What Is The Dry Brush Painting Technique?

What is this technique used for? The dry brush painting technique is used to give paintings more texture and to make them look like they've been done on a much rougher surface; the surface also looks as if it's been scratched quite a lot. If you're using water-based media, including watercolours and acrylics, using this technique on something in the painting can give it prominence because it contrasts with the rest of the painting.

What type of paint should I use it with? The great thing about this painting technique is that it can be used with all three main types of paint (acrylics, watercolours and oils). Of the three main types of paint, acrylics and watercolours are probably the best to use this technique with because they dry quite quickly. Because oils take a lot longer to dry, you have to wait a lot longer for the paint to dry before you can blend or brush over strokes you've already made. Is there anything else I should know? This technique is really well suited for watercolour paper, especially paper that's already got quite a rough texture to it. To get the best out of using this technique, it's suggested that you use a round brush, not a fine point one. By using a round brush, the paint is being spread round more, whereas with a fine point brush, the paint's going to be applied in lines, which makes this technique's effects less noticeable.

How do I do it? Make sure your brush is completely dry and is free from any oils or solvents. Load it up with paint, then blot it several times on to a paper towel. Make sure the support you're applying the paint to is completely dry. When it comes to applying the paint to the support, you should do so very lightly, as if you're just skimming over the surface. Keep creating strokes until there's hardly any paint left on the brush, then it's time to reload the brush. If you want to add more colour and depth to a stroke, wait until it's completely dry and then go over it using the same steps you did for the first one. Oils are probably not the best choice for this technique because they take so long to dry; if you want to be able to go over your work, you should use acrylics or watercolours.