Thank you for your report!
We have received your report and it is currently under investigation by a forum moderator.
Using clingfilm.
Welcome to the forum.
Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.
Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.
Hang on Studio Wall
This is a Studio member-only feature!
Join our Studio membership and save your favourite Painters Online content, from gallery artwork to step-by-step guides, to your own online mood boards. Create your go-to place for inspiration and learning. Plus, members can also enjoy a range of exciting features including monthly art videos and a digital magazine library.
If you are already a Studio member, simply login to your account.
Not a Studio member? Why not try our free 30-day trial - no commitment, no credit card required
Message
Posted
Last week at art group I did a picture of Dartmoor and I was told I should use clingfilm to give texture to the rocks. I bought a roll this morning and this is my first attempt. I'd welcome advice because frankly it doesn't seem worth the bother which suggests that I haven't got it right.
I began with a 30cm round canvas and painted thick dark grey acrylic paint where the rocks would be:
Then I pressed on the clingfilm:
I left it for an hour to dry and then peeled off the clingfilm. The paint wasn't fully dry but there was some texture visible.
While it dried more I painted in the background:
Finally using a very soft brush I added paint to the rocks:
It looks OK but I don't think the clingfilm has made much difference. Should I have painted the rocks before adding the clingfilm so I didn't need to add any paint afterwards?
As I've got 39.5m of the 40m roll left I may as well have another go, but not until I've read the responses on here which will hopefully point me in the right direction.
Peter
Then I pressed on the clingfilm:
I left it for an hour to dry and then peeled off the clingfilm. The paint wasn't fully dry but there was some texture visible.
While it dried more I painted in the background:
Finally using a very soft brush I added paint to the rocks:
It looks OK but I don't think the clingfilm has made much difference. Should I have painted the rocks before adding the clingfilm so I didn't need to add any paint afterwards?
As I've got 39.5m of the 40m roll left I may as well have another go, but not until I've read the responses on here which will hopefully point me in the right direction.
Peter
Posted
I paint in acrylics and don’t use clingfilm as the paint dries too quickly. I’ve used clingfilm with inks as you can get a better effect, watercolours work really well with clingfilm. There are a few people on here that use it, but for the life of me I can’t remember their names!
The artist, Anne Blockley uses clingfilm quite a lot, worth looking up.
Edited
by Ellen Mooney
Posted
Peter, I use clingfilm a lot with watercolour, and also acrylic inks. The paint needs to be fluid for the clingfilm to work. You’ve tried it with thick acrylic paint, so not surprised it doesn’t make any noticeable difference. If you’re looking for surface texture with thick acrylics you’d be better using some sort of texture medium. Otherwise, thin the acrylic down so it’s really fluid if you want to use clingfilm (although I’ve never tried it with acrylic paint). This is the kind of effect you can get using clingfilm with acrylic ink. You can manipulate the clingfilm once you’ve applied it to get the kind of shapes you want.
Edited
by Jenny Harris
Posted
I'd love to see an Alan's Tips section, as a supplement to his excellent YouTube videos.
On clingfilm - yes, works with watercolour and inks, although I don't use it; with acrylic, I don't see any point in it at all, given all you need to do to create texture is learn how to apply brush-strokes, and have a mix of fluid and heavy-bodied acrylics to hand. You can use special mediums - I don't see the point of them either, frankly... other than as a good way to make money for the paint-makers. I'm all for using tools - painting knives, bits of old credit card, wrong end of the brush, colour shapers: but I've never yet seen an acrylic painting I thought improved by - deep breath: cling film; sponges; cracked egg-shells; polyfilla type glues, pearlescent mediums (which don't show up on photographs, incidentally), or any of the other additives people throw into or at their work in the hope of compensating for a lack of skill with the brush.
I know that'll annoy some people, but there it is - a bit of vinegar on the chips never hurts....
An example: I'm a great admirer of Wendy Jelbert: but she published a book some years ago in which she gave examples of working with material embedded in acrylic paint, including bits of eggshell - but she didn't need to; she could have created any effect she wanted, just with paint; and when I saw the result, I just thought - yeah: eggshells; how thrilling...
If you're going to play with clingfilm, at least make sure you're using very fluid paint (as was said above). Similarly, if you want to lift out watecolour paint, just use a "thirsty" brush, and put the Kleenex away. We can become slaves to short cuts and short cut mechanisms all too easily. Right, young Owen - is that plain-speaking enough?
Posted
Peter, it does work with acrylic. My mum(also a painter) uses this technique quite a lot.
She paints the base first, then lets that dry completely. Then mixes acrylic with water so it’s just a bit thicker than milk - in a different colour to the base. Paint it on to the area quite quickly and thickly, then put your cling film over. You can play around with the cling film also, it’s the creases etc that will give the texture.
Let it dry, then peel it off.
If I was doing your rocks,I’d paint the dark shade you started with , let that dry, then do a lighter shade for the cling film effect.