Texture with simple brushes/traditional media

Question

I know that for creating texture on their paintings many digital artists use texture overlays or fancy custom brushes. But how to achieve similar effects using only simple brushes? Are there some techniques? How can this be achieved using traditional media, like acrylic or oil paints?

Answer 1

You can get paint gels that are made to be mixed in to various types of paint to thicken it, add texture, make it more suitable for 3D structuring and / or add matt, gloss etc.

Here's a few from http://www.eckersleys.com.au/ (no affiliation or recommendation, just the first search result)

Or, the DIY / low budget approach is to just either:

• Mix textured things like sand and/or wood glue in with the paint (don't use your best brushes!)
• Mix the texture (e.g. sand) with something like wood glue, apply it, then paint with something thin (e.g. spray, airbrush, ink, watered down acyrlic - consider a white base coat first, or mixing white in with the texture)