Art 101: What Painterly Means In Art

Art 101: What Painterly Means In Art

There are a lot of painting styles out there. Different artists have made an impact in the world, and we can often identify the creator by looking at how it's painted. In this article, we answer the question, what does painterly mean in art? 


A lot of us know that there are different styles when it comes to painting. Some artists are known for their blended colors, while others are known for more distinct brush strokes. In this article, we discuss what painterly means in art

We have always found surreal work interesting, which is why we think knowing the style that is associated with it allows you to conduct research and decide if that is a style you want to try out. 

While we’re used to seeing a lot of people do more blended styles where you can barely see any brush strokes, it’s still nice to see painterly style paintings from time to time. 

Aside from that, we think beginners would do great with painterly paintings if they don’t know how to blend their colors yet. We love all painting styles, but sometimes it’s hard to appreciate a medium when the colors get too blended. 

We think that more painterly style paintings are a great addition and we would love to see more people trying this style out. We hope to see more artists embrace this style and to enjoy seeing new artists embrace some traditional painting techniques. 

Custom Paint by Numbers Kit

Who Are Artists That Have Painterly Style Paintings?


Before we get into answering what painterly means in art. Let’s talk about who are distinct artists that have painterly style paintings. We know that when you see their paintings, you can tell who painted what. Here are the people with the most distinct painterly styles:

  1. Rembrandt: Did you know that the first paint-by-number kits were introduced as, “Every man a painter, paint-like Rembrandt.” He’s known for his distinct textures, which we think everyone would recognize.

  2. Van Gogh: Anyone who is a fan of art or an artist knows Van Gogh. His paintings look whimsical and magical even though they’re depicting something as simple as a starry night.

  3. Monet: Last but not least we have Monet. While some people may say that his paintings look like a mess up close, his paintings teach us to appreciate the overall image rather than focusing on specific details. 

    Custom Paint by Numbers Kit

What Painterly Means In Art


Now that we’ve gone over some of the most famous painterly style painters, we can go over what does painterly mean in art. Painterly describes a style of painting that is looser and embraces the look of brush strokes rather than working to hide them. 

Painterly styles also embrace the medium used, which is why we think that a lot of people who want to show off the type of paint used would like to try this style. Aside from that, painterly style paintings are more distinct and expressive, which is why we think a lot of people would enjoy trying this style out if they’re new to painting. 

We love the whimsy that comes with painterly style paintings because we think that art is about expression, and what can be more expressive than showing every brush stroke? 

However, if you prefer the look of more blended paintings, then we don’t see anything wrong with that. There’s a certain magic that comes with whimsy, which is why we think people should try this style. 

Key Takeaways

Now that we have answered what does painterly mean in art, we hope that you consider trying this art style out because we think it’s a great style to try when you’re new to painting. We love how amazing the details are, and we think it’s something for people who are new to art to try. 

We love painterly style paintings and we think that more people should try it out with more modern art. With the development of gadgets, we think it’s a great opportunity to revive a style that has a distinct influence on all artists and people.

Custom Paint by Numbers Kit