Adding sand to acrylic paint for texture
You certainly don’t need a heap of materials, nor do you need to spend a fortune to add texture to your acrylic paintings. You can add a fine texture like sand directly to your acrylic paints to increase the texture of your paint, or you can sprinkle the paint on top of a canvas and then paint over the top of the sand too. 

Adding a touch of sand creates a thicker paint and it’ll also increase the texture. Or you can go the extra step by picking up a palette knife and creating impressions into the paint, think dips, carves, swirls or irregular strokes.  This is a fun way to explore new ideas, (especially if you find yourself stuck in a creative rut), or it could be the next step towards a totally new abstract artwork. 

Using pebbles and modelling paste on canvas
If you’re not only looking to add texture to your acrylic paintings, but also looking to add dimension, try reaching for modelling paste and a handful of pebbles. 

Using a palette knife, apply a layer of modelling paste to a canvas, then add your pebbles on top of the paste. Let this dry, before painting with acrylic paint over the top. Now your painting will not only have a fun texture, but it’ll also have dimension thanks to the pebbles on top. It’s also a handy trick to have up your sleeve, especially if you’re looking to take your landscapes to a new level. You can thank us later! 

Add eggshells to your canvas with PVA glue
If you’re looking to add a scale pattern to your nature or landscape artworks, we have just the trick. Before tossing out old eggshells, you can use broken eggshells to add texture to your acrylic paintings. Grab some PVA glue, then with a taklon brush, apply a thick layer of glue to the canvas. While the glue is still wet, press the eggshells into the glue. Wash your brush to remove the PVA and then let your masterpiece dry before painting acrylic on top. 

The eggshells make for an interesting texture. They can replace scales in nature artworks or for rocks in your landscapes, so what are you waiting for, give it a go yourself and get cracking. 

From pebbles to adding sand to acrylic paint for texture, we hope these tips inspire you to have a play with texture and hey, you’ll also be able to use up those odd bits and bobs from around the house too. 

Are you ready to jump in and add texture to your acrylic paintings? Try some of these tricks for yourself and #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook, we’d love to see what you create.

You can browse our acrylic painting range here to get started, or check out more of our handy how-to videos here.