My Unconventional Journey into DIY Fresco
Sometimes the most beautiful discoveries happen when you refuse to stay within the lines.
I’ve been experimenting with creating my own painting surfaces, and this piece represents me “thinking outside the box” Instead of using expensive fresco materials or conventional canvas, I mixed joint compound, white glue, and baking soda to create a textured surface on a simple wood panel. After This layer dried, I applied gloss medium.
The result? A foundation that feels ancient and contemporary all at once and rough enough to catch light and shadow, but smooth enough for watercolor washes and ink.
The Magic in the Making
The cherry blossom design grew naturally from the bumpy surface. I let the texture decide where the pink blooms would go. The watercolor acts differently on this homemade ground – it pools and bleeds in ways you can’t get on regular paper.
The ink lines for the branches had to work with the rough surface. Sometimes they flow smooth, sometimes they catch and break on the texture, creating that weathered look you see in the close-ups.
Why DIY Your Art Surface?
There’s something deeply satisfying about creating not just the image, but the very foundation it lives on. This discovery opens up possibilities that I never imagined possible. The texture adds depth, the handmade quality brings soul and satisfaction, and the unexpected interactions between materials create those happy accidents that make art come alive.
For fellow artists who love experimenting: don’t be afraid to raid the hardware store instead of the art store sometimes. Some of my most successful pieces have come from combining the “wrong” materials in just the right way.
Supplies I used
Working with quality supplies truly makes a difference in watercolor painting. Whether you're a beginner looking to invest in reliable tools or an experienced painter seeking to expand your palette of techniques, this combination offers so many possibilities.
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The Da Vinci Pro Panels provide an ideal rigid support for this experimental fresco-inspired technique. These professional-grade wood panels offer exceptional stability, preventing the warping that might occur with traditional paper or canvas when applying the homemade gesso mixture of joint compound, white glue, and baking soda. The panel's smooth, prepared surface allowed for excellent adhesion of the textured ground layer while maintaining structural integrity.
The MeiLiang Watercolor Paint Set's 36 vivid colors shine through in the varied pink and coral blooms, soft yellows, and organic greens throughout the composition. These watercolors interact beautifully with the absorbent, chalky surface, creating areas where the pigment granulates and settles into the texture, producing rich, complex color variations. The paint's transparency allows underlying layers to show through, creating depth and luminosity.
The delicate branch work showcases the precision of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C 04 Gel Ink Pen, with its ultra-fine 0.4mm tip creating confident, flowing lines that maintain their crispness even on the textured surface. The pen's consistent ink flow has produced both bold defining lines and more delicate, scratchy marks that suggest the organic irregularity of natural twigs.
The Ecoline liquid watercolor in white adds subtle highlights and creates gentle opacity in select areas, providing contrast against the more transparent washes. This liquid watercolor likely contributed to some of the soft, ethereal passages where colors blend and fade, creating atmospheric effects that enhance the painting's dreamlike quality.
Together, these materials have created a piece that feels both contemporary and timeless, where the experimental surface technique enhances rather than overshadows the delicate botanical subject matter.
Golden Gloss Medium - Essential Artist's Finishing Medium
Golden Gloss Medium is a versatile acrylic polymer medium designed to enhance and protect artwork while adding a beautiful lustrous finish. This professional-grade medium is perfect for mixed-media artists, watercolorists, and painters working across various surfaces and techniques.
