35 Painting Techniques Every Artist Should Know

By Milan Art Institute on July 9, 2024

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Mastering your painting techniques is essential for any artist looking to elevate their work. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced painter, understanding and practicing various techniques will expand your creative repertoire and enhance your artistic expression. We believe in the power of knowledge and practice at Milan Art Institute.

This guide is designed to introduce you to a extensive range of techniques for adding texture to your paintings. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just beginning your creative journey, these methods will inspire you to experiment and find new ways to enrich your work.

Acrylic Painting Techniques

Acrylic paints dry quickly and work well on a wide range of surfaces. Unlike oils, they're water-soluble but become water-resistant once dry. This unique property makes them ideal for beginners eager to experiment without the lengthy drying times associated with oil paints.

Building a solid foundation in basic shapes, forms, and brushstrokes can empower you to tackle more complex subjects confidently. Dedicate time to mastering these fundamentals, as they are the building blocks of all great artworks.

Focus on understanding the core principles of acrylic painting, such as color theory, composition, and light. Experiment with acrylic paints and the various ways you can lay down acrylic paint. Learn how acrylics behave on your canvas. This foundational knowledge will serve you well as you expand your artistic repertoire.

barbara-froes-Yhsdub0hV1A-unsplash Photo by Bárbara Fróes on Unsplash

1 – Subtraction Acrylic
This technique involves removing paint to create highlights and textures. Apply a thicker layer of acrylic paint and use tools like cloths, sponges, or brushes to subtract paint while it’s still wet, revealing the layer beneath. This method can add depth and intrigue to your work by exposing underlying colors and textures.

2 – Chiaroscuro
A traditional technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and three-dimensionality. This technique is excellent for creating dramatic effects and emphasizing the subject's form. It’s particularly effective in adding a sense of drama and intensity to your compositions.

3 – Scumbling
Scumbling is a dry brush technique where a thin, opaque layer of lighter paint is brushed over a darker layer, allowing the underlayer to show through. This creates a soft, textured effect, ideal for creating natural elements like clouds and foliage. Used in both acrylic and oil painting, it adds a soft, atmospheric quality to your work.

4 – Alla Prima
Also known as "wet-on-wet," this technique involves applying wet paint onto wet paint in a single session. It allows for spontaneous and expressive brushwork, capturing the immediacy of the subject. This technique is perfect for creating dynamic and energetic compositions.

5 – Fingerpainting
Using fingers to apply paint directly onto the canvas can result in expressive and textured effects. This technique provides a tactile connection to the artwork and can create unique, organic textures. It encourages a more intimate and direct engagement with the paint, resulting in a more personal and expressive work.

Oil Painting Techniques

Oil painting is a timeless medium that has captivated collectors and artists for centuries, from the old masters to contemporary creatives. The versatility, depth, and richness of oil paints allow for a wide range of techniques that can bring your artistic vision to life. Choosing the best brush for oil painting can significantly impact the quality and ease of your work. From foundational techniques like blocking in and underpainting to more advanced methods like glazing and sgraffito, understanding and mastering these approaches will enhance your creative expression and technical prowess.

If you are still intimidated by oil painting, we've designed a course called Oil Painting Essentials, where you can learn step-by-step how to oil paint using Old Masters techniques.

tabitha-turner-QrYt4_K5TIc-unsplash Photo by tabitha turner on Unsplash

6 – Blocking In
Start by laying down your composition's basic shapes and colors using broad strokes. This technique helps establish the composition and color relationships early in the painting process. It’s essential for setting up the foundational structure of your painting, ensuring a balanced and coherent composition.

7 – Dry Brush
Using a dry brush with very little paint, create scratchy, textured strokes that allow the underpainting to show through. This technique is excellent for adding fine details and texture. It’s particularly useful for creating effects like hair, grass, and other fine textures that require delicate, detailed work.

8 – Sgraffito
Scratch into a layer of wet paint to reveal the layer underneath. This technique is perfect for adding intricate details and texture to your painting. It allows you to create sharp, defined lines and patterns, adding a layer of complexity and interest to your work.

9 – Stippling
Create a series of small dots using the tip of your brush. This technique is ideal for adding texture and creating a sense of volume and detail in your work. It’s particularly effective for depicting textures like skin, foliage, and fabrics, giving a detailed and lifelike quality to your paintings.

10 – Underpainting
Begin with a monochromatic layer to establish the values and composition. Once dry, layer colors over the top. This method helps to create depth and unity in your painting. It provides a strong structural foundation that supports the development of color and detail in subsequent layers.

