Painting

If the cap is completely stuck, the tube can be held under hot water. The heat makes the paint more flexible. This works for acrylics as well as oil paint, water colours, gouache, etc.

Alla prima means that the painting is painted 'wet-on-wet'. In this technique, the colours are mixed not only on the palette but also on the painting itself. Painting will therefore have to be done quickly; no colour should dry in before the painting is completed. With this technique the paint can be thinned with the same thinner each time, or the paint can be used pure. If diluent is used, a good painting medium will achieve the most durable result.

Whether a painting is painted wet-on-wet or in layers, a glaze can be applied as a final layer. A glaze is a transparent layer of paint whose effect can be compared to that of a coloured sheet of glass placed on a particular picture: the picture does not change, the colours do.

Impasto is a painting technique in which paint is applied to the artwork in very thick layers. By using impasto technique, a paint layer with a lot of relief can be created. It can be done with a painting knife or a brush.

Granulation is a property of some pigments and means that the pigment in the paint, after being applied, combines into small groups. This creates a "flaky" or "shifty" effect that livens up the colour surface.