No...not that type of glazing...

Home decorators use "glazing" applied with a rag, sponge or comb to make a pattern on a wall or other decorative surface. I use glazing to enhance and define areas in my paintings... and I use it a lot.

Learning about glazing was a key moment in my artistic process. I never really understood what it was for when I was starting out, and now I can't live without it. I use Golden's "Acrylic Glazing Liquid"  to make transparent, highly blend-able layers of paint and I apply those layers on top of other paint in all of my art. To me, paintings that skip this step appear flat and boring. Glaze kicks everything up a notch.

There are pictures and written instruction regarding this process in our book, on pages 27-29. Plus there are some really great color recipes for glazing on pages 92-93. 

Imagine the painting pictured above without glazing. Clockwise from the top, the edges would appear light grey and pure, the already softened lines made by masking paint layers would not be as defined as they are, the "horizon line" would be neat and clean and the lower portion would not look aged. Finally on the top left, the rust color would not be there and the viewers eye would glide right off the edge of the painting!

How about you? Is glazing a practice you use regularly?

(This post is not sponsored by anyone.I do not earn anything from Golden for writing about their products.)