11 – Subtraction Oil
Similar to the subtraction acrylic technique, this involves removing paint to create highlights and textures. Use tools like cloths or brushes to subtract paint while it’s still wet, revealing the layer beneath. This technique can add dynamic contrasts and reveal intriguing textures in your work.

12 – Glazing
Apply a thin, transparent layer of paint over a dry layer to modify the color and create depth. Glazing can enhance the luminosity and richness of your painting. This technique allows for subtle color shifts and a luminous, glowing quality that can add a sense of depth and vibrancy to your work. Using cool colors makes subjects recede into the painting and warm colors make your subjects pop or move forward. Learning how to properly use warms and cools can set your paintings apart from others in the industry.

13 – Washes
Use very diluted paint to apply a thin, transparent layer over the canvas. This technique is excellent for creating soft backgrounds and layering colors. It’s perfect for building up color gradually, allowing for nuanced transitions and a sense of atmospheric depth.

Palette Knife Painting Techniques

Palette knife painting techniques have been embraced by legendary artists such as Henri Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt. Unlike traditional brushes, the palette knife offers unique strokes that add vibrant texture to your artwork. This tool not only allows for the rapid application of paint, covering canvases swiftly but also enables the layering of colors without the blending often caused by brushes. Economical and reusable when cared for properly, palette knives can be an invaluable addition to your artistic toolkit. In fact, we offer a beautiful, affordable set in our art store.

Each of these techniques utilizes the palette knife's unique capabilities to enhance the artistic process, from texturing and detailing to speeding up the application and drying time of paint. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, integrating these methods can bring new life and creativity to your work.

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14 – Spreading
Use the flat edge of the knife to spread paint smoothly across the canvas, creating flat, even layers. This technique can produce sleek, modern looks and smooth, even surfaces in your painting.

15 – Scraping
Remove layers of paint to reveal underlying colors or to create a rough, textured surface. This technique adds depth and interest by exposing different layers of color and texture, contributing to a dynamic and multi-dimensional effect.

16 – Layering
Apply multiple layers of paint, building up textures and colors for a rich, dimensional effect. This method allows for complex, intricate surface textures that can add richness and depth to your work.

17 – Mixing
Mix colors directly on the canvas or on the palette, creating unique blends and gradients. This technique can lead to spontaneous and surprising color combinations, adding vibrancy and energy to your painting.

18 – Impressing
Press the edge of the knife into the paint to create patterns and lines. This technique can add intricate details and interesting textures to your work, creating a dynamic and engaging surface.

19 – Dabbing
Use the tip of the knife to dab small amounts of paint onto the canvas, creating textured dots and points. This method is great for adding small, distinct elements to your painting, enhancing texture and detail.

Texture Painting Techniques

Texture plays a crucial role in painting, bringing depth and visual interest to your creations. It transforms a flat canvas into a dynamic visual experience, captivating the viewer's eye and inviting them to explore the intricate details of your artwork. As you are trying to find your personal artistic style, try mastering various texture painting techniques. You can add a new dimension to your pieces, making them more engaging and expressive.

By building up multiple layers of paint and materials, you can create complex textures that add richness and diversity to your paintings. This approach not only enhances the tactile quality of your work but also allows for greater expression and variation.

As you delve into these texture painting techniques, always consider the interplay between texture and color. Don’t hesitate to combine different materials to achieve your desired effect. The key to mastering texture painting lies in practice and exploration.

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20 – Gesture Marks
Use loose, expressive strokes to create dynamic marks that convey movement and energy. This technique can bring a sense of life and spontaneity to your work, adding vitality and expression.

21 – Splatter/Splash Paint
Use a brush or other tool to splatter or splash paint onto the canvas, creating a spontaneous and dynamic effect. This method is perfect for creating lively, energetic compositions that feel vibrant and full of motion.

22 – Palette Knife
As mentioned earlier, painting with a palette knife to create thick, textured strokes and layers. This technique can add bold, expressive elements to your painting, contributing to a dynamic and tactile surface.

23 – Mark Making
Experiment with different tools and techniques to create a variety of marks and textures on your canvas. This approach encourages creativity and experimentation in your work, leading to unique and interesting results. Create bold marks and experimental strokes with indoor spray paint.

24 – Fake Writing
Use illegible script or symbols to add texture and interest to your painting. This technique can add a mysterious and abstract quality to your artwork, contributing to its depth and complexity.

25 – Stencil and Masking
Use stencils and masking techniques to create sharp, defined shapes and patterns. This method is excellent for adding clean, precise elements to your work, enhancing its structure and design.

26 – Collage
Incorporate different materials and papers into your painting to add texture and depth. This technique can create rich, multi-layered compositions that are visually engaging and texturally complex.

27 – Acrylic & Alcohol Inks with a Spray Bottle
Use acrylic inks and a water spray bottle to create fluid, watercolor-like effects. This method is perfect for creating soft, atmospheric layers that add a sense of depth and movement to your work. Use alcohol inks and an alcohol spray bottle to create vibrant, flowing patterns and textures. This technique can add bright, dynamic elements to your painting, enhancing its visual impact.

28 – Drip Painting
Let paint drip down the canvas to create organic lines and patterns. This method adds a natural, fluid quality to your work, contributing to a sense of spontaneity and movement.

Pastel Painting Techniques

Pastels are an incredibly versatile and affordable medium that can add vibrant color and rich texture to your artwork. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out, pastels can be seamlessly integrated into your mixed media pieces, offering endless possibilities for creativity and expression. Pastels can enhance your artistic journey in numerous ways, from soft, dreamy blends to bold, dynamic strokes.

Pastels were essential in the Impressionist movement for capturing light and color. Their vibrant pigments allowed artists to layer and blend colors, creating a shimmering effect. The direct application of pastels encouraged quick, expressive strokes, perfect for capturing fleeting moments. Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt are notable for their pastel works, depicting movement and tender portraits. The portability of pastels made them ideal for outdoor painting (plein air painting), enabling artists to capture natural light directly. Their texture added depth and allowed for experimentation, making pastels a key medium for the innovative and expressive style of Impressionism.

merve-sehirli-nasir-N835bTi5W5U-unsplash Photo by Merve Sehirli Nasir on Unsplash

29 – Blending
Use your fingers, a blending stump, or tissue to blend colors smoothly. For a different effect, try blending with a brush dipped in mineral spirits, turpentine, linseed oil, or walnut oil. You can also mix colors by placing them next to each other or layering them. Start by working light to dark. If you work from dark to light, the color will get muddy.

30 – Layering
Build up color intensity and depth by applying multiple layers of pastel. Start with lighter colors and gradually add darker shades to create a rich, dimensional effect. This technique allows for a nuanced buildup of color and texture, enhancing the depth and complexity of your work.

31 – Scumbling
Lightly drag a pastel stick over a layer of another color to create a textured, broken color effect. This technique adds texture to surfaces like rocks, foliage, or clouds, contributing to a dynamic and varied surface.

32 – Feathering
Use short, light strokes to create a feathery texture, perfect for depicting hair, fur, or grassy fields. This technique can add a delicate, textural quality to your work, enhancing its realism and detail.

33 – Cross-Hatching
Apply strokes in a crisscross pattern to build up tone and texture, adding depth and detail to your work. This method is excellent for creating complex, layered effects that add richness and detail to your painting.

34 – Sgraffito
Once you have laid down a layer of pastels, scratch it into a layer with a pointed tool or a palette knife to reveal the color underneath. This technique is great for adding fine details and texture, contributing to a dynamic and engaging surface.

35 – Pointillism
Apply small dots of pastel in various colors close together. When viewed from a distance, the dots blend to form new colors and intricate textures. This technique can create a vibrant, dynamic surface that is rich in detail and depth, capturing light and movement in a unique way.

A Journey of Exploration and Mastery

Mastering a variety of painting techniques can significantly enhance your artistic journey, allowing you to express your creativity in new and exciting ways. Whether you are working with acrylics, oils, pastels, or experimenting with palette knives and texture techniques, each method offers unique possibilities to explore and develop your personal style.

At Milan Art Institute, we believe having an understanding and practicing these techniques is essential for growing as an artist. From the subtractive methods in acrylic painting to the delicate layering in oil painting and from the dynamic strokes of the palette knife to the intricate textures of pastel painting, each technique provides tools to bring your artistic vision to life.

For a guided experience through ALL these techniques, consider taking the one year Mastery Program. Joining the waitlist will give you access to our free introductory material. Once you join, you'll receive exclusive artistic resources straight to your email—plus you'll get updates for when we open the program to new students.

We encourage you to dive into these techniques, experiment, and find what resonates with your artistic voice. Remember, art is a journey of continuous learning and discovery. Embrace the process, stay curious, and most importantly, have fun creating. Happy painting!