Introduction to Dot Art

Dot art is an indigenous art form that heavily utilises coloured dots. It involves painting a surface with tiny colour strokes or dots that, up close, merge into one another. Instead of using brush strokes, patterns are dotted on the canvas to create the dot painting style.

Although a stick is used to apply the dots, other tools can also be used to make this type of artwork. This method creates an optical illusion by creating a visual that appears to pop out of the canvas, giving the content of the painting a live illusion. Aboriginal culture uses dots as an ancient form of body art. The dots in these paintings can stand in for stars or sparks and are most frequently used to tell visual stories.

In dot art, pointillism—also known as divisionism—is the technique of putting minute strokes or dots of colour on a surface so that they appear to melt into one another.

Which is the Ideal Paint for Dot Art?

Before you attempt dot art, please ensure you are not misappropriating sacred culture. For artists and enthusiasts who want to try painting with dots, acrylic paint is an excellent place to start. These water-based, soft-body pigments can be utilised directly from the tube, are simple to apply to surfaces, and can be diluted with water. One of the easiest and quickest methods to thicken acrylic paint is to use a professional paint medium, such as a gel medium, which is readily available at a nearby art supply store or online. Acrylic paintings by aboriginal artists beautifully combine traditional and modern styles. The dot technique gives the painting a sensation of movement and pace and an almost three-dimensional look.

Early Origins of Aboriginal Dot Art Styles

Aboriginal peoples have employed dots in their artwork and other forms of expression for a very long time. Dots can be seen in symbolic patterns on artefacts and old rock galleries. They were utilised for ceremonial body painting and sand paintings. The dot art technique may have first been used to decorate an artefact or add a shimmery appearance to a body design. The dots might allude to a strong aura or energy field surrounding the design.

Aboriginal people have historically employed the highly artistic medium of body paint to display significant parts of their existence, such as social rank, familial group, tribe, heritage, spirituality, and geography. In recent times, Papunya Tula artists in the early 1970s gave rise to the characteristic dot painting technique of Aboriginal artists. In Australia’s Central and Western Desert regions, dotted painting techniques are frequently used in artistic creations.

Execution of Aboriginal Dot Art

Both ochre and acrylic paint are frequently used in creating aboriginal dot artworks, but acrylic paint is utilised more often. The paint used may have a raised surface that is textured, or it may be flat. The best way to create dots is probably by using acrylic paint that has been thoroughly mixed. Acrylic is an ideal medium for a dot painting because of its viscosity and cohesiveness. When the paint dries, it forms a raised profile that, when viewed from the side, creates a curved shape on the canvas, with the centre of the dot being the highest point while the shape tapers towards the edges.

Final Thoughts

Today, dot painting is often used casually to refer to the painting of tiny, distinct-coloured dots on the canvas. Aboriginal artists use dots both spiritually and artistically. Over a very long period, many individuals have employed dots in their artwork and other kinds of expression. The dots can be seen in symbolic patterns on artefacts and ancient rock galleries. They were used for sand paintings and ceremonial body paintings. Check them out when you have the chance since they are indeed inspiring!