

• Layering: The technique may involve layering wet paint over wet (wet-on-wet) or letting layers dry between applications.

Purpose and Effects

• Emotional Impact: Impasto conveys a sense of immediacy and intensity, emphasizing the artist’s physical interaction with the canvas.

• Focus on Gesture: Visible strokes draw attention to the process of creation, making the technique itself part of the artwork's meaning.

• Surface Interest: Adds tactile and visual interest, making the surface more engaging.

• Realism or Abstraction: Can be used to create lifelike texture (e.g., the fur of an animal) or to emphasize abstraction through expressive strokes.

Historical and Modern Use

• Early use of impasto can be seen in the works of artists like Rembrandt and Titian, who used it sparingly to add emphasis and realism, such as highlights on clothing or the glint in an eye.

• Vincent van Gogh is famous for his bold, swirling impasto strokes, particularly in works like The Starry Night, where the technique conveys emotion and movement.

• Claude Monet also used impasto in his textured landscapes, capturing light and atmosphere.

• Expressionists such as Edvard Munch and later painters like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning used impasto as a way to communicate raw emotion and energy.

• Contemporary artists continue to use impasto to experiment with texture, depth, and interactivity in their work.

Advantages and Challenges

• Creates dynamic, tactile artworks.

• Enhances visual interest through light and shadow interplay.

• Adds a physical and emotional dimension to the painting.

• Requires skill to control the paint and achieve desired effects.

• Thick layers may take a long time to dry, especially with oil paints.

• Can be costly due to the amount of paint used.

Famous Works Featuring Impasto

• The Starry Night (Vincent van Gogh)

• Self-Portrait (Rembrandt)

• Woman III (Willem de Kooning)

The impasto technique is not only a method of painting but also a means of personal expression, allowing artists to leave a physical trace of their movements and emotions on the canvas. Its ability to bring vibrancy and depth to a piece ensures its continued popularity among painters.