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Archive by category "Art Technique"

Painting in Black: Working with Pure Pigment Powders

If the advice “Don’t ever use black paint! It dulls your paintings, and mixing blacks with colours always looks better” sounds familiar, then you’ve probably been thoroughly scared away from using black paints in favour of mixing them to create chromatic blacks. Although this can be brilliant advice in many cases, the beauty and individual assets of black pigments should also be given fair consideration. In this article, I give practical demonstrations using the Jackson’s Artist Pigment Set in Black, by transforming the six pigments into ink, oil, watercolour, and egg tempera to paint with, in response to historic artworks. Painting in Black: Working with Pure Pigment Powders Properties of the Jackson’s Artist Pigment Set in Black The beauty of working with pigments instead of buying paints is that you can transform them into a host of different mediums by combining them with different binders. This means you could use the same little pot of pigment to make drawings and paintings, without having to reinvest in the same colour in tube form for each medium. Working with pigments is often more economical, since they are relatively cheaper than pre-mixed materials, and give you the flexibility to jump …

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Rococo Techniques for Painting and Drawing

In this article, I explore the techniques of the Rococo painters by examining the stylistic choices in their idyllic works. Through the patronage of the French aristocracy, artists like Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard, and Vigée le Brun formed the flamboyant imagery that we know Rococo for today. Then I demonstrate how to create your own Rococo works in painting and drawing media. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Rococo Techniques for Painting and Drawing Definition: Rococo describes the opulent ornamental style of late Baroque art and architecture popularised by the French aristocracy. The word originates from the French for rock or broken shell – ‘rocaille’, referring to artificial shell-covered grottos. In fine art, it appears as a distinctive collection of overwhelmingly sweet aesthetic choices – from pastel blues and pinks to floral flourishes, theatrical costuming, powdery skin, and flirtatious gatherings. What is the Effect of Rococo? Rococo didn’t just populate the paintings of its time, but flooded whole rooms, furnishings, and ceilings with swirling patterning. It’s a movement of loud luxury, communicating the wealth and status of those with the …

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Sponging Techniques for Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking

Using sponges for painting may initially bring back memories of using poster paint in primary school, but they’re also a valuable tool for artists working in painting, drawing, and printmaking. In this article, I explore the sponging technique by looking at examples from antiquity to Dutch botanical painting, as well as Degas’ prints. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Sponging Techniques for Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking Definition: Sponging is the application of paint or ink to a surface using a sponge. This could be a natural sea sponge or a manufactured one. What is the Effect of Sponging? Sponging adds texture to paintings by printing the impression of the sponge onto the surface. Sea sponges generally have defined holes which will appear when dabbed onto a painting. Whereas manufactured sponges have tiny holes which make the sponged mark appear more unified. The artist may manipulate a sponge by cutting it into a particular shape for their purposes, or compress or twist it in their grip to make a specific printed mark. Sponges may also be swiped …

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Resist Techniques for Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking

In this article, I describe the resist technique by referring to historic examples, from dyed fabrics to etchings, and Henry Moore’s drawings. Then I demonstrate how you can apply the resist technique to a host of mediums, such as acrylic, oil paint, and mixed media for drawings. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Resist Techniques for Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking Definition: The resist technique refers to media or materials that have been used to block out or reject the subsequent layers that are applied to an artwork, to retain the quality of the ‘resisted’ area. For example, an oil pastel drawing will reject a layer of ink applied on top of it, adhering to the surrounding areas of paper, and tape applied over a dry area of oil painting will resist the next layer, so the original one can be revealed again later. What is the Effect of the Resist Technique? The resist technique has a different visual effect depending on the medium or combination of mediums it’s used with. In general, it indicates that the artist is a …

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Wet-on-wet Techniques for Watercolour, Gouache, and Ink

In this article, I define the wet-on-wet technique for water-based media by looking at examples of it used throughout art history beyond the infamous ‘Golden Age’ of watercolour painting in 18th to 19th-century Britain. I then give demonstrations and practical advice for applying the wet-on-wet technique with watercolours, gouache, and ink with a variety of effects to your own paintings. Articles in the Painting Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Wet-on-wet Techniques for Watercolour, Gouache, and Ink Definition: The wet-on-wet technique is the application of water-based media to an already wet artwork or surface. The technique can refer to an entire sheet of paper that the artist has washed over with clean water, a specific shape that the artist has wetted with water for the paint to bleed into and fill, or a wet watercolour painting that the artist continues to add to before the first wet layer has dried. When multiple colours are added to the same wet surface, they’re able to bleed, disperse, and mingle together. What is the Effect of Wet-on-wet with Watercolours, Ink and Gouache? The wet-on-wet technique …

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The Dabbing Technique for Painting

