Many years ago when I was painting with oils and using a lot of heavy impasto, I developed a formula for a texture paint that I have been using ever since. I no longer can paint in oils due to an extreme allergic reaction to thinners, but I have used the formula to great advantage with watercolor, acrylics and even to create collagraph plates in printmaking. So far, I’ve been very pleased with the results and have found no cracking or deterioration in older paintings where I’ve used it.
Formula
In a gallon bucket that has a tight lid I mix the following in this order:
6 cups acrylic matte medium
1 cup water
6 cups calcium carbonate (available in ceramic supply stores)
4 cups regular acrylic white paint
I use a rubber spatula and mix the calcium carbonate powder in one cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bucket so there are no un-mixed lumps. After I have mixed in all the powder, I add the acrylic white paint, also one cup at a time. It is important to mix slowly and thoroughly to keep lumps and bubbles from forming.
This mixture dries rapidly, so it is important to keep the lid on tightly. It will be usable for many months and should be kept at room temperature. If it thickens, just add a little water and mix thoroughly.
In future posts I’ll describe some of the ways I use this mixture.
Next time – How to paint “forgiving” watercolors.
