We've talked about brushwork in the past, but I found this tutorial, by Fine Arts Tutorials, very helpful. I've copied parts of it here, but try to check it out for its large photo samples.
Techniques and tips for a ‘loose’ painting style
Impasto technique
The impasto technique involves thick applications of paint that retain visible brush strokes and texture on the canvas. Apply paint with a stiff brush or a palette knife. You can also thicken paint with a thickening gel.
Van Gogh often painted in short, impasto, loose brush strokes, varying in colour. When you get up-close to his work, you can appreciate the textured effect.
Alla prima (wet-on-wet) technique
To paint alla prima (wet-on-wet), build layers of wet paint on your surface. The aim of painting alla prima is to finish the piece, or the section of your painting, before the first application of paint dries. If you want to use this technique with acrylic, you will have to get a slow drying medium.
Painting wet-on-wet is a fast and spontaneous way of working. Some brilliant painterly effects can be achieved from working in this way. Colours meld and swirl together.
Singer Sargent favoured this technique, as you can see in his painting ‘Simplon Pass’ .
John Singer Sargent: Simplon Pass
Stand up at an easel
Standing up at an easel gives you the freedom to move around and encourages you to be much more gestural with your paint applications. It is something that helps to loosen your painting technique. By standing, you will be encouraged to stand back more often and look at your painting to see the whole picture. You’ll be much less likely to lean in and focus on tiny details whilst ignoring the composition of the piece, which painters tend to do more when they’re sitting down. Focussing on the composition rather than the details really is the objective of the ‘loose’ painting style.
Paint with large brushes
One rule that people are often taught in art school is to paint with a brush as large as they can manage for the subject they are painting. Square shaped brushes are great for painting large areas, they also simplify the painting, preventing you from agonising over detail. With a few strokes of the brush, you can create a representation of your subject. Opt to use a palette knife instead for a choppier look, or use it to remove paint.
Be decisive when applying paint
To achieve that painterly effect, be decisive, intentional and confident about applying paint. This is about knowing which colour to apply to the right section on your canvas. The aim is to analyse the reference closely before actually putting any colour down on the surface, then applying the paint in the right spot to create the desired effect. It takes practice to achieve this, however. The best way to practice is by spending time looking at a reference, soaking in the light and colour and details you want to include before deciding how to translate this to canvas.
Be selective about which details you want to include
Although a loose painting style is characterised by a lack of detail, that doesn’t mean you have to omit all detail from your painting. Study your reference and consider if there are any details that make the scene appear unique, or could add interest to your painting.
Spontaneous brushwork
The key to spontaneity is letting go of the fear of making mistakes and your vision of perfect results. Have fun with the process of applying paint to the canvas, experimenting with different effects and taking risks. If you do make a mistake, you can always scrape thick paint away with a palette knife.
Create transitional shades
One technique you likely won’t be using much of if you’re trying to create a painterly effect is blending. So, to create realistic tonal transitions and the appearance of gradients, mix transitional shades between colours to apply in impasto-like strokes. The more transitional shades you mix, the more realistic your colours will appear in your painting. Transitional shades between colours also work to create harmony in a painting.
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