Dabbing is an incredibly versatile painting technique that most artists utilise, from applying tiny areas of rough texture to decisively dabbing entire paintings. In this article, I define the technique by looking at key examples from art history – from the Dutch Golden Age, the Japanese mid-Edo period, to Les Nabis in Paris. Then I demonstrate how to apply dabbing to your own works, in oil, acrylic, ink and watercolour paints. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. The Dabbing Technique for Painting Definition: Dabbing refers to the application of paint or ink to a surface using a repetitive vertical hand motion. The media is bounced, pressed or touched onto the surface without linear movement or hand gesture, giving a diffused effect. Dabbing may be achieved with brushes, rags, or palette knives. What is the Effect of Dabbing? Paintings made with dabbing may have a diffused quality, where the artist has intentionally foregone linear or painted mark-making. It’s perfect for applying the texture of naturalistic elements like clouds and foliage, building up patterns, and for realising subtle tonal effects like …

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Tonalist Techniques in Painting and Drawing

In this article, I explore the techniques used in Tonalism by looking at the qualities of artworks from the movement. Among its leading figures were American painters such as James McNeil Whistler and George Inness. I then demonstrate how to create your own Tonalist works in painting and drawing media. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Tonalist Techniques in Painting and Drawing Definition: Tonalism refers to artworks with a restricted palette of colours, which exist within a narrow variation of dark tones. These muted palettes lend themselves to nocturnal scenes, suggesting dusk or dawn, often depicting the landscape or people. ‘Tonalism’ refers to both the painting technique and the late 19th-century American art movement that originated the term. What is the Effect of Tonalism? Tonalism has a contemplative, quieting effect, with its muted palette and sombre tones evoking the quiet stillness of dusk. Tonalist works often evoke a feeling of loneliness, as if you have come across the dying light on an evening walk, or seen another person absorbed by their own thoughts at the end of the day. …

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Pointillist Techniques for Painting and Drawing

In this article, I explain the pointillist technique by looking at works by the artists who created it – Georges Seurat and Paul Signac – and others who embraced it, like Anna Boch and Lucie Cousturier. And then I demonstrate how to achieve the pointillist technique in your own work, using oil and acrylic paint, pencil, and pastel. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Pointillist Techniques for Painting and Drawing Definition: Pointillism is the application of small dots of pure colour that form a complete image when viewed from a distance. The technique relies on optical mixing, where instead of combining colours on the palette, our eyes merge the adjacent dots to reveal form, value, and space. What is the Effect of Pointillism? When pointillism is executed well, it conveys to the viewer that the artist has a deep understanding of colour. These works often use complementary colours to create contrast and visual interest. And they have soft transitions between tones by diffusing the dots of one area with those nearby. Since these artworks rely on optical mixing, the …

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The Blocking In Technique for Painting and Drawing

In this article, I explain the blocking in technique, by defining its purpose and demonstrating how to use it to plan the placement of tone, colour, and composition in artwork. I refer to art history by looking at examples of unfinished paintings from the Renaissance to the pioneering approach of Cézanne. Through my demonstrations, I show how blocking in can speed up the art making process, in acrylic, oil, pencil, and pastel. Articles in the Painting Techniques series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Blocking In Technique Definition ‘Blocking in’ refers to media that has been applied broadly with minimal detail, to give the artist an idea of the placement, form, tone, size, or colours of the imagery. A resolved artwork may be completely ‘blocked in’, or retain some areas from the blocking in stage. Although it more commonly functions as an initial underpainting or underdrawing that will later be developed further by the artist. What is the Effect of Blocking In? When you block in the early stages of an artwork, it provides a foundation to build from and allows for any necessary …

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Blending Techniques in Oil, Acrylic, Pencil, Pastel, Charcoal, Watercolour, and Ink

In this article I explore the technique of blending, referring to examples from Sfumato paintings in the Renaissance, through to Symbolist pastel drawings. Followed by practical demonstrations for blending in a variety of mediums – oil, acrylic, pencils, soft and oil pastel, charcoal, watercolour, and ink – and give tips for achieving a seamless finish. Articles in the Painting Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Blending Techniques in Oil, Acrylic, Pencil, Pastel, Charcoal, Watercolour, and Ink Definition Blending refers to the mixing towards, or transition between, two or more different colours or values, to create a smooth gradient between them. A successfully blended area will have a consistent, melded-together finish, without any hard edges, lines, or random marks. What is the Effect of Blending? The visual effect of blending may help to achieve realism, or simply add a pleasing gradient to an artwork. Whether a work is naturalistic or abstract, areas of blending often provide a sense of depth, be it blended tone across a glass on a table or blending between bright colours. It’s a technique that’s doable in all …

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Category: Art Technique