I've just added this new report that you may be interested in if you have a Kindle.
It is a collection of articles and reports I have written. It covers acrylic paints, suitable brushes to use with acrylic paints, the best painting surfaces, acrylic mediums, and colour mixing tips too.
Here's the link if you want to check it out
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LO6REI
You may need to copy and paste the link into your browser, however there is also a link on the right hand side of this page too.
Showing posts with label painting surface. Show all posts
Showing posts with label painting surface. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, June 21, 2010
Painting on an Oval Stretched Canvas - Painting Tip
I've had an e-mail about painting on oval stretched canvases so I thought it would be a good subject for this blog post.
Painting on an Oval Stretched Canvas
Oval stretches canvases used to be quite rare but I see that they're a lot more common now.
They give a different look to your painting and many people prefer it.
I got one as a Christmas present last year. I painted a collie picture on it and I think it looks pretty good. :-) It would look pleasing in a traditional style of décor.
What about Framing?
However there may be a drawback if you want to have a framed picture. I spoke to my local picture framer and she said that framing oval pictures was a specialist job. Obviously the frame needs to be the same curved shape as the canvas.
___
Side Note – An oval canvas could be framed into a rectangular picture. The oval shape would be put behind a mount or matt, so the final mounted picture would be a rectangle, and easy to frame.
___
When framing a square or rectangular canvas the framing is sold in straight lengths. The lengths are cut to the correct size for the canvas. The corners are cut at 45 degrees for a tidy finish and the frame assembled.
For an oval canvas to be framed as an oval shape the framing has to match the curve of the canvas which is much more complicated.
This can make getting your oval artwork fairly expensive to frame. A few years ago I saw an oval canvas with a matching frame sold as a kit, but I haven't seen any of these recently.
Any Options?
If you decide to buy an oval canvas look for one with the canvas fixed on the back the picture. This means that the artwork can be displayed without the need for a frame.
I like to paint the background colour around and onto the sides to tidy them up. The photo shows how this looks on the collie painting.
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Friday, January 22, 2010
Painting Tip for Artists – Dented Canvases
In this post I wanted to share a tip that I had to use recently. If you store your equipment better than I do you may not need this tip!
***
How to Repair a Badly Stored Stretched Canvas
I have a range of different sizes of stretched canvases. This is very handy as I can choose the size I want for a particular painting. Usually I store them so that all the same sizes are together and resting on an edge (normally leaning up against a wall). This way they support each other and everything is fine.
However as I was looking for a particular size I discovered that I had mixed a small stretched canvas in between two large ones. It must have been there for a while as the small one had put dents into the larger canvases. What a nuisance!
How to Fix Dents in a Stretched Canvas
I find that if you get a bulge or dent in the canvas surface you can remove it by thoroughly spraying the entire back of the stretched canvas with clean water.
The canvas will usually dry smooth. However you need to let it dry naturally for the best result.
Another Use for this Spraying on the Back Technique
Another use for this technique is to slow the drying time of a painting.
If you want to slow down the drying time of your paint you can spray the back of a stretched canvas with a water spray before you start the painting. This will slow down the drying time without affecting the paints on the front of the canvas.
I like to spray the rear of the canvas before setting out the rest of the painting equipment so it gets time to soak into the canvas a bit.
Obviously the amount of extra time you will get depends on some other factors too. For example how much water you sprayed on the back of the canvas, how wet the paints are that you are using, room temperature and humidity, and so on.
However it is a handy thing to know. Be sure to try it sometime to see how it works for you.
***
How to Repair a Badly Stored Stretched Canvas
I have a range of different sizes of stretched canvases. This is very handy as I can choose the size I want for a particular painting. Usually I store them so that all the same sizes are together and resting on an edge (normally leaning up against a wall). This way they support each other and everything is fine.
However as I was looking for a particular size I discovered that I had mixed a small stretched canvas in between two large ones. It must have been there for a while as the small one had put dents into the larger canvases. What a nuisance!
