Painting with Acrylics: Texture without texture mediums

Painting with acrylics beginner art tutorial – Learn to paint like a pro!

CREATING “FLUSH” – A Modern Unique Textured Abstract Painting

HOW TO PAINT “FLUSH”

MATERIALS USED:

12″ x 12″ canvas – I like this brand

Titanium White – this is my go-to favorite for project like this

High Flow Acrylics:

–Napthol Red – this is the one I used / creates a very light coral-red effect

-Magenta – Quinacridone Magenta – this is a transparent magenta that is perfect for this type of layering

Metallic Gold Acrylic paint – Liquitex Basics or Arteza (excellent buttery newer brand I am loving!)

Red – any mid-level crimson red like this Cadmium Red Medium (this is what I used)

Pigment powder: This is a nice set – use the Rose Quartz mixed with a little bronze or violet or gold (depending upon your desired look)

Glaze Medium / Satin and Gloss blend:

My “recipe” for a good final glaze:

1/4 GLOSS GLAZE + 3/4 SATIN GLAZE + a little water (~ tsp.)

Varnish

Flat brushes

Paper towel

Mister bottle of water

WATCH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/GpuD91HCiDg

STEP-BY-STEP PAINTING TUTORIAL

12 Step to Create FLUSH

PREPPING CANVAS:

I prepped this canvas with my Titanium White. Let dry.

Then I applied a thick layer of white with a flat brush and left the brushstrokes. This is what created the underlayer of texture. *Use a THICK layer of paint to create this.

STEP ONE:

On my dried “texture” I wet the canvas and then applied my high flow red.

STEP TWO: Blend the paint to a watercolor-like finish.

STEP THREE:

Add a layer of gold metallic and blend into areas of the canvas – both over the red and on the white areas.

STEP FOUR:

When last layer is dry, apply a little water to your canvas and then your high-flow magenta.

STEP FIVE:

Add a little paint to your small detail brush and lay it flat against canvas. Run it lightly over the texture to pick up highlight of the color.

STEP SIX:

GILDING THE EDGES AND SIDES – Use a paper towel to add gold meatllic paint to the sides and bright it up just over the edge to create a “gilt framed” effect.

STEP SEVEN:

Use a little of the gold left on your paper towel (from edges) to add a few highlights to the surface. Let dry.

STEP EIGHT:

Take some metallic white or white mixed with pearl and add sections to your artwork. I used paper towel, but you can use a brush and then blend it with another brush, paper towel or sponge.

STEP NINE:

STEP TEN:

On your still-wet paint, add some pigment powder. *You need to add pigment powder to a wet/tacky surface.

You can use a dry flat brush (on it’s side) to move the pigment around and just pick up enough on your textured areas.

STEP ELEVEN:

Add another layer of metallic gold (optional)

STEP TWELVE:

After letting previous layers dry thoroughly, apply a little red (sparingly) with a DRY flat brush. Using a dry brush is key to not dispersing “painting” the surface; you only want to apply paint over texture and pick up a regulated amount of paint. (A wet brush will disperse paint over the canvas – not the technique we want to use here!)

FINAL ARTWORK

Let your painting dry very well – at least 24 hours.

Apply a coat of glaze to seal everything – key with using pigment powders!

Let dry another 24 hours.

Varnish to seal and protect!