What Is the Difference Between Visual Texture & Tactile Texture in Design?

Tactile Texture

• Tactile textures are the type you can actually touch and feel. The roughness of a popcorn ceiling, the "bumpiness" of a painting, and even the felt on a poker table are all tactile textures. In some cases, artists will use sand and other materials to actually add tactile textures to their otherwise two-dimensional creations.

Visual Texture

• Visual texture is the appearance of texture where it does not actually exist. A picture of a rough surface is a perfect example. The surface of the photo appears rough visually; however, we all know it is in fact a smooth picture. In two-dimensional design, visual texture becomes especially important.

The Difference

• The obvious difference between tactile and visual texture is that one is based upon touch while the other perception. However, the major difference between the two comes when given the opportunity to use one or the other.

Using Textures

• If one was to design personal wrapping paper with a snow-time forest theme, applying small trees and snow would be neither wise nor realistic. Instead, one would use visual texture to give the appearance of a rough landscape. Similarly, when designing a three-dimensional collage or presentation, using only visual texture would be lackluster. Instead, tactile texture would be used to give an already 3D presentation an additional level of depth.