Bringing Personality to your Painting
In the final stages of any painting, it’s a case of viewing your piece as a whole and adjusting details or adding more saturated colour to create a harmony and balance.
You’ll be painting more instinctively, rather than methodically and putting a stamp of your own personal style within it.
Students often ask, ‘How do I develop my own style?’
And the answer is quite simple.
You already have it – even though you might not think it…
Just as our written signatures all vary, so does the handling of a paint brush, favourite colour palettes and the subjects we choose to paint.
If you look at some student successes with one of my previous Cherry tutorials, it is clear to see everyone’s unique style coming through, even though the starting point, step-by-step instruction and reference image were exactly the same for everyone.
However, these individual qualities are not set in stone, both new artistic techniques and life experiences shape our interests, outlook and style of work.
Artists should continually grow, so don’t become too precious about your paintings, experimenting with different mediums and techniques might put you into unknown artistic territory that could shape your next piece.
Picasso, who created tens of thousands of artworks, went from his early classical works through his ‘Blue period’, ‘Rose Period’ and onto his ‘Black Period’ in a few short years.
Picasso, Self Portrait, 1896
Picasso, La Vie, 1903
Picasso, Woman with a crow, 1904
Picasso, Bust of Woman, 1907
Picasso, Woman playing the Mandolin, 1910
So embrace your own style, enjoy using the palette knife and putting the final flourishes to the palette knife study, even if it feels a little bit out of your comfort zone and try to resist the ‘Black, Black’ urges of Johnny Nice Painter!
How to paint with a palette knife - Free acrylic video Course |Part 4
This video below shows the final steps of this palette knife landscape tutorial.
You might also like:
1. Acrylic Palette Knife Painting Techniques – Free Video Course Part 1
2. Acrylic Palette Knife Painting Techniques – Free Video Course Part 2
3. Acrylic Palette Knife Painting Techniques – Free Video Course Part 3
{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks again!
I am now inspired to paint an abstract image in oils with the palette knife..yippee!
Robin Mize
Good one Robin, pleased to hear it. You might be interested in this documentary on Gerhard Richter, a fab painter who has taken abstract palette knife paintings to a whole new level!
Cheers,
Will
First let me say, that I loved that little injection of humour with the video. Good stuff.
And, of course, I thank you for that very generous tutorial video series Will. So helpful, you are a pleasure to watch, and a great instructor. Will miss you and hope to see you again soon.
Sherrill, Montreal
Cheers Sherrill, hope it helps get through those times when paintings don’t quite go to plan! Thanks for your kind words on the tutorials.
Will
Thanks Will! I just loved it! I will definitely look at it a few times. So much appreciated.
You’re welcome Catharina,
Will
Wow! As a newcomer to Acrylics I found this so inspiring (and encouraging) I’m quite nervous about trying the palette knife but will give it a go and try to have fun. Thanks so much Will
Hoping for more of the same, Sheila
Thanks Shelia, it can be scary to start with a palette knife but you’ll soon get the hang of it! have a go, have fun, it’s the best way to learn.
Will
I love that painting – it reminds me of Donegal
thank you for a great demo and for being so kind in sharing your skills
Thanks Norah, the view is on the coast of Broadford on the Isle of Skye,
Cheers,
Will
I enjoyed the palette knife tutorial thoroughly. Also had a great laugh at the end with the funny video about adding black. I have done that myself many times . Thanks for this inspirational tutorial.
Your welcome Garmima, pleased you enjoyed it!
Cheers,
Will
Hey Will. I just love your sense of humor. And, again, thank you for sharing your skills. You give such encouragement to me to try something completely different. Love the Picasso memory lane.
Patsy Ann
Thanks Patsy, great to hear you feel encouraged to give a new technique a try.
Cheers,
Will
What’s for tea mother – Pins ?
Haven’t seen that for years. It makes me want to get the black paint out …
It’s a classic!
Dear Will, so enjoyed your acrylic pallete knife painting video thank you for sharing your wants me to wonderful knowledge I would like to see you do a portrait in acrylics my granddaughter wants me to paint her, the photo is taken in her garden so a lot of green. What colour would I have to paint my canvas so I am not painting on a white canvas do you have any advice? regards Joyce
Hi Joyce,
Pleased to hear you’ve been enjoying the series of videos.
Blending with oils is alot easier than with acrylics, and I find if you’re first starting portraits having the extra time to blend is crucial to achieve a realistic portrait.
