Neadeen Masters CDA - Country Carousel Art©
 

Beautiful Texture

Texture in art can be amazing and brushstrokes are even more fantastic! Especially for those artists who are curious and tempted to experiment with it.  Impasto style paintings can be a creative way to play and experiment with colour as well as texture. It is also a way for those who wish to develop a 'looser or more painterly' style to shed their fear for a while. 'Impasto' is a traditional term used to describe a heavy or thick application of paint to achieve special brushstroke effects.  Artists first began using this style of painting during the Renaissance and then later Baroque periods.  It was a way for them to use their 'brushstrokes' as a signature of sorts and many though this was also an effective way to express and inject emotional meaning into their paintings. They often felt that the texture of the paint actually provided them with another way to make a visual statement. Famous artists like Titian, Rembrandt, and later Vincent Van Gogh used this style of application extensively.

In the past this was achieved with thicker paint application and has continued to be popular with artists still favoring this look today, however the difference is today we usually add a medium to add volume or bulk to accomplish this property.  Did you know that we can achieve this traditional texture when we use JansenArt Texture Medium added directly with the Traditions paint?  This heavy medium mixes easily with the pure pigments and offers great results. Traditions are medium viscosity paint, so by adding the texture medium to it, we increase the viscosity and make the paint denser or thicker.

Recently we have seen an increased interest in 'impasto style' painting from decorative art students, who in the past often favored smooth texture-less surfaces!  It was exciting for me once I realized that highly textural surfaces could easily be achieved with Traditions acrylic paints by simply combining them with the Texture medium.  Based on 20 plus years of experience with oils, I experimented and worked with the Texture medium to create the same textural effects that I was able to get when I worked with oils! Here's how I do this - I mix the Texture Medium directly into my puddle of paint to a ratio of about (2 paint: 1medium) or less (medium) depending on the amount of texture I desire at the time. The exact ratio will vary depending on what I am painting. I do this on my wax palette and then transfer the now thicker paint to my wet palette for safekeeping.

I found I had ample time to work with it on my surface, and as it dried it got thicker and then the fun really began.  I use the JansenArt filbert brushes for this as they have the body that is necessary for this type of application as well as a palette knife to create interesting effects. The 'loft' of the texture medium is excellent and I was most impressed with the outcome after drying. For a 'looser style' if you are trying this for the first time, try holding the brush higher up on the handle, this forces you to relax your grip and with a relaxed wrist you are able to play with the paint and brush. Texture when used with certain styles of painting adds three dimensional effects and can also be used as a tool to create added form especially in architectural buildings, landscapes and when used for specific background treatments. One of my students recently painted oversized flowers, using the texture medium in a larger ratio necessary to create the flower petal's edges and details. They were most effective on stretched canvas.

The medium itself did not affect the intensity or brilliance of the Traditions paint.  When completely dry in 12 -24 hrs, the colours were only slightly more matte, however after the application of a barrier coat of Glazing medium the clarity and brilliance returned. Transparent pigments were layered over some areas for additional interest at the final stage and the results were amazing!  Glaze and varnish with 2 coats as usual, remembering to heat set the varnish to cure it.  

Neadeen Masters  CDA©