Use Bister to create a series

Making Powertex art in a series or collection is a great way to practice techniques and develop a style. This small Powertex Bister series started out as an experiment with Rusty Powder and Bister while I took a break from acrylic painting.

Using limited supplies

Keeping to a limited supply list means spending less time browsing colours or searching for materials and more time creating. Creating several pieces with the same supplies also ties them together as a series. I made four paintings approximately 30cm square on heavy paper and switched up the colours for each one.

My supplies were:

• Ivory Powertex Universal Medium
• Bister pigment sprays
• Orange Powercolor
• Rusty Powder
• White vinegar and 3D Sand for the rust mixture
• I used heavy watercolour paper

Tools:

• Flat paint brushes 3/4″ and 1/2 “
• Plastic palette knife and mixing plate
• Letter stencil
• Masking tape

Preparing the surface

On a craft mat I lay out a flat paintbrush, a round brush, a plastic palette knife and a favourite stencil next to some heavy watercolour paper.

Taping the edges of the paper with masking tape means fixing it to my workspace and keeping a clean border around the art. It also comes with the bonus of peeling the tape at the end for the reveal.

Playing with the materials

I started by painting the surface with Ivory Powertex and blending in some Bister to add colour. I had no clear process in the first painting. I just wanted to play and experiment. In the first piece I used Blue Bister and Rusty Powder with vinegar to add colour and texture.

I tried to create a focal point using the rusty powder and more intense colour. Notice how the Bister on wet Powertex creates some gorgeous textures. I use the vinegar/water spray a lot to move the colour and rust mixture around.

Creating the next piece in different colours

In the second painting I use the same supplies but changed the colours. I used Red Bister. The orange Powercolor was left out but I use the same layers and tools as before.

Unfortunately I went quite overboard with the rust mixture and it overwhelms the picture. I also don’t like the pinkish tones of the Bister.

This last version was a challenge as I rarely use greens. It has a lovely, misty atmosphere and is more recognisable as a landscape. The supplies remain the same but with Green Bister. I use the same stencil and tools.

The Bister pigments are natural inks, (find out more here) and the colours are more muted than my usual vibrant colours but I can get some fantastic textures. Using Bister and rust together is a brilliant combination although I found the process a bit messy at times!

The paper held up pretty well but did warp a bit. I would like to try these ideas on canvas boards. I think wooden panels could become quite heavy with these materials.

If you would like to try Bister on a smaller scale, you might find this Yellow Powertex and Bister Mini Art Series helpful.

Bister pigments

There is a free guide to Bister here. If you would like to know more about how I use Bister in my painting take a look at my Bister Masterclass. It’s available to download as an eBook and is everything I teach in my Bister art workshop. Get a full list of the contents on Etsy.