How To Make Textured Acrylic Paintings

Marian (aka Azure11) has been working as a professional person artist since 2006 and has sold over 600 paintings in that time.

Paintings With Texture

As an abstruse artist, a lot of the paintings I create use a textured base on the canvas before I start painting. This painting texture can be added in pretty much any thickness to give the impression that you have used an impasto paint technique or else simply to build an about three-dimensional base to your paintings.

In abstract art, a particular texture is useful underneath the painting so that you can bring out different colours and show all the layers of paint. If you lot look at a lot of abstruse paintings in hotels, for case, you will see that they may accept a textured base.

In this article, I volition tell you how to make your own texture for your paintings using ingredients that are much cheaper than the texture that you can purchase in the shops (and also much more effective). This texture tin also be used much more thickly than commercially available texture pastes, etc.

Extract from a finished, heavily textured painting. (c) Marian L

Creating Your Own Texture

When I offset started painting, I would use gesso both every bit a primer and for a slightly raised effect nether the painting. Information technology still has its uses and I like it particularly to requite extra castor stroke definitions under the principal painting, but overall I similar to have quite a thick texture base and gesso just doesn't quite cut information technology (and it is expensive!).

And so I have come upwards with my ain recipe for a textured base that adds a great corporeality of definition to my abstract art. It is made from materials that you lot can become from a hardware shop and that toll a lot less than buying ready-made texture from an art shop.

There are two main ingredients to my texture base:

Stucco
PVA Agglutinative

Stucco is a kind of plaster that yous might use to patch up areas of walls in your house. The stucco I take comes in a pot-ready mixed but you tin can likewise purchase it in powder form. PVA (or polyvinyl acetate) is a kind of glue that is too used in building work and craft projects. I tend to buy both in majority so that I accept plenty bachelor for big paintings and commissions.

Stucco is not a peculiarly flexible medium and then that is why you need to add the PVA to the mix then that information technology allows it the flexibility to be used on stretch sheet besides equally giving information technology actress adherence to the sail.

So, mix upwardly your stucco and PVA in the ratio of around 3:1—you can experiment with different ratios and the more stucco you lot have the more the mixture is prone to cracking (which can add some interesting furnishings). Y'all tin can also add other ingredients to your texture mix to requite different furnishings and the article beneath volition give yous some extra ideas on this.

Applying the Texture

Utilise the texture with a spatula, grout spreader, cake slice or anything like. Yous can apply it pretty smoothly to the canvas or you can make it really crude. If you want rough furnishings requite the texture a few minutes to start drying and scrape your spatula over the texture to roughen information technology up.

You can as well utilise diverse other tools to create different marks and furnishings in the texture including kebab sticks, wooden forks, chopsticks, bubble wrap, cardboard cut-out shapes, etc. But look effectually the business firm and first scraping and marking!

The texture should be left to dry overnight or peradventure longer if you have applied information technology really thickly and it may need a light sanding before you lot paint over the pinnacle of it to get rid of any rough edges.

Using Texture for Unlike Effects

A well as 'roughing up' the texture to go some really interesting kind of 'mount tiptop' textures, you can also use this texture to create regular patterns. Below are a few examples of the kind of work that I accept created using the texture base, etching out the patterns while the texture is still moisture (information technology tin dry out pretty quickly so on large canvases I have to carve as I put the texture on) and making marks in the texture.

This painting was made by carving out squares and rectangles in the texture before leaving it to dry and painting. — This painting was made by carving out squares and rectangles in the texture before leaving information technology to dry and painting.

(c) Azure11

Again the squares were carved out of the texture first before making different patterns with carious tools in each of the squares. — Once again the squares were carved out of the texture outset before making different patterns with carious tools in each of the squares.

(c) Azure11

If You lot Tin't Get Stucco

In some countries, it is quite difficult to get concord of stucco. In this case, you tin try using plaster—in either the powder or the prepare-mixed grade. Information technology doesn't requite quite such a polish finish as the stucco but tin can give some good rough furnishings.

