Practical Painting Techniques: Blending, Glazing, Impasto, and Palette Knife Work

Painting techniques are most useful when chosen with intention rather than collected for their own sake. Blending, glazing, impasto, and palette knife work each support specific effects and types of subject. This course walks through those techniques in a structured way you can apply to your own paintings. You will work through written exercises that mirror how a thoughtful painter would plan and execute studies in each technique. The emphasis is on developing judgment about when to use each approach rather than amassing tricks. What you'll learn: - Apply wet-on-wet blending techniques appropriate to oil and acrylic mediums - Build paintings with translucent glazing layers that produce depth and luminosity - Use impasto and heavy paint application for texture, energy, and surface interest - Work with the palette knife for both broad textural effects and crisp linear marks - Combine techniques within a single painting to support different parts of the composition - Plan painting sessions to respect drying times and workflow demands of each medium The course progresses from blending through glazing, impasto, palette knife work, combined techniques, and session planning. A capstone written exercise asks you to plan a complete painting that uses each technique with clear intention for a specific subject. This course is designed for beginners with some painting exposure and intermediate painters who want a structured way to think about technique. No specific medium is required and the course speaks across oil and acrylic. The course treats painting technique as a craft you can develop through structured practice and reflection.