Paint effects
When you apply paint you can achieve different texture effects with your brush, as the examples below show.
 |
 |
 |
| 1. Graduated 'shading' done by mixing the colours on the paper | 2. Using the point of a soft brush to create texture effects by dipping into different greens | 3. Dabbing different colours with a hard-bristle brush to achieve texture effects |
- The technique called wet-on-wet means that you do exactly as it sounds. You paint into another colour while it is still wet on the paper and help them to mix slightly. Here white has been painted on the paper and small amounts of other colours painted into it while the white was still wet. See how it blends. This is how you can achieve the same effect as the graduated shading you did for your drawing.
- The next technique uses the same idea. All the colours are wet as you paint so they do blend slightly. This effect is achieved with the brush stroke.
- It is quite different when you use a hard-bristle brush or a large brush.
Now you should feel confident that you can make any colour you need for your painting.
Mix your own colours and experiment with paint effects. Your experiments should include as many secondary and tertiary colours as you can find, and even a mixed black and greys. When you mix the colours remember:
- Always add the darker colour to the lighter.
- Do not let your brush get too watery.
- Try not to let the brush get too much paint on it, otherwise it will affect the colours you can mix.
- Do not let the paint dry on your brushes - clean your brushes regularly as you paint and even more carefully when you finish.
Be thoughtful about the environment. If you have a lot of paint left on your palette, scrape it onto newspaper to put in the rubbish bin rather than washing large amounts of plastic-based paint down the sink.
