Artists & Illustrators - April 2016_

Artists & Illustrators 41

sketchbook

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

For artists working in inks, Schmincke’s new

Aero Opaque Medium (50609) will open up a

host of possibilities. Use the pipette to add a few

drops of this milky medium to your ink colours

and it will increase the opacity of the marks you

make. Try it on a mid-toned or dark surface for

particularly vivid results. http://www.schmincke.de

STUDIO IDEAS

As a third-prize winner at the BP Portrait Award 2014,

David Kassan clearly knows a thing or two about oil

painting. He developed his revolutionary Parallel

Palette as a means of having his model, canvas and

colours all in a single sight line. “It allows me to quickly

shift focus,” explains David. Made from the same

plastic as Lego, the palette’s textured surface and

10mm sills prevent drips, while the universal thread

allows tripod mounting. http://www.parallelpalette.com

WHY NOT TRY...

1

Wet the canvas

Drips give

movement – they bring

a sense of looseness

to the painting, while

connecting elements

and creating an illusion

of space. Introduce

water to acrylics or

white spirit to oils,

before turning the

canvas around to let

the paint drip across

the image.

2

Get layering

My paintings are

built up of maybe four,

fi ve or six layers.

Through the layering,

the painting develops

a history and you

discover more about it.

I start with thinner

acrylic layers and then

I’ll use a palette knife

to add thicker oil paint

on top, so the surface

becomes textural.

3

Use your hands

The brush is a tool

you sometimes don’t

need. At times, it’s

necessary to just enjoy

the paint. If things

aren’t going well, I tend

to go in with my hands

to reconnect with

the painting.

Paul’s next exhibition

runs from 4-28 March

at Bath Contemporary.

http://www.paulwadsworth.co.uk

EXPRESSIVE PAINTING

Paul Wadsworth’s tips for more creative results

WHAT IS... A VARIEGATED WASH?

A variegated wash is an area of paint that varies in density and colour.

To create a variegated wash, tilt your watercolour paper or board a little

and load a wash brush with your first colour. Apply a consistent, horizontal

stroke of paint. Before it dries, apply a second stroke in a different colour that

overlaps the first stroke and picks up the ‘bead’ of paint.

37 Sketchbook.indd 41 18/02/2016 11:58