How to Fix Dents in a Stretched Canvas
I find that if you get a bulge or dent in the canvas surface you can remove it by thoroughly spraying the entire back of the stretched canvas with clean water.
The canvas will usually dry smooth. However you need to let it dry naturally for the best result.
Another Use for this Spraying on the Back Technique
Another use for this technique is to slow the drying time of a painting.
If you want to slow down the drying time of your paint you can spray the back of a stretched canvas with a water spray before you start the painting. This will slow down the drying time without affecting the paints on the front of the canvas.
I like to spray the rear of the canvas before setting out the rest of the painting equipment so it gets time to soak into the canvas a bit.
Obviously the amount of extra time you will get depends on some other factors too. For example how much water you sprayed on the back of the canvas, how wet the paints are that you are using, room temperature and humidity, and so on.
However it is a handy thing to know. Be sure to try it sometime to see how it works for you.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A Different Use for Acrylic Gesso?
I recently read an article about using acrylic gesso to prime the back of a paper painting surface. It said that you do not need to stretch the paper if you used the gesso.
I tried an experiment of this technique and it worked really well.
What is gesso? Here is a quick definition
Acrylic gesso (from Wikipedia)
“Modern acrylic "gesso" is actually a combination of calcium carbonate with an acrylic polymer medium latex, a pigment and other chemicals that ensure flexibility, and ensure long archival life. It is sold premixed for both sizing and priming a canvas for painting. While it does contain calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to increase the absorbency of the primer coat, Titanium dioxide or titanium white is often added as the whitening agent. This allows the "gesso" to remain flexible enough to use on canvas.”
Or my basic definition is – Acrylic Gesso is like a thick white paint and is applied with a brush to prime a surface before painting a picture.
***
Using Acrylic Gesso instead of Stretching Paper Surfaces
Priming surfaces with acrylic gesso
Using gesso is the normal way to prime a painting surface; it is usually used to prime a stretched canvas before starting a painting.
It can also be used to prime card and paper. Priming the front of a paper or cardboard painting surface with gesso will change the absorbency of the surface, this means that the painting surface will not behave in the same manner as an untreated surface.
Gesso is applied with a brush so there is a surface texture and this seems to hold more paint than an untreated surface does.
You can apply gesso to the back of the paper?
If you don’t want the properties of the paper surface to change you can prime the back of the painting surface. This will also keep the paper from curling while you paint.
In my test piece I had to hold the paper onto a board with masking tape while I painted on the gesso and let it dry. It did curl a little when I removed the tape as you can see in the top photo. So I found it easiest to use some more masking tape to hold the paper in place on a board while I painted the picture (on the side with no gesso) as shown in the bottom photo.
During the painting the paper only buckled slightly when wet, and dried back flat. I think that this was very successful and I will definitely try this technique again.
I found it to be a successful alternative to conventional stretching paper.
Also, I've had a container of acrylic gesso for many months and this is a good way to make full use of it too. :-)
I tried an experiment of this technique and it worked really well.
What is gesso? Here is a quick definition
Acrylic gesso (from Wikipedia)
“Modern acrylic "gesso" is actually a combination of calcium carbonate with an acrylic polymer medium latex, a pigment and other chemicals that ensure flexibility, and ensure long archival life. It is sold premixed for both sizing and priming a canvas for painting. While it does contain calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to increase the absorbency of the primer coat, Titanium dioxide or titanium white is often added as the whitening agent. This allows the "gesso" to remain flexible enough to use on canvas.”
Or my basic definition is – Acrylic Gesso is like a thick white paint and is applied with a brush to prime a surface before painting a picture.
***
Using Acrylic Gesso instead of Stretching Paper Surfaces
Priming surfaces with acrylic gesso
Using gesso is the normal way to prime a painting surface; it is usually used to prime a stretched canvas before starting a painting.
