How to Float and Highlight With Acrylics

Floating and highlighting add light to your paintings.

It is possible to create subtle nuances in your painting with the use of floating and highlighting techniques. This is the process of adding a thin layer of paint over pre-existing paint to lighten or change the color of certain small areas of the painting. Doing this allows you to create depth and add light and color to your work. Learning this technique will help you improve your painting and make it more delicate and detailed.

Things You'll Need

• Sheer acrylic paint
• Newspaper
• Small shading paintbrush
• Paint palette
• Water
• Water container
• Canvas
• Easel

Instructions

1. Test your acrylic paint to make sure that it is sheer so that it will create subtle highlights when you paint with it. Mix a small amount with water until it is thin in consistency. Place a small amount on a piece of newspaper and allow to dry. If the print on the newspaper stays black it is sheer. If it looks gray the paint is not sheer enough and should not be used for floating or highlighting.

2. Place your canvas painting on the easel and mix paint and water on your palette until it is sheer. Dampen your shader brush with water and press out any excess on the side of the water container.

3. Dip your paintbrush in a small amount of paint and lightly brush the paint onto the parts of the painting you want to highlight. Place the chisel edge of the brush on the edge of the area when you begin. Use short strokes when applying the paint so you do not get too much color on any one portion.

References

• Margot Clark: How I Float Color With Acrylic Paint

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish