Painting on smooth surfaces is fun. They allow lifting, translucent watercolor effects and textures. They are perfect for painting streams, rocky coastlines, flowers, animals and other subjects. They allow: glazing in layers; lifting easily to white and great textures. Oil painters may appreciate this technique, since it feels more like oil painting. You have the luxury of retrieving whites and repainting without loss of luminosity. This makes the medium more forgiving, allowing you to relax and enjoy the process. Try several surfaces to discover what they have to offer. Hot press papers do not work for these techniques. Paint sinks into the surface and is hard to move or lift.

MATERIALS
BOARDS & SURFACES (SOURCES: CHEAP JOE’S ART STUFF CATALOG & DANIEL SMITH CATALOG)

Coat with gesso: Place paper on plastic sheeting; it won’t stick to the gesso. Prepare several sheets at once. Use Liquitex Acrylic Gesso full strength from the jar and pour a puddle onto the middle of the paper. (the size of a fried egg for a ½  sheet of paper.) Use a 2 – 3” dampened house painting brush, foam brush, brayer, or roller and spread the gesso evenly around all edges and in all different directions; not in just a few. Two thin coats are better than one thick one. Completely cover the paper. If you miss a spot, it will show in the painting and paint will not lift. Any texture left will dry as is and affect the texture of your painting. Sand the surface when dry for a smooth finish, or use a brayer or roller instead of a brush for application. Each coat will dry in about a ½ hour. Use a hair dryer to speed drying. The gritty surface of gesso is hard on brushes, so use worn ones for painting.

Coat with Medium: Mix a small amount of Golden’s Fluid Gel Medium ½ and ½ with water in a paper cup, or small container. Stir with a wooden Popsicle stick, or something you don’t care about! Apply as described above for Gesso. This dries quite smoothly. Paper covered with Matte, or gloss gel medium, is easier on brushes.

TECHNIQUE FOR PAINTING ON ILLUSTRATION BOARD, BRISTOL & WATERCOLOR BOARD

Make a light pencil drawing. All watercolor techniques can be used, but the surface is almost resistant to the paint at first. Broad washes may streak and dry before finished. The surface seems easier to work on each time you apply paint. Painting directly produces stunning, clean color. Such passages near the center of interest draw attention.

Adjust wet paint by spraying with water, or wiping out with a damp brush, tissue, or paper towel. It’s almost like sculpting! Use a gentle touch and let the surface rest and dry between paint applications to avoid damage. Spray with a wet toothbrush for making texture with control in small areas, or try different size sprayers for larger ones. An uneven spray such as that of the original Windex pump bottle makes interesting texture. You may still find them in stores, like 7-Eleven. Build values with layers of paint. Brushstrokes can be shorter, or scumbled, rather than the broad strokes used for large washes on regular paper. Use a soft touch when lifting and wiping out.

Textures: Water spray against rocks
Spray water with a toothbrush. Cover any painted areas where you don’t want spray.  Knock excess water out of the toothbrush, or touch it to a sponge to remove excess water. This adjusts the size of the spray. Let the water droplets sit for a few seconds and then blot with paper towel or tissue. For directed texture, move the towel as you lift in the direction desired.

Rocks: While wet

Paint rocks; wait a few seconds and spray with water or paint on a toothbrush. Look sideways at the surface, so you can see if it is still shiny, or just damp. Paint runs if you add more water to a wet area. The damp stage makes texture since there is less water on the paper. Make different textures by varying the amount of moisture on the brush or surface. Test an area by spraying at different stages of wetness as the paint dries. Adjust the angle of the board to direct the flow of paint. Imprint the surface while wet, with your finger, palm, or an object for other textures.

When dry

After painted rocks have dried, spray with a wet toothbrush and blot with a tissue or towel for texture. Soften edges with a damp brush.

Water Paint on a wet or dry surface and spray water or paint with a toothbrush, or sprayer. Suggest direction by turning the paper in the direction of the water’s flow. Gravity makes paint flow when sprayed. Paint small dots and dashes in the direction of the water flow around rocks on a dry surface. Immediately soften the whole area with a large damp brush; or just some edges. They will suggest rocks beneath the water. Spray a dried painted area. Let it set for a minute. Then mop with a tissue or paper towel. It leaves a spray or water sparkle texture.

Lift When dry
Use a damp brush, blotting excess water on a sponge or paper towel before lifting. Make an erasing motion to gently disturb the paint. Blot the brush, rather than the paper surface with a paper towel. This insures that you lift only the shape desired. If that doesn’t work, try a slightly stiffer brush, being careful not to damage the surface. Protect your painting by lightly spraying it with a few thin coats of Blair matte fixative.

TECHNIQUE FOR PAINTING ON YUPO

The surface damages easily and oils from fingers may leave a residue that resists paint. Wash it off with isopropyl alcohol, glass cleaner, or Simple Green. Rinse and let dry before painting. Make a light drawing with a watercolor pencil, or rigger, or pointed brush with non-staining paint, such as manganese blue.  Make corrections with a dampened tissue. Some pigments may stain the paper. If so, clean it gently with Simple Green and rinse. Touch the surface once with paint, or you’ll lift the previous layer of paint up. Let dry and apply another layer with a soft brush. Try applying paint with a brayer, roller, or sponge applicator for large areas. Textures can be made by spraying with water or paint, stamping with objects, moving paint with a damp brush, towel, or tissue, applying pencil, ink, collage and any other inventive idea. Make luminous darks with juicy transparent pigments capable of making a deep value. Learn what values your palette colors can produce. The fewer layers you make, the easier it is to achieve beautiful color. If you must glaze another layer, do so gently with a soft brush. It is less likely to pick up the paint on the surface. Protect your painting by lightly spraying it with a few thin coats of Blair matte fixative.

TECHNIQUE FOR PAINTING ON PAPER COATED WITH GESSO, OR GEL MEDIUM
Painting on Gesso and Gel Coated Paper

Make your drawing with a watercolor pencil, or a light value of non-staining color, such as manganese blue, using a damp rigger, or small pointed brush. Correct with a damp tissue. Proceed as for painting on Yupo. Protect your painting by lightly spraying it with a few thin coats of Blair matte fixative.

Lift Trees

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