It can also be used to prime card and paper. Priming the front of a paper or cardboard painting surface with gesso will change the absorbency of the surface, this means that the painting surface will not behave in the same manner as an untreated surface.
Gesso is applied with a brush so there is a surface texture and this seems to hold more paint than an untreated surface does.
You can apply gesso to the back of the paper?
If you don’t want the properties of the paper surface to change you can prime the back of the painting surface. This will also keep the paper from curling while you paint.
In my test piece I had to hold the paper onto a board with masking tape while I painted on the gesso and let it dry. It did curl a little when I removed the tape as you can see in the top photo. So I found it easiest to use some more masking tape to hold the paper in place on a board while I painted the picture (on the side with no gesso) as shown in the bottom photo.
During the painting the paper only buckled slightly when wet, and dried back flat. I think that this was very successful and I will definitely try this technique again.
I found it to be a successful alternative to conventional stretching paper.
Also, I've had a container of acrylic gesso for many months and this is a good way to make full use of it too. :-)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Painting Tip for Checking the Colour of the Paint
This post contains a handy tip about testing paint, to check the colour, before applying it to your picture. I have to admit that I don't always do this, but if you can get into the habit of checking the colour first it can prevent some ugly mistakes.
I recommend testing colours on a spare piece of paper before applying it to your painting. This can save you both time and stress. Mainly because acrylic paint can dry almost immediately, so often you cannot just wipe it off. Here's a tip that you might want to try.
*****
Painting Tip especially for Square Paintings
This is a handy tip for pictures painted on paper. Often you'll be painting a picture that will not fill the size of paper you are using. A good example would be a square picture on a rectangular piece of paper.
Mark off the painting area
It can be useful to draw in a light line to mark the edge of the picture.
When you do this you can use the spare section to test colours on. You'll be trimming the paper once the picture is complete anyway, so you can use this part as a colour testing section.
One of the main benefits of this tip is that the tested colour is very close to the painting and it is easier to see how it will look. Also, as it is on exactly the same painting surface there is be no variation.
Mainly for paper surfaces
Obviously this tip will be best for paper surfaces that are easy to trim. It wouldn't be suitable for stretched canvases. But you could probably use it on a canvas panel if you were going to trim it anyway.
However it's usually easier to trim a canvas panel before starting to paint. When you trim a canvas panel before it is painted you don't need to worry about marking the painted surface.
Try to get into the habit of testing the paint colour, it can save a lot of time and make your painting more enjoyable!
I recommend testing colours on a spare piece of paper before applying it to your painting. This can save you both time and stress. Mainly because acrylic paint can dry almost immediately, so often you cannot just wipe it off. Here's a tip that you might want to try.
*****
Painting Tip especially for Square Paintings
This is a handy tip for pictures painted on paper. Often you'll be painting a picture that will not fill the size of paper you are using. A good example would be a square picture on a rectangular piece of paper.
Mark off the painting area
It can be useful to draw in a light line to mark the edge of the picture.
When you do this you can use the spare section to test colours on. You'll be trimming the paper once the picture is complete anyway, so you can use this part as a colour testing section.
One of the main benefits of this tip is that the tested colour is very close to the painting and it is easier to see how it will look. Also, as it is on exactly the same painting surface there is be no variation.
Mainly for paper surfaces
Obviously this tip will be best for paper surfaces that are easy to trim. It wouldn't be suitable for stretched canvases. But you could probably use it on a canvas panel if you were going to trim it anyway.
However it's usually easier to trim a canvas panel before starting to paint. When you trim a canvas panel before it is painted you don't need to worry about marking the painted surface.
Try to get into the habit of testing the paint colour, it can save a lot of time and make your painting more enjoyable!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Acrylic Painting Technique - Use a Credit Card
A new way to use your credit card – when you’re painting
Do you remember in the Karate Kid movie the part about Polish On and Polish Off to build up his muscles? Well this technique it a Paint On and Paint Off one.
