Brushstroke
A method of applying paint that shapes the texture and expressiveness of the canvas
Brushstroke is the artist's individual handwriting, the imprint of their hand on the canvas. Some creators favored smooth, even strokes, almost invisible to the eye (take Renoir, for example); others, like Van Gogh, built their paintings on energetic, visible strokes, sometimes even squeezing paint directly from the tube. The brushstroke affects the perception of the work: short and dynamic strokes fill the painting with expression, while broad and soft ones, on the contrary, impart calmness.
An emoji can help remember: observe the texture—it is precisely this that can completely change the character of the piece. Masters of the past even competed in the “purity” of the brushstroke, and today collectors easily identify fakes precisely by the characteristic manner of applying paint.