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Works of art can be viewed from the most diverse artistic and technical points of view. One of the possibilities is the technical point of view of a painting. The technique of a painting is determined by thecontent, the technique used and the materials used, such as the brushes. We would like to tell you more about some essential painting techniques that can be used as an amateur painter, but also as a professional artist. In addition, our tips and tricks are also useful if you have a Paint by Numbers motif wants to paint.
Different forms of painting technique
A painting technique includes the application of the paint, but also the production and processing of the basic components. The special character of a technique mainly results from ituse of a binder. The most important and best-known techniques are encaustic (hot wax painting), fresco, gouache, tempera, oil paint, watercolor, gouache and acrylic. In addition, various artists also use a mix of techniques.
Encaustic
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, existed in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman antiquity. For this purpose, wax sticks were heated and combined with different colour pigments. This was then applied to a spatula or brush in both a warm, liquid state and in a cold, hard state.
Fresco, Secco and Sgrafitto
Mural painting on fresh, damp lime plaster is called fresco painting (Italian: fresco = fresh). This is done with colour pigments mixed in water. The fresh lime plaster serves as a binding agent. Work must be done quickly so that the colours are absorbed into the damp plastercan be included. The difficult thing about fresco is that mistakes cannot be corrected.
There is also the option to work on dry plaster. This is the so-called secco painting (ital. secco = dry), in which the colour pigments are bound with gum arabic, casein and glue.
Another type is sgrafitto, in which a thinner, lighter layer is applied over a dark layer of plaster. Shapes and figures are scratched out of this.
Tempera
Tempera painting (lat. temperare = mixing) also shows a fast drying process. It concerns a water-soluble species, that isis used as a binder for the colour pigments casein (casein tempera). It is a water-resistant type, the binding agent of which consists of a mixture of egg yolk and linseed oil-based varnish. Depending on the chosen ratio you get egg tempera or oil tempera.
Oil painting
The invention of oil painting was invented by the Dutch in the 15th century. Flemish painter Jan van Eyck is often credited as the inventor of oil painting, although he created his paintings in a mixed technique of oil and tempera painting.
Finely rubbed colour pigments are mixed with drying oils (walnut, poppy, linseed oil, etc.). Various dyes (e.g. turpentine or varnish) serve as thinners for the paint. Additives ensure a faster drying process and a desired matte or glossy surface. Primed wooden panels, canvas or cardboard are used as a base. InUnlike tempera, oil paint has a stronger clarity and smooth colour transitions can be achieved with oil paint.
This paint can be painted in several wafer-thin, glazing (translucent) layers on top of each other (layer painting), but also opaque to pasty (thickly applied) with a brush or spatula. Due to its many possibilities, this technique was the most widely used until the mid-20th century.
Are you curious about the properties of oil paint? Then read our article about the properties and components of oil paint.
Watercolorpainting
Finely ground pigments bound with water-soluble gum arabic, paste and starch are used in watercolor painting (Italian: aquarello = watercolour) in a glazed application of paint.
The characteristic of this technique is its transparency. Paper as a substrate for paintings appears translucent and is usually used wet-on-wet, i.e. the highly absorbent paper is soaked with a sponge and then the watercolor paint diluted with water is applied with a soft-bristled brush. Colours blend into each other, creating smooth transitions.
Gouache painting
This opaque colour painting (French gouache = opaque colour) can be used in various ways and is widely known today through the paint boxes at school. White fillers are added to the colour pigments, which lead to an opaque, matte-looking colour. Gum arabic or vegetable glue is used as a binding agent, making the paint water-soluble. The surface can be alternated and light colours can be used on top of darker shades that have already dried. However, it is also possible to work with highly diluted colours using glazing. This technique was used in the Middle Agesused, for example in miniature painting.
Acrylic painting
The production of synthetic binders was an important step for painting. Acrylic paints were discovered by the artist in the 1950s. Because acrylic paint dries very quickly, several layers can be painted on top of each other in a short time.
At the Paint by Numbers water-based acrylic paint is also used. Acrylic painting is one of the easiest techniques in the painting profession.
Do you want to know more about painting with acrylic? Then view our blog article about the painting with acrylic paint.
Mixed techniques
Mixed techniques are techniques in which multiple techniques are used to create a beautiful painting, as Jan van Eyck did. For example, he used a combination of oil paint and tempera paint.