Trying different painting methods to achieve a good effect is one of the most interesting aspects of painting. So here is another one for you to try.
Paint on
Remember you don't always need to apply paint with an artists brush. There are other options like using a palette knife or even your fingers.
An alternative method for highlights
Try this on a test piece first. You simply apply the paint thickly and then remove some of the paint for the highlighted area. One of the best things to use to remove the paint is a credit card. This is quite a common watercolour technique but it works just as well with acrylics.
Paint Off Example
You can paint some stones in a fairly flat way, they don't need to look particularly three dimensional, and then use a credit card to scrape off the paint for the lighter or highlight area. Some of the paint will be left on the painting surface giving a paler section.
I think that the final result works very well, especially for rocks. It can also be very effective for the texture on tree trunks.
As acrylics dry quickly you need to be speedy! If you want to have a bit more time to work the paint you can add some gel retarder to the paint to slow down the drying time.
I've seen the scraping off of the paint done using a razor blade too, but that's a bit too sharp for me! You could try using a palette knife instead of the credit card; it will give a slightly different result.
Painting surfaces
This technique is most effective when you're painting on a paper surface, particularly a rough textured one.
However you can practice it on any painting surface you're using to see what effect it will give you. Then you can decide if you want to include the effect in your picture.
I found that it was disappointing when used on a stretched canvas unless the paint is applied really thickly.
However on a suitable painting surface it can be very effective and is another technique to add to your painting arsenal.
Do you remember in the Karate Kid movie the part about Polish On and Polish Off to build up his muscles? Well this technique it a Paint On and Paint Off one.
Trying different painting methods to achieve a good effect is one of the most interesting aspects of painting. So here is another one for you to try.
Paint on
Remember you don't always need to apply paint with an artists brush. There are other options like using a palette knife or even your fingers.
An alternative method for highlights
Try this on a test piece first. You simply apply the paint thickly and then remove some of the paint for the highlighted area. One of the best things to use to remove the paint is a credit card. This is quite a common watercolour technique but it works just as well with acrylics.
Paint Off Example
You can paint some stones in a fairly flat way, they don't need to look particularly three dimensional, and then use a credit card to scrape off the paint for the lighter or highlight area. Some of the paint will be left on the painting surface giving a paler section.
I think that the final result works very well, especially for rocks. It can also be very effective for the texture on tree trunks.
As acrylics dry quickly you need to be speedy! If you want to have a bit more time to work the paint you can add some gel retarder to the paint to slow down the drying time.
I've seen the scraping off of the paint done using a razor blade too, but that's a bit too sharp for me! You could try using a palette knife instead of the credit card; it will give a slightly different result.
Painting surfaces
This technique is most effective when you're painting on a paper surface, particularly a rough textured one.
However you can practice it on any painting surface you're using to see what effect it will give you. Then you can decide if you want to include the effect in your picture.
I found that it was disappointing when used on a stretched canvas unless the paint is applied really thickly.
However on a suitable painting surface it can be very effective and is another technique to add to your painting arsenal.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Top Tips for using Acrylic Paints – Number 10
Use Acrylic Mediums to Extend the Range of Effects
Adding an acrylic medium to the paint allows you to create a further range of effects.
For example – the glaze medium can help to produce watercolour effects. Glaze mediums are available in both gloss and matt finishes which will give different results to the final picture. A good idea is to use a gloss medium on the highlights, especially on water, for a lovely finish.
There are also gel mediums and texture paste which will give extra body to the paint for three dimensional effects. Rather than use a lot of paint to achieve a 3D look you can add the gel medium to the paint and it will bulk it up, this is a lot cheaper than using straight paint.
When using the texture paste is easiest to apply the texture paste to the painting surface and let it dry. Then paint the colour you want on top of the dried texture paste. You can add a darker colour to the ‘valleys’ to add to the textural look too.
Adding an acrylic medium to the paint allows you to create a further range of effects.
