Textured canvas can create some really interesting effects in abstract painting. Once you’ve created your texture, the next step is figuring out how to paint it without covering up all the detail you’ve worked so hard to create.
In this YouTube tutorial, Stephen and Jess demonstrate how to paint and glaze textured canvas using acrylic paint, including how to seal your surface, mix acrylics with medium, build up colour and use a wipe-back technique to reveal and enhance the texture underneath.
Watch the full tutorial below to see the process in action.
This video is Part 2 of our textured canvas series. In Part 1, Stephen demonstrates how to create texture on canvas using modelling paste and everyday household items.
Once you’ve created your textured surface, you can start experimenting with colour, glazes and different painting techniques.
Here are some of the important things to keep in mind when working with acrylics on textured canvas.
1. Seal your textured canvas first
Before you start painting, it’s important to seal the textured surface.
Texture can be surprisingly absorbent, and if you apply your acrylic paint directly to an unsealed surface, the paint can disappear into all those little grooves and crevices.
Stephen demonstrates using an acrylic binder medium as a sealant. This creates a more suitable surface for applying your subsequent layers of paint and glazes.
Sealing the surface can help you get a more even application of colour while still allowing you to work with the texture you’ve created.
You can also add a small amount of pigment to your sealing medium if you want to slightly exaggerate the texture and get an idea of how the surface is going to behave.
2. Mix acrylic paint with medium
When painting textured canvas, the consistency of your paint matters. Rather than using thick acrylic paint straight from the tube, Stephen mixes the acrylic paint with medium and a small amount of water.
The medium helps maintain the properties and adhesion of the acrylic paint, while a little water can make it easier to work across the textured surface.
However, you don’t want to add too much water.
Adding excessive amounts of water can reduce the paint’s adhesion, so it’s better to use a small amount and adjust the consistency gradually. The goal is to create a mixture that flows into the texture without becoming so thick that it simply covers everything underneath.
3. Test your colour before applying it
One simple step that can save you a lot of frustration is to test your paint mixture before putting it onto the artwork.
In the video, Stephen tests the mixture on a separate piece of paper to see how strong and transparent the pigment is.
This is particularly useful when you’re working with glazes or layering colours.
A colour that looks one way in the mixing container can behave very differently when it’s applied over another colour or across a textured surface.
A quick test can help you decide:
- How transparent the paint is
- How strong the pigment will appear
- How the colour looks over existing layers
- Whether you need more medium
- Whether you need to adjust the amount of water
4. Work the paint into the texture
One of the challenges of painting textured canvas is getting paint into all the little nooks and crannies. You don’t want to simply skim the surface and leave large areas of the original canvas or sealed texture showing unintentionally.
Take your time and work the paint into the grooves so the textured surface is properly covered.
This is particularly important when you’re establishing your first layer of colour. You may not notice small areas you’ve missed straight away, so keep looking closely at the surface as you work.
5. Work quickly with acrylics
This is one of the most important things to remember when working with acrylic paint.
Acrylics dry quickly.
That can be a major advantage, but it can also make certain techniques more difficult.
When you’re working with a wipe-back technique, you need to work in manageable sections. Apply your paint, work it into the texture and then wipe it back before it dries completely.
Stephen works on one section at a time rather than covering the entire artwork and leaving it to dry. If you apply a large amount of paint and allow it to dry, you won’t be able to simply wipe it away afterwards. You may end up covering the texture you were trying to emphasise in the first place.
6. Try the wipe-back technique
One of the most effective techniques Stephen demonstrates in the video is wipe back.
Once the paint has been applied to the textured surface, a cloth can be used to remove some of the excess paint from the raised areas.
This allows more of the underlying texture to show through.
The result is a stronger contrast between the raised and recessed areas of the surface, which can make the texture appear deeper and more dimensional.
7. Choose your brush according to the texture
Different textured surfaces may require different brushes.
Stephen uses a harder-bristled brush on one of the more heavily textured pieces and a softer brush on a surface with less extreme texture.
A heavily textured surface may require a brush that can push paint into the grooves, while a softer brush may be better suited to a more delicate surface.
8. Don’t be afraid to experiment
One of the fun things about abstract textured painting is that you don’t always need to know exactly what the finished artwork will look like when you begin.
In the video, the pieces start with the texture itself, and the painting develops through experimentation with colour, wiping back and layering.
You can start with a simple idea and allow the painting to develop as you work. The texture gives you a starting point, and the painting process allows you to discover where you want to take it.
Save your leftover acrylic paint and glazes
There’s also a useful practical tip at the end of the video if you’ve mixed more paint or glaze than you need.
Rather than throwing it away, place your remaining acrylic mixture into a clean, sealable container or jar.
Make sure you wipe around the rim before putting the lid on. Dried acrylic around the rim can make the container difficult to open later, so this small step can save you some trouble.
Start experimenting with textured canvas
Painting textured canvas with acrylics is a great way to explore colour, texture and layering at the same time. Key things to remember:
Seal your texture before painting.
Mix your acrylic paint with medium and only a small amount of water.
Test your colour and transparency before applying it.
Work in manageable sections because acrylic dries quickly.
Use wipe back to reveal and emphasise your texture.
Build your painting gradually with layers rather than trying to cover everything at once.
Most importantly, have fun with the process!