Texture Fun Part 2

My last post focused on creating actual texture, as opposed to implied texture.  

Implied texture, to me, means something that tempts you to run your fingers across it, because your eye tells you that you're seeing texture.  But if your fingers trail across that surface, you'll discover it's flat, or very nearly flat.

Both kinds of texture are fun when they show up in artwork!  They add interest and complexity.  They hold the attention of the viewer.

More examples of actual texture:

Above:  A sponge stencil applicator, dipped repeatedly into a heavy body gel medium, has been used with my 6" x 6" Heron Stencil s175 on a base of marbled hot-press watercolor paper.

Above:  What appears after the stencil has been lifted.  After this gel dries, I'll come back with dry coloring media, such as Pan Pastels, to add color to this example of actual texture in artwork.

Even more examples of actual texture --

Above:  Again I chose my 6" x 6" Heron Stencil s175, but this time I used it to trace its shape onto reddish-brown lightweight cardstock.  My next step was to cut out the heron shape and add it as the top layer, over a sheet of textured paper.  That paper had started life white, but I'd crumpled it, flattened it just enough to retain wrinkles, and brushed its surface with light blue Pan Pastel.

Above:  Going back to the use of heavy body acrylic gel, I used a palate knife to spread it across the upper area of this art sample; but, on the lower area, I used acrylic black lava gel.  I spread both thru my 6" x 6" Kaleid Stencil s085.  After the two gels had dried, I poured assorted colors of liquid acrylic paint across the surface.  (This photo was shot at an angle.)

Next up:  Actual texture created with my 6" x 6" Palm Fronds Silhouette s238. 

In both art samples above, I'd spread heavy body gel medium through  Palm Fronds Silhouette s238, and after allowing the gel dry, I used an old credit card to scrape white paint across both these surfaces of actual texture, to make the texture stand out from the background colors.

More techniques for both actual and implied textures  will appear in my next post.  To scroll thru the pages of my stencils and masks at StencilGirl Products, please start here.  Thanks!