For example – the glaze medium can help to produce watercolour effects. Glaze mediums are available in both gloss and matt finishes which will give different results to the final picture. A good idea is to use a gloss medium on the highlights, especially on water, for a lovely finish.
There are also gel mediums and texture paste which will give extra body to the paint for three dimensional effects. Rather than use a lot of paint to achieve a 3D look you can add the gel medium to the paint and it will bulk it up, this is a lot cheaper than using straight paint.
When using the texture paste is easiest to apply the texture paste to the painting surface and let it dry. Then paint the colour you want on top of the dried texture paste. You can add a darker colour to the ‘valleys’ to add to the textural look too.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Top Tips for Acrylic Painting – Number 8
Acrylic paints are very versatile. You can use them both in thin coats of colour or thickly depending on the result you want.
Water Colour Effects
Thin coats of acrylic paint can be used to give a watercolour look to a picture. The thin layers of paint will have the transparent quality of watercolours.
A point to remember when painting using transparent coats is the white acrylic paint is an opaque colour. To paint a pale colour do not add white to make it pale, instead add water to thin the colour and apply thin layers of paint.
On a white background the white of the painting surface will show through the colour making it appear paler.
Water Colour Effects
Thin coats of acrylic paint can be used to give a watercolour look to a picture. The thin layers of paint will have the transparent quality of watercolours.
A point to remember when painting using transparent coats is the white acrylic paint is an opaque colour. To paint a pale colour do not add white to make it pale, instead add water to thin the colour and apply thin layers of paint.
On a white background the white of the painting surface will show through the colour making it appear paler.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
The Black Canvas Project - Paint Something Different!
This is a good idea for the times when you want to try to paint something a bit different. The final result can be stunning.
Instead of starting with a white background why not try a black one?
Although I call this the Black Canvas Project it does not need to be a canvas! It works just the same on any painting surface, like paper or canvas panel.
What to do
This is really easy; just paint the whole of the painting surface with black acrylic paint. OK, I know this can look a bit drastic to start with but it really is an interesting option when starting a painting.
What then?
Usually you need to paint in the middle tones, shadows and then highlight the objects in your painting; however with this technique you already have all the shadows in. In this case you are picking out just the middle tones and highlights.
You may need to apply the paint a bit more thickly than normal, depending on your painting style.
This is useful when painting sunrise/sunset type pictures that have a lot of shadow. It is great for stormy pictures too.
Abstracts too
This technique works well with abstract style paintings too. It is especially effective when you want to include some metallic paints. The dark background shows up the metallic colours and makes them more vibrant.
What about adding an acrylic medium?
If you have one of the acrylic mediums that give a metallic effect to the paints you will be able to make a range of metallic colours. I have an Interferance Medium in Gold that works really well.
For a more subtle look you could try the Pearlescent Tinting Medium, which is my favourite of the moment.
When you use a medium you still get the colour but with a metallic effect. The metallic colours, like gold and silver, just look like metal. Your choice will depend on the result you want to achieve.
Next time you fancy trying to paint something a bit different look out the black paint!
Instead of starting with a white background why not try a black one?
Although I call this the Black Canvas Project it does not need to be a canvas! It works just the same on any painting surface, like paper or canvas panel.
What to do
This is really easy; just paint the whole of the painting surface with black acrylic paint. OK, I know this can look a bit drastic to start with but it really is an interesting option when starting a painting.
What then?
Usually you need to paint in the middle tones, shadows and then highlight the objects in your painting; however with this technique you already have all the shadows in. In this case you are picking out just the middle tones and highlights.
You may need to apply the paint a bit more thickly than normal, depending on your painting style.
This is useful when painting sunrise/sunset type pictures that have a lot of shadow. It is great for stormy pictures too.
Abstracts too
This technique works well with abstract style paintings too. It is especially effective when you want to include some metallic paints. The dark background shows up the metallic colours and makes them more vibrant.
