Learn all about acrylic painting with this guide to all you need to know! Acrylic markers, acrylic paint, acrylic art, acrylic pouring and more!
Introduction to Acrylic Painting
Acrylic paints were first used in the 1930's but soon became accesible to artists for use in the 1950's. At first they were used for industrial purposes but due to their fast-drying nature and versatility, artists were attracted to using it. By the 1960's acrylics had gained popularity in the art world because of their ability to give the same effect as watercolor and oil paints, while also maintaining their own unique properties.
Acrylic paint is a fast-drying paint made of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. It is a water-based paint and is soluble in water when wet, but becomes water-resistant when dry. Acrylic painting is popular due to it's versatility, it can be used with different painting techniques to achieve various effects and can be applied onto a variety of surfaces such as wood, paper, metal and canvas.
Acrylic paints in the modern day are the most widely used and accessible paints. They are fairly simple for beginners to start with and don't require many materials to get started. Acrylic Painting was the first proper art I did in my life (forgetting the cheap watercolor scribbles I did as a child). I've spent quite a few years painting with it and enjoyed it every time! (except when it dried too fast and I couldn't blend the colors properly.)
What is unique about Acrylics?
1. Fast-Drying Time
Acrylics dry faster compared to oil paints, and allow artists to work faster and not wait long periods for their layers to dry. So it's a less time-consuming medium than oils.
2. Versatility
They can be used on various surfaces such as canvas, wood, paper, metal and even fabric. This flexibilty makes them a very ideal medium for several artistic projects.
3. Water-solubility
They are water-based paints and can be thinned down by water when they are wet, but become water-resistant when they get dry.
4. Durability
Acrylic paints for a water-resistant, flexible and durable exterior after they are dry, making them last a very long time.
5. Vibrant Colors
Acrylic paints are also famous for their vibrance that doesn't fade with time. They don't yellow or fade like oil paints do.
6. Texture and Consistency
Acrylics can be thinned down with water and used to apply transparent, thin washes or applied thickly to give textured effects like impasto.
7.Mixability
They can be mixed with other paint mediums to achieve certain effects and can also be mixed with a variety of mediums to get unique effects like Acrylic pouring art.
8. Non-Toxicity
Acrylic painting doesn't require the use of turpentine or mineral spirits for cleaning or any other toxic substances and even the paints are non-toxic and have very low odour, making them safer to use in enclosed spaces.
How many types of Acrylic Paints are there?
Acrylic Paint comes in different consistencies and formulations, each suited for different techniques and styles. The most widely used types are as follows:
1. Heavy Body Acrylics
These paints have a thick and buttery consistency, similar to oil paints. They have high viscosity, rich pigment load, and good for creating texture and visible brushstrokes. They work best in techniques that require thick applications such as Impasto.
2. Soft Body Acrylics
These are smooth and creamy with a consistency similar to heavy cream or yogurt. They have medium viscosity, high pigment load and are versatile to be used in various techniques. They are great when doing some fine details and adding layers.
3. Fluid Acrylics
These paints are thin and pourable, with a consistency similar to ink or heavy cream. They have low viscosity, high pigment concentration and easy flow. They work best in fluid art techniques such as Acrylic Pouring art.
4. Acrylic Gouache
These paints combine the characteristics of traditional gouache paint with the benefits of acrylic paint. They offer a matte, opaque finish, dry quickly and have a high pigment concentration. They work great in many parts of a painting.
Essential Supplies for Acrylic Painting
1. Brushes
Now unlike watercolor brushes, which need to be chosen considering how much water they can hold, acrylic brushes come in various shapes and sizes and it depends on the artist which brush they would like to use. There are round brushes which are the most common, then flat brushes, fan brushes, liner brushes, filbert brushes and more. Each brush offers a unique stroke and can be used for various techniques. I would personally suggest either a flat brush or a round brush as I use them the most, but you're free to explore the world of brushes and find one thats just for you.
2. Surface
Acrylic paints can be applied on both canvas and paper, however it is widely used on canvas. There are no certain requirements for a canvas, simple that it should be primed for acrylic use. And for paper, there are certain special paper which are heavier and textured to be suitable to acrylic's nature.
3. Palettes for mixing
To mix your paint to achieve certain colors, you need a palette. It serves as a platform to allow you to achieve the right shade before applying it onto the surface you're working with. Palettes come in different materials and mostly all are suitable to work with acrylics. The most common palettes used are Plastic, due to them being cheap and easily accessible. There's also glass, wood and other materials you can try out. My personal favourite is glass but you can check out my blog on Paint
Palettes to understand more about the materials before getting it.
