The secret of texture when painting is to focus on the important and not small details. Every texture demands a different manner of painting, just as every object has its own unique surface. Is it rough, or is it slippery and smooth? Compare the surface of a rock to a blade of grass, and see the difference. It is not a matter for an artist to attempt to copy the textures they are seeing as much as it is to understand them.

An artist that wishes to depict texture in a believable manner should not only have the right brush or tool available but also the proper ability to express almost any subject they wish on paper. This takes imagination and practice. The important thing is to “feel” the textures and let the paint flow.

Last, but not least, keep your work honest. When painting texture, do not rely too much on artist’s recipes. Painting textures is enjoyable, but it can be the ruination of a painting.  A viewer should be interested in the painting, not the technical process the artist used to create it. If you use judicious care when painting your masterpiece, it will have a sense of richness and depth in it.