GESSO & MEDIUMS

Discover techniques for working with gesso and mediums to add texture and dimension to your artwork. Layered images, hidden messages, and three-dimensional textures are just a few of the mixed-media techniques you can use to create a personal, one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

FIBER PASTE

Fiber paste is a medium with a dry film that has the appearance of rough, handmade paper. Using a palette knife or spoon, place four to five tablespoons of fiber paste on a sheet of wax paper or acrylic board and add a small amount of acrylic paint. Blend with a palette knife, smoothing the top. Let the fiber paste dry completely. You can use additional paint to decorate the fiber paste with spatters, stripes, polka dots, etc. Once dry, lift the fiber paste off the wax paper and cut into any shape you desire.

MOLDING PASTE & STAMPS

Molding paste, which is great for building surfaces and creating texture, dries to a hard, flexible, opaque film.

STEP 1 Apply a thin layer of molding paste with your palette knife over the area you wish to add texture. Using the stamp of your choice, stamp all over the molding paste. You can stamp randomly or in a consistent pattern.

STEP 2 Once the molding paste is dry, rub paint over the stamped area, using your fingers or a brush. For a more textured look, don’t try to fill in all the areas.

Paint drips are a fun way to add a finishing touch to your artwork. Add a small amount of pouring medium to a clean, clear plastic squeeze bottle, and then add paint. Place your finger over the tip and shake vigorously to mix well. When the consistency is right, start adding drips to your artwork.

GESSO & POURING MEDIUM

Pouring medium allows for even, flowing applications of color without cracking and dries to a high-gloss finish. Once dry, it is flexible, non-yellowing, and water-resistant.

STEP 1 Add one part gesso and one part pouring medium (approximately an ounce or two of each) inside a clean tube. With the cap on, shake the tube until the mixture is blended. Then start drawing on your blank substrate with the squirt tube. You can make random shapes or sketch an object.

STEP 2 Allow the mixture to dry completely. Then squirt paint colors randomly over the design.

STEP 3 Use a palette knife, brush, or old credit card to rub the paint over your design, creating texture and dimension.

IMAGE TRANSFER WITH GEL MEDIUM

There’s no shortage of resources for images to transfer. Your image can come from a magazine, a catalog, or photograph. To print an image, make sure you print from a digital/laser printer, not an ink-jet printer.

STEP 1 When making an image transfer, your canvas background can be blank or painted with a light color.

STEP 2 Cut out the image that you wish to transfer or slightly rip around the edges to give it an “edgy look.” Using a dry brush, apply gel medium to the area where you will place the image. Once you have covered the area, lay the image facedown on top of the gel medium. Remember: your image will be reversed once it has been transferred! Flatten the image as much as possible using an old credit card.

STEP 3 Let dry overnight. Then use a spray bottle, or simply dip your fingertips in water, to start the process of removing the top layer of paper from the canvas. Work at this process until all the paper is gone and you can see the transferred image. Wipe off any paper shavings as you go. You can use a dry paper towel once all of the wet paper has been removed to rub off any dry “fuzz” from the transfer process. Once all of the paper is removed and your image transfer is dry, you can continue creating the rest of your painting (right)!

POWDERED PIGMENT & GESSO

When working with powdered pigments and gesso, just think of it as color tinting your gesso!

STEP 1 Start by mixing gesso and the powdered pigment together. The pigment is richer in color on its own and will only subtly tint the gesso, giving it a grainy texture.

STEP 2 Apply to any area of a painting where you want to add texture, or as a background for a new painting.

CLEAR TAR GEL

Clear tar gel is designed to create a stringy, tarlike substance. It is great for dripping and drizzling over surfaces and becomes stringier the more you mix it.

STEP 1 Add a small amount of acrylic paint to the gel and mix it thoroughly. Once mixed, seal the jar and let stand overnight. Drip or pour the tinted gel directly onto your canvas, and go over it with a pet comb or stiff bristle brush.

STEP 2 To add texture and dimension, go over these areas in different, crisscrossing directions. Allow the tar gel to dry completely before adding additional color or items to your painting.

HARD MOLDING PASTE

The key to this technique is the background that you have already created. Whatever your background looks like is what will come through when carving out the hard molding paste. Mix acrylic paint with a small bit of hard molding paste, and apply the paste to your painting.

When you are done applying the past mixture, use a rubber shaper to carve out any design you wish—it can even be a shape or word! Once dry, you can leave your piece as is, or you can add more paint.

SPACKLE WITH STENCILS

Spackle is similar to molding paste, but it dries white. The ideas is that you are creating dimension in your artwork! Any type will do—even the kind with sand in it. The spackle in this example is the type that goes on tinted (pinkish-purple) and dries white once it is completely dry. This helps you know when it is okay to move to the next step in your creative process.

GLASS BEAD GEL

Glass bead gel on its own adds unique texture to any artwork.

STEP 1 You can start with a blank substrate or have a light color wash as your background before applying the glass bead gel.

STEP 2 Using a palette knife, apply glass bead gel wherever you wish to add texture to your artwork.

STEP 3 Once the glass bead gel is completely dry, you can rub watered-down paint across the texture to add dimension to your artwork. You will notice that after additional color is added the glass bead gel creates one-of-a-kind grooves and crevices.