Other than these basic supplies you can check out my blog on How
to Get Started with Acrylic Painting to know the other supplies and tips when painting.
Acrylic Painting Techniques
1. Dry Brushing
You simply use a dry brush and apply very little paint to it, before using the brush on a dry paper. This technique creates some rough textures on the paper which could be considered grass-like. So this technique is great for making grass, fur or hair.
2. Impasto
In this method artists apply thick layers of paint to the canvas, often using a palette knife or brush. The paint is layered to create texture and depth, with visible brushstrokes and a three-dimensional surface. This method can make it seem as if it's coming out from the canvas. It really has a cool effect and makes the viewer more immersed with the artwork.
3. Lifting
Lifting is a technique, that means literally what its name is. You lift paint off your paper when it's still wet to create patches of less color and interesting texture in your painting. It's quite a useful method to create various objects in a painting, for example clouds! In case you're wondering how you lift the paint, you can use a simple tissue and lightly dap it in the area you want the paint to be lifted.
4. Splattering
This technique means to splatter paint on the paper to achieve small or large spots of paint. It can be used to give a certain texture to the painting. All you need to do is let your first layer dry and then take a brush loaded with water and pigment and fleck it onto the paper. If there are any areas you don't want the paint to splatter on, you can cover it up with a tissue, paper or even a masking tape. Upon drying it gives a very natural texture akin to small particles in the mud or so, and can be used to give texture to several objects.
These are some common techniques, other than these you can check out my blog on Acrylic
Painting Techniques to see more cool techniques.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
1. Overworking the paint
If you continously blend and adjust colors on a surface, they lose their vibrance and start becoming muddy. To avoid this you should know when to stop and let the areas dry before continuing with the adjustments.
2. Colors drying darker than expected
With acrylics, it is common for colors to dry darker than they appeared and this can sometimes be unexpected for the artist. To avoid unexpected dried layers, you should create a color chart or use that specific color beforehand and see it's dried appearance before using it on your painting.
3. Not cleaning brushes properly
Sometimes after a long painting session and contniuous use of certain brushes, simply rinsing them with water and rubbing them a few times doesn't necessarily clean them properly. If the brushes aren't cleaned properly, they not only get damaged but may affect your future paintings by having some of the residue paint from the previous sessions ruining the colors of the new painting. Cleaning your brushes is very important and should be done properly using water and soap. And even during painting sessions, keep a container of water nearby to rinse your brushes after every change of color.
4. Using too much water
Acrylics are a water-based medium so water can be used to thin the paint. But sometimes excessive water can make the paint lose it's vibrance and it's durability. To avoid this you can either control your use of water or use Mediums to thin your paint instead of water. To learn more about Mediums you can check out my blog.
5. Lack of Planning
Sometimes jumping into a painting without having a clear idea or composition in your mind leads to a waste of paint and leaves you with an unsatisfactory finished piece. To avoid this you should always have a clear idea of what you're making and plan it out by sketching and underpainting before getting started.
Basic Steps of an Acrylic Painting
1. Prepare the Surface: Choose and prepare your surface. Prime it if necessary.
2. Gather Supplies: Assemble your paints, brushes, palette, water, and other tools.
3. Sketch the Composition: Lightly sketch your design or composition on the surface with a pencil or chalk.
4. Base Layer: Apply a base layer of paint (underpainting) to get the idea of the general colors and values.
5. Build Layers: Apply layers of paint, starting with broad areas and moving to finer details. Allow each layer to dry before adding the next.
6. Add Details: Use smaller brushes to add finer details and highlights.
7. Blend and Glaze: Blend colors smoothly and apply glazes for depth and color variation.
8. Texture and Effects: Add texture using techniques like dry brushing, impasto, or splattering.
9. Final Touches: Make final adjustments, add any necessary highlights or shadows, and refine details.
10. Seal the Painting: Once the painting is dry, apply a varnish to protect it and enhance the colors.
11. Clean Up: Clean your brushes and tools with soap and water before the paint dries.
Ideas for your first Acrylic Painting
1. Simple Landscapes
2. Abstract Art
3. Still Life
4. Geometric Patterns
5. Sunrise or Sunset
6. Silhouette Scene
If you need more ideas for painting check out my blogs : 9
Unique Acrylic Painting Ideas on Canvas and 7
Easy Canvas Painting Ideas for Beginners.
Tips for your First Painting
1. Keep it simple
2. Focus on basic techniques
3. Use limited colors to not risk mistakes
4. Apply color theory
5. Enjoy the process!
If you're new to the term color theory, check out my blog on Color
Theory to understand all it's fundamental concepts.
Thank you for Reading and I hope you enjoy your artistic journey with Acrylic Painting!
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