Easy How to Paint a Fish & dragonfly in Acrylics
This easy beginner, how-to painting lesson makes use of Texture paste, which is a thick product that creates a raised design element. The paste is applied with palette knife through the mesh from a bag of onions.(there are other mesh vegetable bags but the onion bags have larger holes). Also, the use of a metal palette knife with a small, pointed blade works best.
The final detailing of Mr. Fish is the addition of metallic accents (gold & white metallic paints),
Paints used: White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Thalo Blue, Sap Green,Metallic Gold, Metallic White.
11×14 Canvas, mesh from onion bag, palette knife, 1″ & 1/4″ flat brush, round detail brush.
Paint entire canvas with mixes of Thalo Blue + Sap Green+ White, keeping the lower 1/2 darker , upper lighter. Blend between colors. Dry.
Transfer fish design w/ transfer paper.
Mix Texture paste with a little Burnt Sienna paint & a touch of water, if it’s too thick (should have a buttery consistency).
Cut a piece of mesh about the size of the main body of the fish (not the tail or fins). Use the flat of the palette knife and carefully apply paste over the mesh (trying not to move it). Press down on paste to set in design. Gently, remove mesh, exposing the design pattern. Use the point of the knife to add the back & side fins & the tail. Pick up a little texture paste on knife and add circular gill markings around eye. Dry completely.
Fish, (including tail & fins): Use Sap Green + Thalo Blue + a little Burnt Sienna by brush mixing + a tiny bit of water. Using these somewhat thinner washes, will cover the texture paste and sink into the depressions & lines, creating shadows & definition. Add more color until you achieve desired color. Dry
Mouth interior: Burnt Sienna + Thalo Blue (very dark).
Eye: Outside ring in Yellow Ochre, outline this with thin line of black. Interior pupil is Black. A tiny speck of white in upper Right for Lifelight.
Waves: Create curving strokes with alternating colors of White, Sap Green, & Thalo Blue + Sap green + White.
Cover fish w/ piece of paper towel.
Spatter with a brushful of very thin white paint, by tapping on the brush with another brush handle or pull BACK on the bristles with your finger.
Metallic on Fish: Use the metallic Gold & metallic White to accent the scales, tail & fins. To do this we will use a dry brush technique. This is using a BARELY DAMP brush to pick up a SMALL amount of paint & drag it across the high points of the texture. It is most effective done with a small amount of paint at a time, until the desired color is achieved.
Dragonfly: The body is Thalo Blue + Burnt Sienna. Wings are Burnt Sienna + metallic White. Then go back over the wings with Metallic White.
Place a hanger on the back & Enjoy or give as a gift to your favorite Father's Day recipient.
Hope you enjoyed the painting, Paint a Fish & Dragonfly.