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Art Glossary: Buttery

By , About.com Guide

Acrylics soft buttery consistency

The paint in the bottom photo is more buttery than the paint at the top.

Photo ©2011 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.
Definition:

Buttery is a term used to describe the consistency of paint. For paint that holds its form as you squeeze it from the tube, coming out like a worm, but will spread and mix easily with a brush or painting knife.

Buttery paint will retain brushmarks and impasto texture, unless you spread it out thinly or add a medium to make it more fluid.

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