KEIGHLEY Art Club’s programme secretary brought back artist Matthew Evans. Matthew painted two pictures on canvas in various media, and explained the theory of creating textures. He showed the effects he wanted.

Since his last visit, Matthew has been published in the magazine Leisure Painter, showing photographs, words and texture painting. More articles are due.

At our club, Matthew’s first example used gesso, modelling paste, red oxide paste and acrylic. The base layer was spread with a palette knife, then a flat nylon brush painted the next layer on the wet base. More texture can be added by carving into layer one to build up interest.

Tactile marks were strengthened in stages with four basic colours, which were added randomly to create depth, light and shadows. Too much texture can be removed with sandpaper and dry paint, scraping back wet paint or other textures.

Matthew uses his own photographs of Newquay and the Brighouse area, and from outings. He feels that an artist’s work is enhanced when they have experienced the atmosphere themselves. His paintings are more impressionistic than detailed.

In the break Matthew showed images from a school art project where he and pupils of Woodhouse Primary celebrated its 50th anniversary. Each child added their fingerprints, and the head teacher keeps it outside his room.

Part two of Matthew’s demonstration revolved around a second painting where the red background has dried. The tools used were different sizes of small rollers. Matthew started this style to free up the tight style of his original work.He has used A2-size paper and equally small brushes.

Matthew rolled slightly-thinned acrylic over the sides and to the edge of the canvas, at the same time revealing and picking up deliberate dry textures and markings.The dark under-painting showed in places, and directional rolling with the almost-dry rollers revealed the mountain slopes, sky and foreground.

A child’s sponge brush can add more interest to the surface, or can finely spread grasses over the foreground. A flat-ended round stippling brush is another way of layering with dabs or twisted strokes. More of the original red-textured paint can be added at this stage. Your own can be made by adding fine sand to acrylics.

Trying new techniques with materials and tools are Matthew’s art philosophy. He has decided not to worry too much about results, enjoying happy accidents. Abstract movements are applied and built up. Pastels can be added either by mixing in the paint at the end for another variation.

Keighley Art Club continues to meet weekly. Our work can be seen on Facebook and in Keighley Picture House cinema’s coffee lounge.