Materials, Techniques & Process Behind My Textured Abstract Art

How I Create My Textured Abstract Paintings

My work is built through layers of texture, colour, and material exploration. I use a combination of professional-grade acrylic paints, inks, and mixed media to create depth and movement within each piece. The process is intuitive but grounded in high-quality materials that ensure longevity, richness of colour, and archival stability.

Each painting develops slowly, often through multiple layers of paint, texture mediums, and mark-making. I rarely begin with a fixed outcome in mind; instead, the work evolves through response and refinement.

Materials I Use

I work with a selection of professional artist brands that allow for strong pigment quality, durability, and expressive texture.

Acrylic Paints

I primarily use:

• Liquitex Acrylics and Texture Mediums
• Amsterdam Acrylics
• LeFranc Bourgeois

These provide a wide range of opacity, vibrancy, and fluidity, allowing me to build both soft transitions and bold, expressive marks.

Watercolour & Ink

For more fluid and spontaneous layers, I use:

• Sennelier 
• Vallejo inks
• Jacquard inks
  

These materials allow me to introduce transparency, flow, and unpredictable movement into the work, which often becomes a counterpoint to heavier textured areas.

Surfaces & Supports

All of my paintings are created on hand-stretched canvas over wooden frames.

I prefer this traditional structure because it provides:

• strong archival stability
• a firm surface for heavy texture
• durability for layered materials
• a professional gallery finish

The wooden stretcher bars also ensure the work remains structurally sound over time, particularly when building dimensional surfaces.

My Process

Each piece begins with a loose, intuitive foundation, often gestural marks or tonal layering. From there, I gradually build structure through:

• layered acrylic application
• texture building (palette knife, brushwork, and mixed media)
• fluid ink washes
• selective highlighting and subtraction

Rather than working in a linear way, I move back and forth between addition and removal, allowing the painting to find its own balance.

Gold tones, subtle contrasts, and atmospheric layering often emerge as part of this process, reflecting the influence of natural light, water, and memory within my work.

Why Materials Matter in My Work

The materials I choose are not just technical, they are essential to the emotional quality of the final piece.

High-pigment professional paints allow for depth and permanence, while inks and fluid mediums introduce movement and unpredictability. The combination of these elements helps create work that feels both grounded and atmospheric.

Each material plays a role in shaping the final surface, from dense textured areas to soft, translucent layers that allow light to move through the painting.

Final Note

My aim is always to create work that feels immersive and emotionally important pieces that evolve over time and reveal new details the longer they are lived with.