Tips for Artists #2

Below is my second entry for a new blog segment on the DIY Lounge website called “Weekly Tips from Teachers.” I hope it proves handy for some of you - my artist friends.

Creating Depth with Acrylics:

Have you ever been dissatisfied by a painting you’ve been working on because it seems to be lacking depth; everything appears to be on the same plane and has the same intensity? Here are some techniques that will help you produce the appearance of depth while also creating a more dynamic painting:

1) Work with glazing. You can achieve a rich quality in your painting by starting with a background that has a neutral color wash (this can be warm like burnt sienna or cool like raw umber). Then shapes and forms can emerge from there already having a nice mid-tone established. This works better than trying to start your painting on an all white background.

2) Work the classical way. Build your painting up from dark to light saving the highlights for last. In addition to creating depth this will help you add dimension to your forms.

3) Work lean to fat. Build your painting in layers. Saving the thickest applications of paint for the final layers. This adds a nice juxtaposition of textures, makes the highlights really “pop” and works best for the process of drying (as the thicker paint will take longer to dry).

4) Remember that certain colors, like purple, recede in a painting while other colors like yellow, come to the foreground.

Experimenting with some of the technical devises I described should help you create a combination that works best for your painting needs.