brushstroke

noun

1. The stroke of a brush, as in painting.

   “Since moving to the city [Paris], his [Vincent Van Gogh’s] palette had become lighter and more colorful and his brushstrokes more distinct. In this painting [Boulevard de Clichy], the pastel colors reflect the soft, wintry light. His brushstrokes, now shorter and almost dash-like, give the pedestrians a sense of hurrying along the boulevard.”