http://www.painters-online.co.uk artistFebruary 2021 49
PRACTICAL
Robert Dutton
teaches pastel and mixed-media
techniques in workshops and
demonstrations across the country, as
well as tutoring art holidays at Higham
Hall and Rydal Hall. He has won numerous
awards for his work and exhibits with
The Society of Graphic Fine Art and the
Pastel Society. His book Drawing Dramatic
Landscapes, New Ideas and Innovative
Techniques using Mixed Media, published
by Search Press, rrp £19.99, is available to
purchase at a discounted price from our
online bookstore: http://bit.ly/3cw1AUX
http://www.rdcreative.co.ukcard should be thick enough not to warp
when applying the gesso or paint. For
exciting textures, stipple with a brush
when applying the gesso – use an old
decorator’s brush for this, don’t ruin
your expensive painting brushes.
There are also acrylic painting
auxiliaries that can be added to gesso
for textural effect – pumice (fine,
medium and coarse), marble dust and
slate dust are just a few examples. The
more you add, the more varied the
effect.
Texture can also be implied on an
HP paper by adding granulation fluid
to paint mixes – my preferred brand is
Winsor & Newton. The recommendation
is to add a little granulation fluid to
a diluted wash of watercolour, paint
with the mix and watch the magic
happen. The result is a gentle texture,
but it’s too light for me. Instead I pour
generous amounts of the fluid directly
into washes of rich, saturated colour on
the painting surface. With the work flat,
it’s like alchemy as the medium works
into the pigments to leave a mottled,
textural effect.
If you have ever wondered what
a particular type of paper is like to
work on, don’t leave it another day
before finding out – get some and
try it. Experimentation is the key to
knowledge and ultimately advancement
with your art skills – and that will lead to
great rewards for you and your art.p Sun Breaking Through – Honister Pass, Borrowdale, the Lake District, acrylic mixed media on
100-per-cent heavyweight cotton canvas board, 24 3 24in (61 3 61cm).
For this studio painting I used several location watercolours as reference (including one that
was rained on and I particularly liked); it has all the hallmarks of the first-hand experiences and
the energy felt from the changeable weather on the day. Loxley canvas boards provided a really
robust and stable surface on which to express my responses with gusto and confidence in an
exciting, multi-layered process
TA