Painting Basics - Floating Technique
By Prudy Vannier
1011-3

Today, there are all kinds of paint for every surface imaginable. Below are four of the most basic kinds of paint that artist’s most use.

The floating technique is used by acrylic painters to softly layer paint for changing color in an object.

Always use a flat or angular brush, as large as possible to fit the area to be floated.

1. Side load into a fresh puddle of paint. This means only loading half the width of the brush hairs.
2. Palette blend by stroking the loaded brush on your palette paper to blend the paint into the brush hairs.
3. Apply to the surface with long, even strokes, making sure the whole width of the brush is used. The stroke should be a stripe of paint that fades to water.

Occasionally, with too much water or with applying unevenly, a float will be less than perfect. This can often be fixed by softly pouncing with a mop brush.