Create Textured Sketchbook Backgrounds: 6 Easy Tips

[@celia840]

I don’t feel like I should have been able to watch this for free. The amount of information you provided in this video is unreal. Thank you. Truly. 💛

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aprilharvey2225]

I love your teaching method. I’m 82 years old and always willing to try new things. I like those backgrounds. I never know what colours to use.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

I hope to be painting when I'm 82 !! You are a inspiration

[@fabd8067]

LOVE IT - your textured backgrounds, the energy & the wax resist crayon in your final piece 🖍️👌🏼💜💚🧡 Thx too for keeping up the reference photo on the side so we could see how you interpreted it as you went along! 🙏🏻🎨🙌🏼💚

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you & i’m glad it was useful

[@jesscherry404]

Yes! Good instructions. I enjoyed. Now to do it!

[@HelenAveryArtChannel]

I remember the Burma sketchbook video, it was so lovely to learn about your heritage through your art. Love this technique, it’s so freeing ❤

[@OhnMarWinArt]

I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment- it means a lot !

[@WorldWideWebObserver]

Your art is beautiful! Love the pomegranate painting!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you so much 😀

[@arlenewalsh8671]

Thank you so much. You are so inspiring.

[@Blueflint]

This was such a lovely watch! Thank you! The textured backgrounds are such a good way to get over that blank page fear and it was sooo cool to watch you just speed through a brand new sketchbook! And the pomegranate spread is beautiful 🤩

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Glad you enjoyed it - hope you give it a try

[@misswhitehouse4740]

I am definitely trying this. Hoping to get some inks to try it with but going to try it with acrylic paint soon x

[@ladyflimflam]

Oh, colored crayolas for wax resist is interesting!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

it's something I've done since I was an art student

[@jodycourt]

I like this too. I only used to think of white crayons for this. I'm trying it. Thank you.

[@oldgirlart8877]

It keeps coming to me to tell you that after I listened to the video I did play with a fan brush and paint. The swirls I created were a lot of fun for me. And then the next thing I did was look for something on KZbin and I found a video about asemic writing which is writing without any meaning. That video also talked about play and freedom while you paint. I feel like it was your video about background textures that led me to a whole new way of painting. So thank you Ohn Mar.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Sounds fascinating. I’m glad this technique resonated with you.

[@thejournalingbroom]

This is perfect timing, I should be receiving my first ever acrylic gouache either today or tomorrow in the mail! I'll have to try using it this way!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

I hope it works out well

[@erinplewes9642]

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing your process with us. ❤

[@OhnMarWinArt]

You are so welcome!

[@marcemiss]

Your paintings are so cool ❤

[@audreygravelat1549]

You are so inspiring and encouraging, and you share with caring. Thank you very much. I love your work and videos.❤❤❤

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you so much! You're sweet comment has made my day

[@lynnesanders8025]

Thankyou. While I am not hesitant about adding swish to a page I love your mixed media approach. Especially with the wax crayon. I always learn little things from your videos 💜💙💚

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you so much!

[@andreamercado2116]

Gonna make this for my Japan trip in a couple of days🥰💖🍥 love your content, as always super educational and fun!💜

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Have fun in Japan

[@oficinacaracolinho]

This is super inspiring just by watching you preparing the pages 😍

[@OhnMarWinArt]

I'm so glad you think so 🙏🙏

[@vermiliongamboge155]

Fantastic video! I learned a tremendous amount, including a reminder about wax resist -- I've never tried that method, but I bought some Neocolor I's a couple of years ago and this would be a good way to use them. I'm definitely going to try textures in my sketchbooks - I'll be less afraid to start a new page that way, too. Thank you for this!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Neocolours such a fun way to add texture and make starting a new page less intimidating. I hope you enjoy trying it out in your sketchbook!

[@WilliamPhillippe]

I’m particularly enamoured by the fluidity of your brush strokes and that in places the strokes appear to be a tad dry - exquisite results 👌

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you very much!

[@ArtySubu]

Really love seeing how you’re incorporating new techniques into your style year by year, Ohn Mar! Ive been loving prepped pages too lately, though with a much darker colour palette.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Awesome - I’d love to see them

[@lauriebanerjee3971]

Thank you, this is so helpful!!!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

You're so welcome!

[@ritawilbur6128]

Just after the nick of time - haha! Yesterday I prepped some pages in my sketchbook for Inktober, trying to replicate what I've seen you do before. I used watercolor - which I know is not ideal, but I don't really have any acrylic, and only the primaries in acrylic gouache. But I figured for the most part I'll be using microns or brush pen over the top, so it should be okay. But I did get some of it too dark, and I tended to fill up the page. Granted, I'm also using a very small 3x5 sketchbook. But now I know for the future. I LOVE this look!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

That’s great to hear you’re trying this technique

[@susanmolinari2348]

I love the looks you achieve and watching your process. It's not making the backgrounds that I find challenging. It's then drawing and painting on top of it. It confuses my mind. 🤪

[@OhnMarWinArt]

You can do it - it’s more shapes and contrast than line

[@bhairavigovindarajan]

Love love love the contrast in the pomegranate piece Ohn Mar.. it’s just brilliant.. the luminous green and the dark perylene green oh my it’s beautiful 🤩🤩❤️

[@OhnMarWinArt]

I am becoming more and more enthusiastic about areas of high contrast in my sketches

[@bhairavigovindarajan]

@@OhnMarWinArt I can see that 😊

[@jackielubeck5277]

Absolutely will do it. I am a bit heavier than you but I will watch and do it as I do... Thx.... it's a good start.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Have fun!