What about adding an acrylic medium?
If you have one of the acrylic mediums that give a metallic effect to the paints you will be able to make a range of metallic colours. I have an Interferance Medium in Gold that works really well.
For a more subtle look you could try the Pearlescent Tinting Medium, which is my favourite of the moment.
When you use a medium you still get the colour but with a metallic effect. The metallic colours, like gold and silver, just look like metal. Your choice will depend on the result you want to achieve.
Next time you fancy trying to paint something a bit different look out the black paint!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Top Tips for Acrylic Painting – Number 7
Acrylic paints are water based and should not be used over oil paints.
Oil paints, or any other surface that is oily or waxy, will repel the water in the acrylic paint and the acrylic paint will not stick to the surface.
Never try to use acrylic paints on top of oil paints. Be sure to check that any painting surface you use is suitable for acrylic paints. Some painting surfaces are made for oil paints and will not be suitable for painting on with acrylics.
Oil paints, or any other surface that is oily or waxy, will repel the water in the acrylic paint and the acrylic paint will not stick to the surface.
Never try to use acrylic paints on top of oil paints. Be sure to check that any painting surface you use is suitable for acrylic paints. Some painting surfaces are made for oil paints and will not be suitable for painting on with acrylics.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Beginners Acrylic Painting
Need to Know What Painting Surface to Buy?
Starting a new hobby can be a bit daunting, don't you think? All the equipment to buy and no previous knowledge – how can I be sure that this is the right thing? Sometimes it's enough to put you off even starting!
You go into a store and the range is huge. Good grief, I only want to buy something to paint on!
Well, when you’re beginning with acrylic paints there are a few things you need to know before you get as far as the store. Also, once you have an idea of what you need to buy it will make the shopping trip a lot easier.
When you are just practicing painting techniques you can use any paper or cardboard you have to hand. Cardboard from packing materials is a good surface for starting. When you paint on cardboard you do not have the problem of the surface stretching when it is wet, this can be a problem with the thinner papers. So cardboard is great for beginners acrylic painting.
All kinds of cardboard are good and the inside of cereal boxes can be very handy too. Painting practice can make good use of your junk mail. You can paint on the thicker pieces of paper before you throw it out.
When you are ready to paint a picture I think the best surface for beginners (and still my favorite) is to use canvas panels. A canvas panel is a thick cardboard that has a painting surface glued to it. It comes ready to paint. You don’t need to do anything else but just start painting. Bliss!
If you paint on paper you will find that many papers need to be stretched before you can paint on them, otherwise the paper buckles while wet and the paint gathers in the hollows. This will give an uneven result to your final painting.
There are pads of pre-stretched paper. The pad has glued edges. The paper has already been stretched – you paint on the top paper and let it dry. Once the painting is finished and it is dry, then you use a knife to slice around the glued edge to release the top piece of paper. These pads are pretty good, but I still prefer the canvas board - it is just so much easier to use and convenient if you want to paint outdoors.
You can use stretched canvases too, although these can be a bit expensive when you are beginning with acrylic paints. You would be better spending the money on buying good quality nylon brushes.
Acrylic Painting Tip
No matter what surface you decide to paint on there is one important point. Acrylic paints will not stick to oily or waxy surfaces. Make sure that the surface you choose is suitable for acrylic paints. Some painting surfaces are made specifically for oil paints and are not suitable for use with acrylics.
Check the details on the painting surface wrapper or pack. It will usually tell you what paints (or ‘mediums’) the surface is suitable for. If you are in any doubt always ask if the painting surface is suitable for use with acrylic paints.
Just Starting to use Acrylic Paints?
Look out for other Beginners Acrylic Painting articles on buying the rest of your painting supplies – palette and brushes, and paints.
For the detailed step-by-step beginners guide on acrylic painting see the Acrylic Painting Course – with a free preview to completing your first painting click here www.LearnAndDo.com/acrylic.asp
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