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Dry brush technique

Create broken, textured marks by controlling paint load and pressure.

dry brush technique — editorial art detail
Studio / process

Start here

Create broken, textured marks by controlling paint load and pressure. The aim is not to create one rigid rule, but to give you a dependable starting point you can test in your own practice.

The working principle: make the simplest useful decision first, then add complexity only when it improves the work or the business.

Practical checklist

  1. Remove excess paint before touching the surface.
  2. Use a textured ground to exaggerate broken marks.
  3. Work with light pressure first.
  4. Layer different directions to avoid mechanical-looking texture.

What to do next

Try the advice on one real piece of work rather than redesigning your whole practice at once. Record what changed, what it cost and whether the result was genuinely better.