How To Make Texture In Painting: Easy Tips

Want to know how to add texture to your paintings? Texture in painting refers to the way a surface feels or looks like it feels. It’s all about making your artwork more interesting to look at and even touch. This guide will show you easy ways to achieve that.

How To Make Texture In Painting
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Why Texture Matters in Art

Texture is a vital element in art, much like color or line. It’s how we communicate depth and feeling. Think about a rough tree bark versus the smooth petal of a flower; these surfaces evoke different sensations. In painting, texture allows you to bring a sense of realism or stylized expression to your work. It’s what makes a painting jump off the canvas, inviting the viewer to explore its surfaces. Adding dimension to paintings is a key benefit of using texture. It can make flat areas of your artwork feel dynamic and full of life. This visual texture draws the viewer in, encouraging them to look closer and experience the artwork on a deeper level.

Bringing Surfaces to Life

When you think about texture, you might imagine rough, bumpy surfaces. But texture in art is broader. It’s both the actual physical feel of the paint (called tactile painting) and the illusion of texture created by the artist (visual texture). Both are powerful tools.

Tactile Texture: This is the physical texture you can feel. Think of thick paint, raised surfaces, or embedded materials.
Visual Texture: This is the illusion of texture created through brushstrokes, color, and value. You see it, but you can’t touch it.

Both types of texture work together to make a painting more engaging. They add depth and character, making your art more memorable.

Mastering the Impasto Technique

The impasto technique is a fantastic way to create physical texture. It involves applying paint thickly, so brushstrokes or palette knife marks are visible. This creates a surface that has highs and lows, catching light and casting shadows. It’s a technique that has been used by masters for centuries, adding a palpable energy to their work.

What is Impasto?

Impasto comes from an Italian word meaning “to lay on” or “to paste.” In painting, it means applying paint so that the brush or knife marks are evident. The paint stands out from the surface, creating relief.

How to Use Impasto

Choose the Right Paint: Oil paints are naturally good for impasto because they retain their shape. Acrylics can also be used, especially with mediums that thicken them.
Use Thick Paint: Don’t thin your paint too much. Apply it straight from the tube or with a gel medium for acrylics.
Tools of the Trade: Use stiff-bristled brushes or palette knives. These tools allow you to scoop and spread thick paint without losing the texture.
Layering: Build up paint in layers, allowing each layer to dry slightly before applying the next. This prevents the paint from becoming muddy.
Consider the Surface: A rigid surface like a canvas board or a sturdy stretched canvas is best for impasto, as the thick paint can add weight.

Benefits of Impasto

Adds Dimension: Creates a strong sense of depth and physicality.
Captures Light: The raised surfaces catch light, creating highlights and shadows that add drama.
Expressive: Allows for bold, energetic marks that convey the artist’s movement and emotion.
Tactile Quality: Invites the viewer to imagine touching the surface.

Exploring Palette Knife Painting

Palette knife painting is closely related to impasto but focuses specifically on the tool used. Instead of brushes, artists use palette knives to apply paint. This method offers a unique way to build texture and create sharp edges or soft blends.

The Versatility of Palette Knives

Palette knives come in various shapes and sizes, each offering different possibilities:

Flat, Flexible Blades: Great for scraping, spreading, and creating smooth areas or sharp lines.
Trowel-Shaped Blades: Excellent for scooping and applying thick blobs of paint.
Curved Blades: Can be used for delicate strokes or broad sweeps.

Techniques for Palette Knife Painting

Loading the Knife: Scoop a good amount of paint onto the knife.
Applying Paint: Use the edge or flat side of the knife to spread, dab, or scrape the paint onto the canvas.
Creating Edges: The sharp edge of the knife can create crisp, defined lines.
Blending: By using a clean knife or a combination of colors on the knife, you can blend colors directly on the canvas.
Scumbling: Lightly drag the knife over existing paint to create a broken, textured effect.

Palette Knife vs. Brush

While brushes offer a softer touch, palette knives provide a more direct and forceful application of paint. They are ideal for adding dimension to paintings and creating bold statements.

Creating Surface Interest with Paint

Beyond thick paint, there are many other ways to create creating surface interest in your paintings. These methods involve manipulating the paint itself or incorporating other materials.

Textured Brushstrokes

The way you move your brush on the canvas is a powerful tool for texture.

Dry Brushing: Use a brush with very little paint, dragged lightly over the surface. This leaves broken, scratchy marks, great for suggesting wood grain or rough textures.
Stippling: Apply paint using small dots. This can create a granular or fuzzy effect.
Sgraffito: This Italian term means “to scratch.” While painting, you can scratch through wet or partially dried paint to reveal the layer beneath, creating lines and textures.

Using Mediums and Additives

Many art supply companies offer mediums and pastes that can be mixed with paint to alter its consistency and texture.

Acrylic Texture Paste: This is a versatile medium that dries hard and can be applied thickly. It can be mixed with acrylic paints or applied on its own. It comes in various finishes like matte, gloss, or sand-infused.
Gels: Acrylic gels can thicken paint, make it more transparent, or add a glossy finish. Some gels are specifically designed to create texture, like molding paste or grit paste.
Modeling Paste: This is a heavy-bodied paste that dries to a hard, matte surface. It can be carved, sanded, or painted over. It’s excellent for building up thick, sculptural elements.

