Behr Texture Paint
Smooth finish
from Home Depot
approx $27 for 2 gallon bucket
Minwax Polycrylic
water-based
gloss or satin finish
from Lowes
approx $45/gallon
I began working with Behr brand texture paint from Home Depot about fifteen years ago when I was doing custom faux walls. The texture paint is one of the most versatile mediums I have ever come across. You can rewet it & work back into it. You can mix any kind of pigment into it [unlike acrylic paint or plaster or modeling compound]. When you are ready to quit working with it, you can leave it as is or seal it.
I have developed a way of working with it where I lightly trowel on a layer of texture, do a reverse lift off with some sort of fabric or paper, or manipulate the paint in some way, let dry, rub off the excess, then do a color wash and/or dry pigment rub[s], then burnish. I am learning to recognize when it has reached a level of saturation or it is maxed out, then I seal it with a coat or two of Minwax brand Polycrylic sometimes thinned with a bit of water. Then I begin again with the next layer of texture & color.
This may continue for many layers and many months until the painting seems to contain as much richness of layers and color as it can hold.
The newest paintings are lighter in weight as I am discovering ways to apply less of the texture. The color is becoming richer as I learn ways to keep too much pigment from washing away with the processing of each layer.
I think art dies the minute you achieve success with a process, so to keep things alive you have to keep searching and taking risks. You have to refuse to settle on and lock into a technique. Thus I will probably continue to add to this page until I exhaust the possibilities of these materials. So far they have provided me with fifteen years of discovery; I don't expect the excitement to end anytime soon.
Some have requested information about the panels I make to paint on. I buy all my wood at Lowes. I use 4 by 8 ft 1/8th inch thick luan [birch plywood] that costs about $8.50 per sheet. When I did not have a table saw I paid about 25 cents per cut for Lowes to cut into smaller panels. Best to take a drawing & show them what cuts you want.
Then for support frames I use select pine 1 x 2" boards. For canvases larger than 30 by 30 inches I use poplar to prevent warping. I use my electric saw to cut those the lengths I need. I glue the support frames together then nail using a nail gun. Then glue & nail gun the luan onto the support frames. I place additional support backing every two feet or so. I always sand the luan lightly & prime before layering on my texture paint.
If you think we need photos of this, please email me. Your input always appreciated!