1. Paint – Creating expressive layers by experimenting with drying times
For this technique you will need:
Acrylic paint – range of colours
Sponges (both to add and remove paint)
Water
Hair dryer
Board or canvas to work onto
Optional: spray bottles, stencils, masking tape, metallic leaf and gilding paste, embossing powder & glue / glue pens, heat gun.
Method:
Add a surface layer of paint using your sponge – you can use 1 solid colour or blend multiples together
Dry using a hair dryer
Add a further layer of paint in the same way as above – work quickly!
Add water to create patterns – mist, splash, drip, apply though stencils etc.
Using a hairdryer, dry the paint but NOT the water.
Using a clean sponge, wipe off the wet areas. This will pull off the wet surface layer of paint to reveal the layer underneath.
Repeat steps 2-6 until you are happy with the effect of multiple colours and patterns being revealed.
Optional further techniques:
Use masking tape to section off areas of your design and gain crisp lines.
You may wish to metallic leaf (gold, silver or bronze are available in sheets or flakes) or embossing powders to bring through contrasting colours and textures.
To apply metallic leaf or flakes:
Apply gilding paste, then heat with a hair dryer to make the paste tacky. Carefully apply metallic leaf or foil – brushing with a clean paint brush to pull away excess.
To apply embossing powder:
Apply PVA glue (glue pens are great for drawing detailed lines on to the surface) and sprinkle over embossing powder. powder. Knock off the excess powder onto a piece of paper and tip the excess back into the pot. Use a heat gun to ‘chase’ the powder – watching it bubble up as it reacts to the heat.
Transfer paper
Use transfer paper to apply an image (photo or drawing) over your background: The layers will show through the transparent transfer.
Artist Inspiration: Layering paint – drying times
Jenny Muncaster, Steve Javiel, Jenny Wunderly.
Further applications and ideas:
This can be a great technique for creating backgrounds to work on top of. Consider using with your own stencils or painted focal point. Photos can also be effectively layered over the top using decal papers, transfer paper or acetate.