Using Texture With Oils

I really believe that using textures with oils is a unique quality of oil paint. Watercolors and pastel do not have this ability, although I love both of these mediums too. But, oil does have the ability to create a physical, three- dimensional texture right on the painting. You may wonder if it is important to add this in your paintings. Well, if you are new to oil painting then you should be concentrating more on values and color rather than texture. If you are a seasoned painter, I think you should start exploring texture more if you haven’t. Start playing around with it more and see if it is something that you want to explore yourself.

“Texture is one of the tools in our belts to be explored. To me, texture is a  beautiful thing to have in a painting.”

I am not saying it is right or wrong to use texture, but make sure you know that it is in an arsenal in your tool belt to convey your message. There are mediums available where you can thicken oil paint pretty heavily. It will usually dry within a fairly short amount of time so you can layer more. In my opinion, texture is something that needs to be addressed at a certain part of your journey. 

In the beginning, you are learning how to walk. Drawing and value should be your focus, not texture. If you have been painting consistently for a few years and feel you have mastered the basics, start exploring texture. Play with the palette knife, too. It is a great tool to try. Also, talk to other seasoned painters and see what their experiences are with texture. . It is always worth a try to experiment with new things to see if you resonate with them or not. Texture is one of the tools in our belts to be explored. To me, texture is a  beautiful thing to have in a painting. Color and value are always there to excite the eye, and texture is something different we can use for that too.

BONUS! Read how I layer oil paint HERE.

Ken Auster once said that a painting should look different from a foot away, five feet away, and ten feet away. As you back up or get closer, you should have a different experience with that painting. This is a good analogy that has stuck with me. Texture plays a role in that experience. I have seen beautiful paintings without texture and I have seen some bad paintings that do have texture. Texture is exciting to use and try, but always be careful in the way you use it. It  can get a little dangerous because the painting can get really busy quickly. If you put texture in the sky and the foreground, the two are fighting for attention. Usually, the sky is softer and subtle. Just be sure to be careful that the texture does not get out of control in the wrong areas.