Preparation of a painted ground

shell drawing: ground preparation for a textured acrylic painting

Preparation of the 'ground' or painting surface is the next step, once a compositional idea has been established. In this case, when preparing the ground for 'Boundary', a layer of gesso was painted on a framed MDF board (sealing the board and creating a less absorbant surface). Graphite pencil was used to sketch outlines, establishing and refining the composition, ensuring that forms are balanced and that the work is cohesive as a whole. The shell form has then been masked with removable tape, so that modelling compound can be used to create texture within this area. The tape is removed, leaving clean edges around the texture.