Often, the main issues beginners have with portraits are skin tones and edges – the skin tones are too intense in colour and the edges are too hard.
Working with acrylics can be a bit of adjustment because they dry so quickly but can be done if you’re working on a smaller scale.
You could use either a neutral grey (Raw umber & white mix) or because you will have a lot of green in the painting try using a Renaissance technique called ‘Verdaccio green. A muted green that was traditionally created from a mixture of Mars Black & Yellow Ochre is used to establish tonal values in the underpainting so when you paint the skintones they really glow out against the green.
Cheers,
Will
Hi Will thanks for the johny nice painter made me smile which is always good. The pallet knife painting has given me ideas,!! Thanks once again. I am enjoying you colour mixing course, it has helped already.
Hi Sue, thanks for dropping by, pleased Johnny nice made you smile! great to hear the colour mixing course has helped.
Cheers,
Will
Thank you Will. It was an excellent tutorial; I enjoyed it and I’m very pleased with the outcome. I had only viewed tutorials one and two but your e-mail with the third tutorial
motivated me to squeeze out paint, and actually paint. ( Very happy I did. ) I then looked forward to the fourth tutorial to complete the painting.
Cheers,
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
Really pleased you enjoyed the series, and took the plunge with getting the paints out!
Cheers,
Will
your such a great painter,your a big help for everyone who wants to learn painting like me…i am a beginner.
Thanks Shanna,
Pleased you’re enjoying the website!
Cheers,
Will
You have such a great teaching style. Very inviting. As a novice, I find that you give the right amount of information without overwhelming. You make it relaxed and fun, like it should be. Now, time for a cup of tea, a biscuit and a brush!
You’ve got it Pearl!
An artist always paints looking for the next tea and biscuit break! So pleased you’re finding the tutorials fun and inspiring, that’s how great paintings are made.
Cheers,
Will
Hi Will. I never had any tertiary training in painting, and are always looking for more study material. I found you, and are so glad, you are an amazing teacher, and I just love the fact that you are willing to share your knowledge. Even better, little tricks that would have taken me years to figure out for myself!
Thanks for encourage people like me on the other side of the earth!
Cheers Elsebe, lovely to hear from you!
Really glad you’re finding the tutorials helpful and gaining new knowledge in painting,
Thanks again,
Will
Hi Will,
Thanks for making it possible for an amateur like me to begin to paint. Your method is simple and you take your time to explain us almost everything. I will surely do the cherry painting too these days, to exercice.
Best,
Svetlana from Brussels
Hi Svetlana, thanks for dropping by. Really pleased you’re enjoying the tutorials, let me know how your cherry painting turns out.
Cheers,
Will
Hi Will,
Thank you so much for this website and the fabulous tutorials. I have just started painting for the first time, (had some acrylic paints bought for my 50th birthday). I’m addicted now and have found your site so helpful. I did the Monet tutorial first and actually produced something I could put on the wall! Felt such an achievement. Just about to have a go at the palette knife tutorials which takes me completely out of my comfort zone with my paint brush!!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for dropping by, and for letting me know of your Monet painting achievement, good one! Tackling a palette knife for the first time is a step into the unknown, but can really add a new dimension to your painting.
Looking forward to hearing how it turns out.
Cheers,
Will
Hello Will
I happened to see your website yesterday and spent almost whole day watching your inspirational painting videos. I have done mainly watercolor in the past, but today I finished my first still life acrylic painting (challenged by the quick drying medium and mixing the color I want, needs lots of, lots of practice..), but I am very happy that your painting has truly inspired me!
Painting is a way of healing and find out who I really am. Thank you indeed for sharing your knowledge and passion!
Jasmine
Hi Jasmine,
Thanks so much for your lovely comment, it can feel a little strange when trying acrylics from watercolour, but great to hear you’ve had your first success with your first still life painting!
Really pleased you’ve been inspired.
Cheers,
Will
Hi Will, I found your pallete knive painting very interesting, making me wanting to have a go. Although I have watched the way you painted but I have missed hearing your comments as I am profoundly deaf from birth. I have had an unused pallet knive still in a box for over 50 years and I would like to have a go. Would it be a good idea to have a subtitles on to help other deaf artists like myself to follow through. Regards Robbie
Hey Robbie,
Glad you found the tutorial interesting and hopefully inspired you to get that palette knife into action!
Transcribing the videos is on my to do list, as yes I agree, having the subtitles would really help.
There are some subtitles on some of my earlier videos on youtube,
Hope this helps,
Will