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| "Matchbox Cars with Beetle," acrylic on Aquabord panel, 8" x 8", by Kim Testone. |
When I painted in oils, I was introduced to a method of wet-sanding between the layers of my paintings. I simply took a kitchen scrub pad, a spray bottle and water and sanded each layer of my painting after it dried. It would remove any excess texture, as well as a lot of the dirt and grit that had attached itself to the painting. Problem was, it was an incredibly time-consuming process, and my paintings would take a month or two to keep building the layers and wet-sanding between them.
When I switched to acrylics, one of the things I hated the most was the texture. I wanted a slick-enamel-like finish. Instead I got texture everywhere - showing just a bit of each brushstroke.
While some artists love texture and create absolutely beautiful works that are intended to show each brushstroke, my goal was to paint photorealistically, so that wasn't what I was looking to do.
I've come to terms with the fact that there will inevitably be a bit of texture in each of my paintings. Otherwise, I'd spend so much time on them I'd hardly be able to produce anything each year!
But, here are a few ways I've learned to avoid most texture in a painting. Some are more time-consuming than others.
Paint on a Watercolor Surface
In the photo above of my painting "Matchbox Cars with Beetle," I used an Ampersand Aquabord surface. I have discovered that using an aquabord surface can be a great way to avoid raised texture in my acrylic paint because painting in the watercolor style means each layer quickly gets absorbed into the board, leaving me with a flat layer.
The only thing that isn't always my favorite is that there is a bit more texture to Aquabord than Gessobord. Sanding the texture back (which I've tried to do) before starting a painting creates uneven absorbency and an uneven finish at the end. Claybord, which is a perfectly smooth surface, has actually been worse for me, leaving texture on the top because it absorbs so quickly I don't have time to smooth out my brushstrokes.
But I do like using the Aquabord for certain paintings, like the one above. I know, however, it's not something ideal for details like lettering because there's just too much texture on the board.
Sand Between Layers
If I had all the time in the world and could spent months on each painting I did, I'd sand in between all of my layers, just as I did with oil painting.
To sand acrylic paint, just let the layer dry for a couple of hours, then take a small wet piece of 400-grit sandpaper and work in small circular movements, keeping the whole thing wet enough that you aren't creating scratches in the surface of your paint. Then wipe the excess water and sludge with a dry paper towel. Repeat for each layer of your painting. I keep the sink faucet running as I do this so I can clean my sandpaper periodically as well.
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| Although I only used the modified sanding method described in the next point for this painting, I used the process of sanding between layers for the white painted sides of the painting, to get an enamel-like smoothness and even sheen. This required about 10 coats of gesso, wet sanding in between each layer, follow by several coats of matte medium, wet sanding between each layer, and a final sanding to create an even sheen and texture throughout. It was an extremely time-consuming process. |
Modified Wet Sanding Method 1
I have two modified ways that I sand my paintings that fit more in line with the time I allot to each piece. First, I inspect the piece occasionally throughout working on the painting for any bothersome textural areas - for example, perhaps a bump where I need to put some lettering over top, or a place that creates an odd shadow in the piece. I then use a small piece of 400-grit sandpaper (or sometimes 1500-grit, which is actually an automotive paint sandpaper), to remove just the areas that I deem to be the worst.
Remember, you should only use sanding if you are working on a panel, not on a canvas surface. I use this method on many of my paintings done on gessobord, which is the surface I use for most of my paintings. Wet sanding is also a great technique for getting rid of any dust, hairs or fuzz that have dried in your paint.
Modified Wet Sanding Method 2
This one is still time-consuming, but it can be a way to build a really interesting smooth, almost resin-like finish on a painting. Once I finish a painting, if it's got too much texture for my liking and I really just want to cover it up entirely, I build layers of transparent glazing medium and sand in between each. I did that for the painting below, to make the effect of an old photograph more prevalent. I used matte medium and added about 30 or 40 layers, working in a bathroom with a dehumidifier so the layers would dry rather quickly. The matte medium created a kind of foggy effect, which worked well for this piece. It was also perfectly slick and smooth by the end.
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| "Love," acrylic on gessobord, 8" x 8" by Kim Testone. |
Varnish
A varnish can also be a good technique for building layers that, in the end, create an even texture across your painting. While many artists prefer liquid varnishes that are brushed on, I find that I really have a difficult time avoiding varnish brushstrokes and getting a perfectly-even sheen. So instead, I use Golden Spray Varnishes. Sometimes I can get away with just a couple of layers; sometimes I've added up to 30 layers.
Varnish introduces a new problem to the fold, though - dust. This can also be an issue with building layers of paint or medium, but at least I have my sandpaper handy to handle those. I'll address the issue of dust and hairs in another post in the near future.
Pouring Mediums
I'll be honest - I've had little success in the arena of pouring mediums. Why can't you just pour medium over your painting and let it dry? Crazing. Crazing means that the film will dry unevenly, resulting in pock-marks and crevasses.
Golden Acrylic Paints does make one medium especially for pouring - GAC 800. You can read more about all of the Golden mediums here. While it does sort of work, it gets air bubbles during the pour and requires you to spray the wet layer with isopropyl alcohol to get rid of the air bubbles; but that can leave little pock-marks where the alcohol laid in the layer. So I think this method is probably better for abstract paintings, not realism.
Pouring Resin
Because I am hesitant to work with lots of chemicals due to health issues, I don't use resin, but I have seen some beautiful acrylic paintings created wherein the artist poured resin over the top of them afterward. If you are looking for a slick, truly graphic feel, then pouring resin over your pieces may be a great way to go. For more info, check out Art Resin, which is specifically formulated for artists.
Your Thoughts
Did I leave something out? What methods have worked for you, or do you enjoy having a bit of texture in your pieces? Email me at acrylicrealism@gmail.com and share your thoughts!
Happy Painting!