Table 1: Common Acrylic Texture Mediums

Medium	Description	Typical Uses
Acrylic Gel	A clear, viscous liquid that can thicken paint, add gloss, or create subtle texture.	Enhancing brushstrokes, creating glazing effects, adding shine.
Molding Paste	A thick, white paste that dries to a hard, matte surface.	Building relief, creating sculptural elements, providing a rough ground.
Texture Paste	Similar to molding paste but often available with different textures (e.g., sand).	Creating sandy or granular surfaces, adding tactile interest.
Grit Paste	Contains small particles (sand, glass beads, etc.) for a very rough texture.	Simulating natural surfaces like stone or sand, creating gritty effects.

Experimenting with Pigment and Binder

For oil painting techniques, the binder (linseed oil, alkyd mediums) plays a crucial role in how paint behaves. Adding more binder can make paint more fluid and easier to blend, while using it sparingly allows for thicker, more textured applications. Alkyd mediums, in particular, can speed up drying time, making it easier to build up layers of impasto without waiting too long.

Mixed Media Painting for Texture

Mixed media painting is where you combine different materials and techniques. This is a playground for texture! You can incorporate almost anything into your painting to create unique surface effects.

Common Mixed Media Elements for Texture

Collage: Gluing paper, fabric, or other materials onto the canvas before or during painting.
Sand and Gravel: Mix with mediums or paint to create gritty, realistic textures.
Fabric and Thread: Embed pieces of cloth or string for a tactile quality.
Found Objects: Small stones, leaves, or even scraps of metal can be incorporated.
Paper: Different types of paper, from thin tissue paper to thick cardstock, can be layered.

Techniques for Integrating Mixed Media

Adhesion: Use strong glues or gel mediums to attach materials securely to the surface.
Layering: Build up layers of different materials and paints.
Overpainting: Once materials are adhered, you can paint over them to unify them or enhance their texture.
Gesso and Gesso with Grit: Apply gesso to the surface before adding materials. You can also buy gesso with sand already mixed in for an instant textured ground.

Tips for Mixed Media Success

Test First: Try out different materials and adhesives on a scrap piece before committing to your main artwork.
Consider Durability: Ensure your materials are archival and will last.
Balance: Don’t overcrowd your painting with too many different textures. Let each element have space to breathe.

Advanced Texture Techniques

Once you’ve got the basics down, you can explore more advanced ways to create texture. These methods might require more practice but can yield stunning results.

Building Up Layers for Depth

The secret to a rich, textured surface often lies in the careful layering of paint and mediums.

Underpainting: Start with a textured underpainting. You could use a rough wash, apply molding paste to specific areas, or even use sand mixed with acrylic.
Varying Thickness: Apply paint in varying thicknesses across the canvas. Use thick impasto in some areas for dramatic effect and thinner layers in others for contrast.
Glazing with Texture: Apply thin, transparent layers of glaze over textured areas. This can create a sense of depth and complexity, as the light interacts with both the textured surface and the glaze.

Using Tools Beyond Brushes and Knives

Many everyday objects can be used to create unique textures.

Sponge: Use natural or synthetic sponges to dab paint, creating stippled or mottled effects.
Fingers: For a very direct connection with the paint, use your fingers to smudge, spread, or press paint.
Paper Towels/Cloths: Dab wet paint with paper towels or crumpled cloths to lift paint and create soft, broken textures.
Combs and Forks: Drag the tines of a comb or fork through wet paint to create parallel lines.

Creating Visual Texture with Color and Value

Even without physical texture, you can create the illusion of roughness or smoothness through the strategic use of color and value.

Contrast: High contrast between light and dark values can make a surface appear rough or rugged.
Color Temperature: Warm colors tend to advance and can appear more prominent, while cool colors recede. This interplay can create a sense of depth and texture.
Broken Color: Applying small strokes of different colors next to each other, allowing the viewer’s eye to blend them from a distance, can create a shimmering, textured effect.

Applying Texture to Different Surfaces

The surface you paint on can significantly influence how your textures appear.

Canvas and Panel

Stretched Canvas: The most common surface. For heavy impasto or mixed media, ensure your canvas is well-primed and stretched taut.
Canvas Panels/Boards: These are rigid and less prone to flexing, making them ideal for thick applications of paint or heavy textured materials.
Wood Panels: Offer a very sturdy and smooth surface, excellent for detailed textures or embedding materials. They also hold up well to heavy mediums.

Paper

Heavyweight Paper: For watercolors or acrylics, use heavyweight paper (300gsm or more) to prevent buckling when wet or when using mediums.
Mixed Media Paper: Specifically designed to handle a variety of wet and dry media, including acrylics and some mediums.

Priming for Texture

Priming is essential for most surfaces.

Gesso: Apply a few coats of acrylic gesso. This provides a good surface for paint to adhere to.
Textured Ground: For even more texture from the start, you can use gesso that has sand or other aggregates mixed in. You can also mix your own aggregates into regular gesso.

