Against the Grain
Create texture with dry-brushing
This week we’re keeping things rough, in the best way possible.
Dry-brush is one of those techniques that looks tricky but is actually quite forgiving. It’s how you add texture, sparkle and grit without overworking a scene.
Think shimmer on water, rock texture, grass, tree foliage. No detail, just suggestion.
You’ll start with a quick warm-up to get the feel for different brushes. Then we’ll paint two small scenes: a seascape and a tree study, both using dry brush to do the heavy lifting.
Exercise
1. Warm-Up
You’ll need textured paper, like cold press or Rough, ideally 100% cotton. If possible use scraps, backs of paintings or even paint over anything you’re about to throw out.
Try:
A few different brushes: synthetic, natural, round, flat—whatever you’ve got
Very little water, decent pigment load (like a syrup consistency)
Drag the brush across the paper
Experiment with:
Different pressures (light touch vs firmer drag)
Brush angles (side vs tip)
Varying paint thickness
The goal is to notice what works best for you, and which brushes give you the best texture.
2. Apply the Texture
Seascape Sparkle
Simple horizon with dry-brushed horizontal strokes for wave texture and sun sparkle.
Use dry brush for rocks and beach
Tree Foliage
Paint a few loose trees (refer to this tree exercise)
Use dry brush the foliage and broken leaf shapes
Pro subscribers: you’ll get the video demos with voiceover tips.
Why
Adds texture and realism: Broken marks suggest light, texture, and atmosphere better than over-detailing.
Trains restraint: Dry brush forces you to not overpaint—it rewards suggestion over precision.
Improves brush control: Playing with pressure, angle and timing sharpens your control without rigidity.
brush it up,
Patrick
👩🏻🎓 Upgrade to a paid membership to watch the video demos of the examples above, how I test the brushes and some tips on how to deepen the practice
“Want to use it to develop some consistent practice habits and I love your style and teaching method” - Amiee
