Maestas

Painting techniques

Fresco  is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the pigment and, with the setting of the plaster, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall. 

Sandpainting is the art of pouring colored sands, powdered pigments from minerals or crystals, and pigments from other natural or synthetic sources onto a surface to make a fixed, or unfixed sand painting. Unfixed sand paintings have a long established cultural history in numerous social groupings around the globe, and are often temporary, ritual paintings prepared for religious or healing ceremonies. It is also referred to as drypainting.

Texture in painting is higher the look and feel of the canvas. It is based on the paint, and its application, or the addition of materials such as ribbon, metal, wood, lace, leather and sand. The concept of 'painterliness' also has bearing on texture. The texture stimulates two different senses; sight and touch. There are four types of texture in art: actual texture, simulated texture, abstract texture, and invented texture.

Supports

Canvas, wood and paper are common supports used. Each artist must choose the support that best suits his or her needs. The ability to roll a piece of artwork may be required for transportation or other reasons. Thicker paintings require a sturdier support; in this case, a timber support may be in order. The artist must determine what features are most important for the requirements at hand.

Some times the support is an integral part of the painting itself, whereby part of it may show through. Using highly polished aluminum as the support, and priming with clear mediums, will allow thin transparent colors to appear metallic. Others choose to use coarse linen so that the weave can be easily seen under the primer and support.

Grounds 

An absorbent ground is one that pulls in or absorbs a paint, rather than letting it sit on the surface.
Colors for Grounds: It depends on the subject and on you. Traditional colors for colored grounds include raw or burnt sienna, yellow ocher, burnt umber, and neutral greys. While various rules exist, you can use any color you like.
The most popular ground used today is acrylic polymer gesso because of its versatility, easy use, rapid drying, and flexibility. Acrylic gesso is considered adequate as a ground for oil paints, although this is somewhat controversial when used on canvas. Some argue that the flexible acrylic ground will cause oil paint (which dries brittle and becomes even more so over time) to crack. (This would also apply to any acrylic surface, including acrylic paints, gels, mediums, and modeling paste).

Tools

Brushes: Flat, round, liner, and fan
Palette Knife: The knife has no sharpened cutting edge and is ideal for creating smooth, consistent mixtures of paint and medium.
Artist Palette:  The artist palette can be made of wood, plastic, metal and glass is an object the artist use for mixing and thinning the paint before application.

Cleaning Techniques

Brushes should not be allowed to soak in paint for long periods and can be washed with soap and warm water.

Make sure the paint does not dry on the brush. Brushes should always be cleaned immediately after each session.

After use you can use your fingers to re-form the brush tips into points before storage.

Brushes should be stored upright with the head (bristle) up, or lay flat in a box or container.