Working with Specific Paints for Texture

The type of paint you use will affect your ability to create texture.

Acrylics

Acrylics are incredibly versatile for texture work.

Fast Drying Time: Their quick drying time allows for rapid layering of thick paint.
Mediums Galore: Acrylics mix exceptionally well with a wide range of texture mediums, gels, and pastes.
Flexibility: They remain flexible when dry, reducing the risk of cracking with thick applications.

Oils

Oils offer a different but equally effective approach to texture.

Slow Drying Time: This allows for longer working times, making blending and manipulation of thick paint easier.
Viscosity: Many oil paints have a natural body that lends itself well to impasto without needing many additives.
Alkyd Mediums: Using alkyd mediums can speed up drying time and increase the paint’s hardness, making it more suitable for thick, textured applications.

Watercolors

While often associated with thin washes, watercolors can also achieve texture, though with different methods.

Salt Technique: Sprinkle salt onto wet watercolor paint. As the water dries, the salt absorbs it, creating starburst or crystalline patterns.
Masking Fluid: Apply masking fluid to areas you want to keep untouched. Once the paint is dry, remove the fluid to reveal the paper’s texture or a previous layer.
Lifting Paint: Use a damp brush or sponge to lift wet paint, creating softer, textured effects.

Maintaining and Preserving Your Textured Art

Creating texture is only half the battle; preserving it is equally important.

Varnishing

Purpose: Varnishing protects the painting from dust, UV light, and dirt. It also evens out the sheen.
Texture Considerations: For heavily textured paintings, use a spray varnish. This ensures even coverage without disturbing the raised paint. Apply multiple light coats rather than one heavy one.
Matte vs. Gloss: A matte varnish can help preserve the appearance of some textures, while a gloss varnish can enhance the play of light and shadow on impasto surfaces. Choose based on the desired effect.

Framing and Display

Frame Depth: For paintings with significant texture (impasto, raised mediums), you’ll need a frame with sufficient depth or a shadow box frame to prevent the paint from touching the glass or mat.
Clearance: Ensure there’s enough space between the artwork and the glazing.
Handling: Advise viewers not to touch the artwork. Textured surfaces can be delicate and prone to chipping or damage.

Tips for Beginners to Add Texture

Starting with texture doesn’t have to be intimidating.

Start Small: Experiment with texture mediums or thick paint on a small canvas or piece of paper.
Observe: Look at the textures in the world around you – tree bark, sand, fabric, walls. How are they formed? Try to replicate them.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Messy: Texture often involves a more hands-on approach. Embrace it!
Use Simple Tools: Even basic kitchen tools like old forks or textured rollers can create interesting effects.
Mix and Match: Try combining a few different textural elements in one painting.

A Simple Step-by-Step for Textured Acrylics

Prepare Your Surface: Apply 1-2 coats of acrylic gesso to your canvas or panel.
Mix Medium and Paint: In a separate palette, mix your acrylic paint with a texture medium like molding paste or a modeling gel. Start with a 1:1 ratio and adjust as needed.
Apply with Tools: Use a palette knife, stiff brush, or even your fingers to apply the textured paint mixture to the canvas. Try different strokes and pressures.
Build Layers: Allow layers to dry partially before adding more, building up areas of thickness.
Allow to Dry: Let the painting dry completely. This can take 24 hours or more depending on the thickness of the paint.
Varnish (Optional): Once dry, you can spray with a varnish for protection.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texture in Painting

Q1: What is the best paint for creating texture?
Both oil paints and acrylic paints are excellent for creating texture. Oil paints’ slower drying time allows for more manipulation of thick paint, while acrylics are highly versatile due to their fast drying time and the wide range of available texture mediums.

Q2: Can I add sand or other materials to my paint?
Yes, you can add sand, small stones, fabric scraps, and many other materials to your paint, especially acrylics. Use a strong acrylic medium like gel medium or molding paste as an adhesive. Ensure the materials are archival and will adhere well.

Q3: How do I prevent thick paint from cracking?
When using thick paint, especially acrylics, allow layers to dry partially between applications. Ensure you are using a flexible medium. Oil paints are naturally more prone to cracking if applied too thickly in layers that don’t dry uniformly. Using alkyd mediums with oils can help with a more even, faster dry.

Q4: How do I clean palette knives and brushes used with heavy mediums?
Clean them immediately after use. For acrylics, use soap and water. For oils, use a solvent like turpentine or mineral spirits, followed by soap and water. If paint has dried on your tools, you may need a specialized brush cleaner.

Q5: Is impasto suitable for all types of paintings?
Impasto is a technique that adds a very distinct character to a painting. It’s great for expressive landscapes, portraits, or abstract works. For very delicate or ethereal subjects, a smoother finish might be more appropriate. It really depends on the artistic vision.

Q6: What is the difference between visual texture and tactile texture?
Visual texture is the illusion of texture created through artistic techniques like brushwork, color, and shading. Tactile texture is the actual physical texture of the artwork that you can feel with your hands.

By incorporating these techniques, you can transform your paintings from flat images into dynamic, engaging artworks with captivating surfaces. Happy painting!