Latest posts by michael wilson (see all)
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In this brief article I shall provide some important details for executing a ‘drag painting’. Abstract drag painting details will help you get the results you are looking for. To begin with I would strongly recommend not painting on canvas but using a hard surface such as 1/2 inch plywood. If you decide to use a larger format, say 36 ” x 42 ” you will need to screw or nail support backers to keep the board nice, straight and flat.
Any water base primer will work to prime the plywood or panel surface. I usually apply at least two coats. It is necessary to thoroughly sand the surface and then get it clean before starting your drag painting. You may want to refer to my previous articles but a drag painting is simply applying oil paint with a hard squeege, usually from edge to edge in a slow, steady pull.
Canvas is just too flexible to get a good press with the squeege. Besides I actually prefer the ply surface because of all the interesting effects that occur when the paint (during drag) gets caught in all the small wood ‘pits’. There are several good methods of dragging. One is to press hard and drag. This leaves a thin skin of paint on the primed surface. I will usually look for patterns and play with them, dragging back and forth to accentuate those emerging patterns. Often with this heavy press method the actual grain of the ply will emerge even through the primed surface. The other method is to apply the paint more thickly and drag that side to side. Across the board this will create its own affects depending on where you placed your pigment. I tend to squeeze paint direct from the tube in random placement across the surface. As the paint is dragged it will pick up and disburse the oil paint. On the first pass try to go all the way from edge to edge. You will be surprised at the very interesting accidents created as the pigments mix on the surface.
Look for patterns that have been accidentally created. Re-drag where you think it will accent these. Add pigment and drag again in you wish. Drag paintings often take longer to dry due to the heavy use of oil pigment. I set my aside for several weeks and then pull them out and study them. I am looking for strong or weak areas…areas that are not so interesting will require a new application. By passing over with new pigment over the existing hues even more interesting effects are created – often certain ‘skips’ that are quite intriguing. Sometimes I will even come back with selective brush work additions. This can add visual interest and contrast, though use brush sparingly…try not to have them especially obvious. You don’t want to detract from the free, spontaneous look of the drag painting.