Week 19

Texture on a Painting

BY SHERI GAYNOR | from Creative Awakenings

illustration

Artwork and technique ideas

by Mary Beth Shaw

This week, you'll learn how to add texture to your work by painting and etching onto Clayboard. Using Clayboard as a substrate is an easy way to add instant texture into your mixed-media pieces. Applying various tools to the paint creates intriguing texture that makes a piece come to life.

Materials

illustration Claybord (Ampersand)

illustration acrylic paint

illustration matte gel medium

illustration paintbrush

illustration colored pencil

illustration carving tools

illustration Dremel tool

illustration wire brush

illustration sandpaper

illustration

1. Paint over the Claybord

Apply thin layers of paint mixed with gel medium. There shouldn't be a lot of paint on your brush. Here, I made a layer of green-gold mixed with yellow, then added a layer of ultramarine blue over the top. Let the paint dry.

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2. Sketch

Use a colored pencil to sketch out your desired composition. Here, I'm using a white pencil so it shows up against the blue. If you make a mark you don't want, it's usually easy enough to just rub it out.

illustration

3. Scrape

Use a fine carving tool to scrape outlines of the lines you've drawn.

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4. Scratch

Use a Dremel tool to scratch texture into some of the shapes, like these flower petals.

illustration

5. Crosshatch

Use a wire brush to create crosshatching texture.

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6. Distress

Use sandpaper to soften areas and add subtle distressing.