Which term describes scratching through a layer of paint to reveal the layer beneath?

• A. Impasto
• B. Sgraffito
• C. Alla prima
• D. Trompe l'oeil

Answer: (B)

Sgraffito is the technique of scratching through a surface layer of paint or glaze to reveal the layer beneath. This act of scraping away parts of the top layer creates contrast and lines by exposing the underlayer, which is exactly what the question describes. Impasto refers to thick, textured paint rather than removing a layer; alla prima is painting in one session, wet-on-wet; and trompe l’oeil is about optical illusion, not the process of scratching away to reveal underlying color.