Apply thicker paint

I select a new layer and in the Settings box of the Oil Paint brush, slide the Loading setting up to between 16 and 30 per cent. Now the paint flows far more freely and I can begin to load it on to the canvas heavily with chunky strokes. The paint now mixes believably on the surface and enables me to form the shapes, shading and contours better, while bringing the painting to life.

Final touches and background

I create a new layer and drag it to sit below all the other layers. Any thick paint or texture I put on this layer will add depth and chunkiness to the brushstrokes above. For the background, I decrease the Loading on the brush to 3 and click in the Brush Size box and select 300. I can now fill in the abstract background easily.