You do not need a single brush for this painting. Soraya Silvestri paints a glowing sunset sky on a 24 x 48 inch canvas with nothing but a regular kitchen sponge and her fingers. A sponge covers big areas fast, blends soft edges and leaves a texture a brush cannot copy. It is a forgiving way to start with acrylics, and the same moves work on a small canvas too.
How to sponge paint with acrylics: the short version
- Use a damp kitchen sponge, not a dry one.
- Press colors on in loose patches until the canvas is covered.
- Keep turning the sponge so no square prints show.
- Squeeze the sponge small for detail and use its edge for lines.
- Lay light, translucent color over dark for glow.
- Soften the last edges with your fingers.
Dab for texture, rub for blends
A sponge does two different jobs. Dab it straight on and lift it off, and you get a speckled, airy texture that reads as foliage, stone or clouds. Rub it in circles while the paint is wet, and colors melt into each other the way they do in this sky. Most sponge paintings use both. Rub the big areas smooth, then go back and dab texture into the places you want the eye to land.
Which sponge to use
Soraya uses ordinary rectangular kitchen sponges with the green scrub side. The soft side blends, and the scrub side drags a rougher, streakier mark. Keep two or three on hand. When one gets so full of paint that colors turn muddy, switch to a clean one and rinse the first. Natural sea sponges give a more open, random texture. Makeup wedges are good for tiny areas.
Why translucent colors glow
Light color painted thickly over dark looks chalky. A translucent color lets the layer underneath shine through, so a pale yellow over orange seems lit from behind. Many tubes list transparency on the label. You can also thin any color with a little glazing medium. Read more in how to glaze with acrylics.
Common problems
- Square marks everywhere. Turn and twist the sponge as you go, and work in circles and up and down strokes.
- Muddy color. The sponge is overloaded. Swap to a clean one.
- A patch you do not like. Acrylic dries fast. Let it dry and paint over it, as Soraya does more than once.
- Paint dries before it blends. Mist the canvas lightly with water, or work smaller sections.
Good first projects
A sunset sky, a misty ocean, layered green hills or a simple abstract all suit a sponge. Try a small 8 x 10 canvas first, then go big once you like the feel. It is a fun way to paint with grandchildren too, since nobody has to worry about brush control.
Keep painting
Brush up on blending acrylic paint, then paint a sunset or practise painting clouds with a brush to compare. For a bolder texture, try painting with a palette knife.
