The art of carving acrylic at home

The art of carving acrylic paint at home.

Carved art is one of the oldest in existence. From sculptures to the manufacture of the first stamps. I was always curious, but that's when I discovered the artist Hannah Jensen. I want to try that! I thought.
Although the art of carving is commonly to apply on wood or linoleum, doing it on dozens of layers of acrylic paint allows you to play with shades and colors differently.

 

I will tell you some details to keep in mind if you plan to make acrylic paint carvings:

Depending on the purpose of the color, to make up each the shade will need 10-20 layers of acrylic paint.

I like to use very different shades in two-color paintings because the contrast is higher.
In these cases, you must cut carefully since the carving draws a negative of the design you want to obtain. Adding a third shade adds depth to the composition.

The next challenge I set myself was testing pieces with more movement. In that case, there are always three or more shades and are the deepest ones that allow you to create the illustration. In addition, there is no distance between lines, it is not about drawing a negative, so the strength and depth of each cut are decisive to making sense of the image.

 

“The truth is that it is quite a challenge!”

And how is the paint applied?

The deepest shade is applied first, and it is essential that the paint is dry before applying the next coat, so day by the skin is best.

For the Condor painting, it took me over two months to apply layers of paint.
If you do the math for a 3-tone painting, where the average number of layers is 15 per color, it will take a month and a half to apply paint.

“Without a doubt, the key is to be patient.”

Carving on acrylic is almost like therapy. Each cut must be progressive, calm, and with adequate force at each point. Thinking about where to do it, in what direction, and how much pressure allows you to be abstract yourself from the rest of your thoughts completely.
It is a slow and careful art. So much so that the Condor piece is still unfinished, waiting for the next therapy session ;)

 

 

I hope this technique has inspired you as much as it did me. It would be great to know your experience if you dare to try!

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