Experiment with different materials that you notice in a hardware or DIY shop for patching up walls and plaster and you should exist able to notice something that works for you. Only ever add together the PVA every bit this should stop it from breaking off the canvass. If you are experimenting then endeavour things out on some cheap canvases showtime to see what will piece of work for you.

Alternative Texture to Use in Abstract Paintings
As a mainly abstract artist I have come upwardly with some interesting ingredients to use for texture nether my abstract paintings. I generally use acrylic paint but this texture base of operations tin can also exist used for oil paintings....

This content is authentic and true to the best of the writer's noesis and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized communication from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: Can I mix stucco with plastic glue?

Respond: This recipe mixes stucco with PVA glue which is Polyvinyl acetate which gives the mixture its elasticity so I don't know if that is what you hateful by plastic glue. If you lot mean gum that fixes plastic things (maybe an epoxy) then no, that can't exist used.

Question: Have you tried painting textures on forest for oil painting?

Answer: No I haven't tried this texture on wood. I wouldn't recommend using it on wood equally this is really a type of plaster and plastering on forest is never a good idea unless you lot have a proper key for it to adhere.

Question: Would a version of this painting texture mixture work in a large syringe?

Respond: Yes, as long as the mixture was very smooth. You might demand to add a niggling more than PVA so that it was of the right consistency to be pushed through.

aayu on July 06, 2020:

give thanks u very mach ma'am information technology helped me a lot

Marian L (author) from UK on July 01, 2020:

Hi aayu, I don't know of any online classes - I only take this video on YouTube just need to add more https://youtu.be/wSwxU-eLxLM

aayu on June 30, 2020:

is there whatever online classes bachelor for texture painting

aayu on June xxx, 2020:

thank u

Marian Fifty (author) from UK on June 30, 2020:

Yes yous don't have to apply gesso, yous tin employ your ain texture as per above.

aayu on June 28, 2020:

can texture painting are done without gesso

Marian L (author) from UK on Jan 19, 2019:

Hi Nedaa, if you use a college proportion of PVA and you apply it thinly and so it shouldn't crack merely you may want to test it out beginning as i of the characteristics of this texture that I similar is the fact information technology adds interesting cracks the thicker you apply it :-)

Nedaa on January 18, 2019:

Will this mixture be lightweight and fit with large sail ... I don't want it to crack .

Marian L (author) from Great britain on Oct 06, 2017:

Yes that's correct.

Affections-Leigh Fox on Oct 05, 2017:

Hi in that location. The ratio iii:one is that iii parts stucco to i part PVA?

Raji on January 04, 2017:

Thanks for your dainty information

Marian L (writer) from UK on September 23, 2016:

What don't you agree with Dejah?!

Dejah Grigsby on September 23, 2016:

Dntt Agree .. ^^SORRY!!!!!

Marian L (author) from Great britain on May 14, 2014:

That'south great info thanks Suzinne I'll requite that a try besides.

suzinne on May 13, 2014:

Smashing blog! Currently I'grand using nonsanded tile grout which, like stucco comes in powder and premixed form. After practical, dries to a very matte, crude textured cease. Nifty every bit a ground for mounting and mix with acrylic for chalkboard paint. Extend the life of your grout (that will dry completely within hours) with some wheat paste. Lasts for days Sanded grout too available.

$5.00 for five pounds @ Domicile Depot. Actually love gesso, but at $10.00 a quart, can't beget it. All of us are living on a shoestring these days.

Marian L (author) from U.k. on January 18, 2014:

I haven't tried it so I'm not sure. Best to try information technology on a spare bit of woods first. I call up if you plaster normally on forest information technology can cleft so at that place may exist a danger of that rather than it not adhering.

birdy on January xvi, 2014:

hi this post is extremely helpful! thank y'all. i'm curious can I use this on wood, or volition information technology not attach properly?

