Art can engage both the senses of touch and vision, depending on the materials used and the way that it is created. There are many resources about visual characteristics of art, but artists do not receive training to produce tactile art that is enjoyable to touch.

I am writing this post as a resource for interested artists, and to support my work planning a future exhibition of tactile art. Subscribe to this blog to receive updates on this project.

Many rich and varied kinds of information can be perceived through the sense of touch. Some characteristics that I can identify through tactile exploration of an artwork include:

• Material type, (ceramic, fiber, metal, paper, stone, wood, etc.)
• Texture of materials (rough or smooth, hard or soft, etc.)
• Temperature of materials (hot or cold)
• Overall size and shape of the artwork (3D object, or 2.5D picture, etc.)
• Details of the elements in the composition.

With this list of characteristics in mind, I will explain my thought process when I encounter an artwork. The photo at the top of this post shows me touching a carved wooden bowl that was in an exhibit of tactile art in 2019. I wrote about my observations as I explored the artwork, and I will summarize those thoughts here. 

The art came to life for me in a very intuitive way. I felt the rough texture of the bark that was left on some sections of the bowl, and this contrasted with the smooth sections where bark was removed. I could imagine the large tree from which this wooden bowl was carved because I felt the alternating rough and smooth textured sections. I found that the bowl was heavier than I had anticipated based on my reading of the label text.

When I first encounter a piece of tactile art, I run my hand across it to find its edges and judge its overall size and shape. I classify the art as either a 3-dimensional sculpture or object, or a picture in 2.5 dimensions (work that is composed with raised or engraved lines).

Two-dimensional works like drawings, paintings, and photographs are by definition flat and not tactile.

Tactile pictures must be created in at least 2.5 dimensions. The lines must vary in elevation, either raised or lowered, relative to the artwork’s baseline texture. Relief techniques used to make 2D art tactile include:  

• Raising areas of the surface to create a design. 
• Lowering areas of the surface to create recessed patterns.  
• Bas-Relief (Low Relief)– Sculpting with slight depth, where the design projects subtly from the surface.  
• High Relief (Haut-Relief)– Sculpting with significant depth, where elements stand out prominently.  
• Etching – Using tools or chemicals to carve or incise lines into the surface.  
• Engraving – Cutting designs directly into a surface to create recessed lines.
• Texturing – Adding tactile patterns using materials like fabric, sand, or modeling paste.  
• 3D Printing – Building raised or recessed designs digitally for a tactile effect.

These methods can produce art in 2.5 dimensions that is interesting to touch.

I have described the many characteristics of tactile art that can make it enjoyable to touch. Now I will discuss considerations for producing art that is safe to touch.

The art should not have sharp edges that can cut people while they are touching it. To state the obvious, it shouldn’t be made of rusty nails or broken glass.

Beyond physical safety, consider the chemical composition of the art. Avoid using toxic paint, glaze, or other chemical treatments.

Tactile art must be displayed in a way that invites touch. It should be in a place where people can walk up to it and touch it easily.

Don’t install it high on a wall or mount it on a high pedestal. If it is in a museum, remove any ropes or barriers.

In conclusion, tactile art can be enjoyable and safe to touch. It may also be visually pleasing.

Artists are creative by nature. I hope that my descriptions of techniques to make tactile art will inspire artists to create work that is both enjoyable to touch and interesting to view. Creating art that can be experienced by multiple senses makes it accessible to a wider audience.