How Does Ritu Raj Create His Signature Thread Paintings?

Discover how Phoenix-based contemporary abstract artist Ritu Raj creates his signature twine paintings, using thread dipped in oil paint to build organic, fluid compositions that blend intention and surrender.

Introduction

There are many ways to apply paint to canvas—brushes, knives, hands, even found objects. But for me, one tool opened an entirely new dimension in my abstract practice: twine. I didn’t set out to invent a new technique. I was searching for a way to create organic lines and layered textures that felt less controlled, more alive—marks that carried both intention and surrender.

Thread painting, as it’s often called, is traditionally associated with embroidery and textiles. My approach is different. Here, twine becomes my brush, dipped in oil paint and pulled across wet surfaces to create sweeping gestures and layered compositions. The result is neither purely painted nor purely sculpted. It’s somewhere in between—where form, movement, and materiality meet to create something uniquely alive.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Preparing the Canvas
I begin by building the background with a base layer of oil paint, keeping it wet with a liberal dose of liquin or linseed oil. This isn’t just a flat color. I add dimension and subtle texture to create depth before any twine touches the surface.

2. Letting the Background Set
I allow the background to sit for about 4 to 6 hours. It needs to remain wet enough to receive the marks but settled enough to hold form and layered depth without blending into pure chaos.

3. Preparing the Twine and Color
I use baker’s twine for its weight and flexibility. It’s dipped into oil paint mixed with an equal part of linseed oil, often in a contrasting color to the background. This ensures each pull leaves a distinct, vibrant trail across the canvas.

4. Painting with Twine
The twine is laid onto the wet canvas and pulled in sweeping, fluid gestures. There is no real control here—only presence and response. I let the twine shape the world as it moves, letting the painting emerge through intuition and chance.

5. Repeating the Process
I rinse and re-wet the twine frequently, as it dries quickly and begins picking up the background color. Each pass builds another layer of movement, texture, and color complexity into the composition.

6. Letting It Dry
Once the painting feels complete, I leave it to dry. The oil and linseed medium require about 4 to 6 days to fully set before the work can be handled safely.

Reflection

This process is a meditation. It demands both control and surrender—knowing when to guide the twine and when to simply let it move. What emerges is never exactly what I envisioned, and that is its beauty. Each painting becomes a record of motion, intuition, and the quiet dialogue between material and maker.

Thread painting with oil has become central to my practice as a contemporary abstract artist. It’s not just about creating an image. It’s about capturing a feeling that cannot be spoken—a fluid, organic expression of what lives beneath the surface of thought and language.