Marian 50 (author) from Uk on September nineteen, 2013:

Yep you can use liquid PVA that should be fine and also attempt mixing it with wall compound just I would recommend you lot test information technology out first on a sample. I get my materials from a building merchant quite ofttimes so you should be able to go hold of this kind of stuff.

harold bronswinkel on September 18, 2013:

i send a notation all ready ,but please helpme

my question is , tin i use liquid pva , and can i usewall compound use fo celling and wall????

harold bronswinkel on September 18, 2013:

Okay , i,ll effort to say at first cheers , i am an artist living the Caribbean

and allways have to order my materials from the states wich is very very expensive ,i been looking long time for this!!!!!~here i tin can non go pva glue , but the pva liquid that utilise in acrylic paint (tin can i use that with some glue ???) AND Likewise THE DAP I VERRY EXPENSIVE Here can iuse join compoud wich they as well employ on wall and e selling ( please help my electronic mail is mmbrons @setarnet.aw

Marian L (author) from UK on July 26, 2013:

I'm non sure what you mean carol, why would you use this on fabric?

ballad on July 24, 2013:

has anyone tried this ratio on fabric?

carol stanley from Arizona on July 29, 2012:

I really enjoyed the hub and the unlike texture ideas. I am also going to bookmark this page. Thanks for sharing these ideas.

Scott T on May 25, 2012:

Amazon =[

Marian L (author) from UK on May 21, 2012:

Hi Scott, yep PVA primer should work. So was Lowes or amazon cheaper on the stucco?!

Scott T on May 21, 2012:

I bought PVA Primer from Lowe's. Will this work the same way? Also...holy crap on the price unlike between amazon and Lowe's for the stucco...I just wasted $12

Natasha from Hawaii on May 20, 2012:

I really like this idea! Thanks for sharing it. I've already bookmarked this for future reference. Voted up and useful!

Marian 50 (author) from United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland on May 17, 2012:

Hi maria, it sounds like the LJC would be worth a try but yeah I would definitely add some PVA too. I've not tried it but I would imagine it would work in a similar way to stucco.

mariatepper on May 16, 2012:

Give thanks you lot so much! I've wanting to try an abstract very textured painting for a while now, but couldn't become myself to use big amounts or expensive gesso for information technology.

I've also read that Lightweight Joint Compound can be used to create texture. I'm wondering if it may be easier to work with than Stucco... Though I imagine that information technology too will require some PVA added for flexibility. Whatsoever idea on that?

Marian L (writer) from United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland on February 28, 2012:

Hullo beatriz, the addition of the PVA makes it more than flexible so information technology is OK to put on stretched sail. The more PVA you add the more than flexible it will be.

beatriz garcia on February 27, 2012:

I would like to know if the texture you use is flexible?

Marian L (author) from UK on July 07, 2011:

Thank you Elaine, good luck with the painting and for certain let me know how it went!

ELAINE on July 06, 2011:

Thank YOU And so MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR Knowledge. I Dearest YOUR PAINTINGS AND HAVE REALLY ENJOYED READING YOUR HUB PAGES. I DO Abstract PAINTINGS MYSELF AND Become VERY EXCITED By Color AND SHAPE. YOUR INFORMATION IS REALLY CLEAR. You lot HAVE GIVEN ME Not bad INSPIRATION. AM GOING TO Gild SOME STUCCO AND PVA AND TRY A TEXTURED PAINTING AS SOON As POSSIBLE. HOPE TO LET You KNOW LATER HOW Information technology WENT!

Marian L (author) from Great britain on March 08, 2011:

Thanks imatellmuva, love your frugal hub too, always skillful if you lot tin save coin in whatever kind of fashion!

imatellmuva from Somewhere in Baltimore on March 07, 2011:

This is sooo right up my aisle. I e'er wanted to try my hand at painting my own abstract slice. Being a frugal-minded person, this is an awesome hub for me or anyone like me who has a passion for personal expressions in their dwelling.

Marian Fifty (author) from UK on February 26, 2011:

Thanks Peggy, it is definitely cheaper (and I think better) than gesso!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on February 26, 2011:

Interesting information about cost cut means to utilise texture to paintings. Thanks! Voted up and useful.