How to Create Texture in an Abstract Painting

Texture helps lead the eye across the surface and create depth in a painting. You can create texture in many ways. You can make tracks on the gesso ground, add materials to the gesso and manipulate the paint using different tools, all for varied textural effects.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Trowel or painting knife
• Acrylic gesso
• Unprimed stretched canvas, masonite or hard wood
• Sand or glass beads
• Pieces of paper or fabric
• Acrylic medium
• Squeegee
• Synthetic brushes
• Painting knife

Create a Rough Surface to Paint On

1. Prepare canvas, hard wood or masonite with acrylic gesso before painting.
2. Dilute the gesso with water, if necessary, but keep it fairly thick to get a rough surface.
3. Apply the gesso loosely with trowel or painting knife.
4. Coat the surface at least three times, waiting each time for it to dry.
5. Go in a different direction each time you apply gesso.
6. Coat the dried surface with pieces of paper or fabric. Glue pieces down with acrylic medium. Let it dry. Then apply two more coats of gesso.

Manipulate Paint for Additional Textures

7. Squeeze paint directly onto the surface or apply paint onto the surface with painting knife. Then spread it out using squeegee or painting knife. Do this one color at a time.
8. Vary strokes in size and direction leaving some areas free of color.
9. Brush in heavy areas of color for interesting texture.
10. Continue to build up surface in certain areas, leaving others unworked for a varied surface of hills and valleys.

Tips & Warnings

• If you use hard wood, coat it first with acrylic sizing.
• To create especially thick textures, use hard wood or masonite.
• If you're painting on a hard surface, you can scratch it using palette knife.

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