3 Scraping the paint

Removing paint can sometimes be as effective as adding paint. I’ve used cotton swabs, old brushes with dry paint in them, rags, knives and toothpicks to remove paint for effect. There are also rubber-tipped scrapers sold in art stores that work well to this end.

Apply paint and then subsequently scrape it off with a palette knife. Wipe paint off using a paper towel and with varying pressure. Notice on the wall how Bouguereau scraped paint thinly over the underlying layer to create a stony texture. I’ve used a...