How to Create Texture in an Oil Painting. Some Amateur Experiments.

I'm writing this after a bit of experimentation.

I wanted to add some texture above and beyond thick paint to a piece I was working on.

Usually I reach for the Liquin impasto medium by Windsor and Newton but I'd run out, so needed to use whatever was in the studio.

After a bit of digging this is what I found in my cupboard
Whitening powder
Marble dust
Acrylic sculptural gel.


The whitening powder I mixed with oil paints and it gives a thick satisfying paste texture. But I did it on Monday and it's Thursday now and it's still not dry. I also tried mixing a little alkyd medium with it, but that has made it more like icing and again it's still not dry.

The marble dust didn't really give a good profile at all, and mixed with alkyd was just as soft, and both are still not dry.

Acrylic sculptural gel. Of course I could only use this before applying the oil paints so had to be a bit more certain of what I was doing. But it gave a lovely profile and dried quickly. I could just paint over the top in oils and gain the texture that way.

Acrylic sculptural gel, black paint
added to gesso board.

Oil paint over acrylic sculptural gel.

Conclusion:
Acrylic sculptural gel if you know what and where your texture will be.
Alkyd impasto medium for adding during painting.
Whitening powder for a sturdy texture, but don't expect it dry quickly.

And the final conclusion:
I've ordered some alkyd impasto medium. Should be arriving this week.