Applying paint this way lays down broken flecks of color that create a texture over paint that has already been applied. With less pressure, less paint is applied, allowing more of the previous paint to show through. By varying pressure and amount of paint on the brush, the artist can build transitions in color and value in order to indicate form.

When scumbling is done with a lighter color over an already dry darker color, a cloudy/airy effect can be achieved. Often, scumbling accentuates the texture of the dry strokes that have already been applied, as the scumbled paint tends to adhere to the highest points of the previous strokes.

Featured: The Shepherd's Song by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.