Recently I finished "Beauty in Bloom" in which I used a texture technique that I've become quite fond of recently.
Forgive the quick pic taken by my Mac's Photobooth program. When the painting is dry, I'll have something better to show.
So the secret to the texture for "Beauty in Bloom" and several other of my recent images is gesso canvas primer. Gesso is generally used on masonite board and canvas to create a smoother art surface that is more receptive to oil paints. However, if you have a balled up paper towel or a sponge, it makes a great texturizer, even over a previous coat of paint. Let the gesso dry, or take a paper towel and twist in a circular motion while the gesso is drying to create a nice texture. With a thin wash of oils over the dry gesso texture, the paint gathers thicker in the crevices and appears lighter over the thicker gessoed areas. This creates a very organic feeling to the painting. If the lighter areas are not showing up properly, I will often take a paper towel and wipe it over the areas that I definitely want to be lighter. The gesso usually stays stained a little lighter and shows up better.
Long ago I experimented with texture in an older piece "Elf Portrait". The technique I used for this one was a bit different. I used white and black gesso paint, that I often use in watercolors. Mixing each with water in separate spray bottles, I spritzed it onto the painting letting it dry. Then would do a wash over it and spritz again. I really loved this effect, but not having a spray bottle always handy, the previous method seemed easier to accomplish.
Also if you forget to clean out those spray bottles *ahem* it clogs them up and makes them difficult to use again. Obviously I figured this out by experience.
If you love oils and need a way to shake up a portrait, these texture techniques will add a certain old world feel. Also the spray bottle (if done right) can make a nice starry sky.
