This mini-lesson is sponsored by David Kitler’s 90-minute art workshop video, “Painting Nature’s Textures in Acrylic.” David’s advanced art techniques center around the transparent qualities of acrylic paint. He uses that transparency to create luminous feathers and intriguing eyes.
By David N. Kitler
When asked about my preference for using acrylics, one of the first answers that comes to mind is its versatility. In this demonstration, the focus will be on the workability of acrylics, and the benefits of using the medium in its thinnest state.
To begin, let’s address some terms and clarifications. For starters, when you hear the word “wash,” liken it to what an oil painter would call a “glaze,” the two terms are synonyms, but medium specific (water-based versus solvent-based). Where my handling of washes differs from the manufacturer’s suggestion, is that instead of adding any medium (matte, satin, or gloss) to uphold the integrity of the paint, I use water; the reasons will become evident in this demonstration.
It is very important to understand that there ARE differences between acrylic paints sold in tubes (Heavy Body), and acrylics sold in jars (Soft Body), each has a function and adds to the versatility of the medium.
The painting used in this demonstration is yet to be completed, but is indicative of many of my recently completed pieces. It began with a smooth piece of sealed and gessoed, *Baltic birch plywood.
*Please note that Baltic birch is NOT the same as ordinary plywood bought at your local home improvement store. I prepare the board (for my climate, during the summer) by using two coats of GAC 100 as an isolation barrier, followed by 3-6 coats of gesso (applied with a spray gun). Baltic birch is sold in 5’ x 5’ sheets, so when the time comes, it can be cut to the desired sizes required. In a typical spray session, I’ll prepare as many as six sheets (both sides). With some of them, I usually tint the top two coats (“good” side only) by adding acrylic paint to the gesso being sprayed. That way, instead of always starting from white, the option of black (dark), gray (neutral) or any color, allows variety and a chance to try something different.
Workability of Acrylics
This painting (“Great-Horned Owl Montage”), began on a smooth, white gessoed piece of Baltic birch plywood. While adding water (instead of medium) weakens the bonding capabilities of the paint, it allows the paint to flow better, take longer to dry, dry to the thinnest level achievable, and, as this demonstration will attempt to reveal, allows it to be worked with using different tools and techniques.
With less medium (binder) in these initial stages, the thin paint has a less tenacious connection to the support, allowing for it to be removed without “snagging” or tugging. I use subsequent coats of medium to lock future layers down, thereby protecting the integrity of the painting.
Acrylic Painting Demonstration
Step 1: On a dry surface any poured paint would stick to the area it is dropped onto, so to prevent that from happening, water has been sprayed over parts of the surface to dampen it, thereby allowing the various diluted Soft Body acrylics colors to intermingle. While adding water weakens the bonding capabilities of the paint, it allows the paint to flow better, take longer to dry, and more importantly, to be easily worked with after it dries. Once a few colors have been added there is little to no physical blending, instead, I tip the board to use gravity to move the colors around the surface.
Step 2: At any point during the creation of the background, a desired result could be “locked down” by heating the board from underneath using a hair dryer. Doing so limits any movement that would occur if used directly onto the wet paint from above. Different portions can then be worked on at the same time, and many layers can be added on top of previous coats. As long as each prior coat has had a few minutes to dry, it doesn’t take long to come up with an interesting and movement filled, abstract result.
Step 3: Care must be taken, but alcohol (99% rubbing) can also be “flicked” into the wet acrylics to create an interesting effect (indicated by the red circles), causing the paint to retreat/repel – the opposite of what salt typically does. Too much alcohol will begin to eat away at the gesso, turning the formally smooth surface into a pock-marked one, so have some clean water nearby to neutralize it.
Step 4: At some point, the abstract portion of the background preparation has to be declared “done.” This is what that stage looked like for this painting.
Note: The smaller board (to the right bottom of the painting) is used to test colors until the painting is completed. These “BPs” (by-products) are used as a reminder of the actual colors used, and come in handy especially if reproductions are to be made after the painting is sold. They themselves often end up as mini-paintings, to be sold to those who prefer abstracts.
Step 5: When a painting begins on an already toned surface, the colors required to cover this layer usually need to be opaque. However, with this thin, smooth, and easily worked surface, even an eraser can get it back to the original white surface below. Here an electric eraser is being used to remove an area in the eye of the largest of the owl. The lines being followed were drawn using a chalk pencil.
Step 6: With a few passes of a brush, life begins to emerge!
Step 7: “Educating” is the direction my life’s work has been driven by, whether for myself, or for those viewing my paintings – sometimes that involves incorporating words. In this case. the Latin name of the Great-Horned Owl was added by reaching into the toolbox and picking out a ruling pen …
Step 8: … and later, using a liner brush. The less viscous nature of these soft body paints flows easily, allowing for an even application of lines.
Step 9: Here, a scalpel is used to achieve finer detail after a few washes have been placed over the initial scratches. These types of tools can be used in tandem with a brush, but sometimes offer a bit more control.
Step 10: Another trip to the toolbox reveals one more benefit of working on this type of background: the ability to use any number of scratching tools – here a safety razor blade – to lay in the direction of the barbs on a tail feather.
Step 11: Sandpaper, scouring pads and a number of other household items can also be used throughout the completion of the painting, but by far as shown here, a scalpel in the preferred “go-to” – seen here finishing one of the “ears” – the process of painting doesn’t only involve “drawing with a brush.”
Note that the scalpel blade is being used upside down, the purpose being to scratch rather than cut. Keen observers may also notice that the blade itself has been blunted; frequent sharpening (using a wet-stone) has allowed the same blade to be used for years.
Step 12: A final mention for this segment is to point out that the original abstract background can sometimes be incorporated into the subject(s) themselves, as was the intention here with the smallest owl. The original pour colors and spattering were retained, to later become the pattern of the upper wing (left side of the photo).
Step 13: By taking advantage of soft body acrylics’ ability to lay down thin, smooth, layers, many levels of art can be painted on top of the previous ones. This cropped portion of the yet unfinished painting shows at least six levels atop the poured background that began the demonstration. The unobtrusiveness of the prior coats even allows for some playing around and intermingling of the different layers – as was done with the smaller owl’s talon hooking into the “s” of its scientific name. My plans to add the cast shadow of the owl’s talons onto the back of the squirrel will add yet one more to the layer count.
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