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Texture is a great way to draw a viewer into artwork because it entices the sense of touch. I like to create movement with texture and here’s two ways I do it.

1. Modeling Paste and Silicone brushes

I glop modeling paste on my bare canvas with a palette knife. Then I spread it around in a smoothe layer, just like icing a cake. Finally, I comb through the modeling paste with one or more silicone brushes or scrapers, in different directions, until I’ve created my image. Then I paint over it. Sometimes, I follow the direction of my new textured lines and sometimes I paint against them. You can also mix acrylic paint directly into the modeling paste, but it’s hard to tell what color you’ll end up with because the modeling paste dries white.

2. Mixtion relief and gold leaf

Mixtion relief is an adhesive that comes in a tube with a long, thin nozzle, so you get this glue string when you squeeze it. After it cures, around 2 hours, you can apply gold leaf on top. Brush the excess leaf away with a mop brush. The most important part is using sealer on top of your new awesome gold lines, or the color may change over time.

I’ve also made some cool water ripples to “mirror, mirror,” (shown below) by covering the mixtion relief with a layer of resin.