Salt Residue

 This entry was originally posted on Friday, September 14, 2012

Once salt is scraped off your painting, there is some salt residue still left on the image.

This can be removed by doing a glaze of clean water or a pale wash of color.

Scraping Salt

  This entry was originally posted on Thursday, September 13, 2012

When your salt has dried, it needs to come off the painting.

To remove the dried salt, I like to use a palette knife or similar item.

My favorite thing to use though is a pan scraper, like the one above.

I think it is an old Pampered Chef pan scraper from many years ago.

Course Salt

 This entry was originally posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2012

 Course salt also creates some wonderful textures.

It is great for a rocky beach and toss some under the cling wrap when doing rocks.

Think of all the other wonderful things you can do with that texture.

 

For example, I used it for texture in my painting of spices and mushrooms in Chinatown Market below:

It can be seen better here:

White and Water

   This entry was originally posted on Friday, June 29, 2012

In watercolor, you usually save your whites.

However, white paint can be used at times.

I have mentioned the past couple of posts, the use of white for snow and crashing waves.

White paint can also be used to create more dimensions to calmer waves.

It also creates an opaqueness to the water that can sometimes be seen when light reflects off of it.

Creating Waves

   This entry was originally posted on Thursday, June 28, 2012

White paint splatter with a toothbrush also works great for waves.

 

Splatter masking fluid before painting the waves and white paint after.

It creates a nice sparkle when the light hits your painting just right.

 

Falling Snow

  This entry was originally posted on Wednesday June 27, 2012

It may be summer here but while we are on the subject of the use of toothbrushes. . .

Use white watercolor or gouache with a toothbrush to create falling snow or a snowstorm.

 

It is also fun to try some of the new iridescent colors for snow.

 

Asphalt Streets

  This entry was originally posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Splattering paint with a toothbrush also works well for creating texture on an asphalt street.

 I used this splattering technique on the street for the above painting.

Rocks Speckled

 This entry was originally posted on Sunday, June 24, 2012

Last week I did the above painting of rocks as part of a negative painting exercise.

To complete the painting, I decided to add some texture.

This was done using a toothbrush.

Toothbrushes are great for making all sorts of speckles for all sorts of textures.

 

I prefer a soft toothbrush that I can rub easily with my finger.

Child size toothbrushes work great.

 

Just dip it into your paint, rub along the bristles with your finger, and speckle away.

 

More Uses For the Toothbrush

  This entry was originally posted on Friday, February 24, 2012

Your toothbrush can be used not only to splatter masking fluid but paint as well.

I like to use both the mask and the paint when trying to achieve texture.

For instance, I will splatter my mask for waves, paint over that mask, then splatter white gouache or watercolor on top. This creates a nice 3 layer affect so when the light catches it; it is as if it is a wave really sparkling in the sunlight. 

It is also great for texture. I used both the mask and paint splatter with my toothbrush on the stone lion in painting, Unity.

 

More Texture Techniques with Masking Fluid

   This entry was originally posted on Thursday February 23, 2012

Another way to achieve texture with masking fluid is by using a toothbrush to splatter the mask.

I do this for asphalt on my poured watercolors and for the sparkles on water and waves.

I prefer a soft child size toothbrush. 

 

Just dip it into soapy water (similar to the brush technique of application), then dip the toothbrush into the mask. Now rub your finger along the bristles of the toothbrush with it facing towards the paper. You may want to cover up areas that you don't want masked with a paper towel while doing this. It can be messy.

Now I can pour or paint over the masking fluid and when it is lifted, I have what looks like texture or sparkles.

Achieving Texture with Masking Fluid

  This entry was originally posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

 Since I use mask often for my poured watercolors,

I sometimes try different things to achieve what looks like texture in my pours.

My favorite is to take a Scotchbrite sponge, the rough kind, and cut it into a small piece.

Then I dip it into masking fluid and sponge it onto my paper.

This creates a wonderful texture for asphalt and foliage.