Metallic powders combined with acrylic grounds create beautiful softly reflective fine grit drawing surfaces. See Technique 12 for an alternative drawing surface on gold or metal leaf.
Substrate
Any painting or drawing surface
Tools
Painting or mixing knife, paintbrush, any preferred drawing materials
Products
Dry metallic powder/pigment or iridescent acrylic paint, acrylic matte medium
Other
Mixing palette or container
For Cleanup
Water, water container, paper towels or rags
STEP 1 Make Metallic Mixture
Mix one part of either metallic powder or iridescent paint with one part matte medium in a container or on a palette, mixing well with a knife. When mixing dry pigment or powder avoid inhaling airborne particles by wearing an appropriate respirator or mask. Here Metallic Copper powder is mixed with matte medium in a 1:1 ratio.
STEP 2 Apply Mixture
Apply a thin coat evenly to the surface with a knife, brush or rag. Let dry.
STEP 3 Draw Over the Ground
Use any drawing materials on the surface such as charcoal, conté, pastel, pencil, marker or crayon to create an image. If the ground has not fully dried, it will gum up the drawing materials. If unable to make marks and the drawing materials slip on the surface, repeat Step 1 using a grittier mixture by adding more powder. If using an iridescent paint, add more matte medium.
The hand and partial figure is drawn over a gold leaf panel pre-painted with a toothed surface using a mixture of metallic powder and medium.
BENT WITH THE WEIGHT OF PERMANENCE (DETAIL)
Pamela Frankel Fiedler
Oil and acrylic ground with metallic powders on canvas
24" × 18" (61cm × 46cm)