[@rodinator2]

Thanks for all the tips, Ohn Mar! The overthinking and perfectionism are hard to get rid of :) Love the pomegranate piece, the purple was the perfect finishing touch 😍

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thats really kind of you to say so - thanks for watching Rodi. Always be kind to yourself, and do you not think others are judging your art

[@Toto-NaoWinter]

Thank you for sharing your process and thoughts 😊. I just made some backgrounds in my sketchbook 👍

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Wonderful!

[@ChantelleArts]

this is such a cool idea 🥰

[@stroodledoodles]

This looks so fun, I've definitely got to try this at some point! Some of my favourite ways to add texture is dry brushing and using really waxy pencils (I find that working with them ontop of gouache tooks really nice) :)

[@OhnMarWinArt]

That sounds like a really fun way to work

[@reneescott6249]

I LOVE this technique! So freeing!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

It really is!

[@LulybelleLullaby]

So very interesting. I’m looking forward to giving it a go!,

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Hope you enjoy creating this type of backgrounds

[@royacyrus969]

Thank you, I appreciate learning techniques. 😊

[@OhnMarWinArt]

You are so welcome! Hope you pick up some good tips

[@sala6011]

Thank you so much, it was so inspiring, love your way of teaching very much❣ Hopefully you will come for an live-workshop some day to Berlin❤Sandra

[@artwithbecky]

I just love watching your process! You have such a different take on art and it's so blended and unique.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you so much!

[@jodycourt]

I'm going to do some swishy backgrounds next, but I only have watercolor. Maybe I'll try the tempera paint sticks since I have some nice pastel colors. I love the crayon resist and this pomegranate piece is just exquisite! I love it. Thanks for sharing you love of paint and joy in the process. It's so fun to be here.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

You are very welcome, Jody

[@caroles5258]

Very interesting. Fun.

[@kanamichelle7404]

I couldn’t find my acryla gouache the other day so I just used regular goauche on some, and acrylic paint pens on a few. I just need to remember to use dry media over the gouache ones🙈 Also, I was a little heavy handed, but it was good practice. Thank you for demonstrating. Only a couple of movements, not swishy swishy all over the place😄

[@OhnMarWinArt]

That is awesome! Hope it turns out well

[@milenamarcocci6320]

You are a fantastic artist....love all your art work ❤❤❤❤❤❤bravissima ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you very much!

[@margaretspringer9197]

Your example and encouragement are so great, Ohn Mar! I'm going to try this technique.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Wonderful -hope you have lots of fun with this

[@chiarasola826]

Love this ✨ thank you for your kind words, I will try to be kinder to myself. I have never tried to have a background like yours, but I really like it! I am going to give it a go 😊

[@OhnMarWinArt]

You are so welcome!

[@PaulaScardamalia]

So much fun! Have started playing with this technique. I don't have acrylics or acrylic gouache but some watercolor works if I let it dry for a day and I don't overwork it. Also, something like a Faber Castel gelato can work, too, with the swishes.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

That's really great to know

[@conkrotwife]

One thing that has helped me get past the worry of “messing” up the page is using light colors. I paint a lot of landscapes so when I do my light swishes I use a light blue at the top of the page and light ochre or yellow for the bottom. I also rotate my sketchbook so the top and bottom are different.

[@OhnMarWinArt]

That sounds like a really great approach

[@katyvashkevich2719]

Brilliant idea using crayons in such a way! Need to try it asap

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Perhaps you used wax crayons like this as a child ?

[@ImaniTolliver]

Gorgeous!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@JH-xr1sd]

Great video, thank you. I tried this before, but was very anxious when and how to use it. Do you just go page by page, whichever swirl is on it? Or do you choose according to the motive?

[@OhnMarWinArt]

90% of the time I turn over the page and use whatever swoosh is there unless I specifically liked a page

[@Shoofly738]

This was super informative and inspiring! I love this technique and your results are beautiful, can’t wait to try this!! Thank youuu! 😊❤

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Have fun - relax into this practice

[@jesscherry404]

What do you mean by wax?

[@impish22]

how fun !! thanks for sharing

[@LulybelleLullaby]

This is so interesting…. many thanks

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Trueivorydesigns]

Lovely process. Thank you!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Glad you liked it!

[@twisteddyekitchenmyfiberjo4577]

Love, love this!

[@mardimatin196]

Many thanks for these explanations, I really like them! However, I have some questions regarding how to use these already created backgrounds. Do we consider that any subject can go on any page? Aren’t we limiting ourselves from the start with such a specific color palette? Thank you!

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Yes pretty much any subject from landscapes, portraits to architecture. It’s freeing rather than limiting I feel as you have some ‘mid’ values to play with

[@dew1_rosal14]

Hi. Have you evef tried scrubbing inktense pencils on a palette and watering in down to use for you backgrounds?

[@OhnMarWinArt]

That sounds interesting - never tried that

[@lyndamorrill5687]

Can you add white gouache mixed with watercolor and get the same effect?

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Gouache reactivate once you add any further water on top

[@mariabergman3813]

The gouache is acrylic and not plain gouache which would reactivate right?

[@OhnMarWinArt]

Yes acryla gouache

[@olivialobo5390]

Bravo!