How To Use Acrylic Paint?

Has acrylic painting become one of your favorite channels? It's no surprise that since its inception in the 1940s, it's become the tool of choice for millions of artists.

Acrylics unites the greatest characteristics of oil paints (creamy texture, opaqueness, ability to mix easily, bright colors) with the best characteristics of watercolors.

When you first start working with acrylics, it's natural to feel a bit overwhelmed. So, how do you go about doing it?

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about using acrylic paints with the right techniques.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The Acrylic Basics
• Getting Started with Acrylics
• The Best of Acrylic Painting Techniques to Try
• Tips for Painting with Acrylics
• FAQs
• Summing Up

The Acrylic Basics

Acrylic paint, because it is water-soluble, may be used to produce watercolor effects on canvas or paper. When applied alone, though, it is opaque and thick and may be utilized to add texture and depth to your work.

When painting with acrylics, you can use flat synthetic brushes. They retain paint effectively and are flexible enough to allow for mixing and smooth strokes.

For little details, you may use round brushes, and stiff bristle brushes for visual effects and covering vast areas.

If you've never handled acrylic paint earlier, it may appear to be a difficult medium to learn. However, as you'll see in this blog, it's anything but it's among the most approachable painting styles for amateurs.

Getting Started with Acrylics

What do you need to start painting with acrylics? In reality, not much. Here are a few items you'll need:

The Paint

Acrylic paint is available in a bewildering selection of colors and textures. Which one is best for you? In general, there are 2 kinds of acrylic paint:

• The thinner fluid that will fall out of the tube
• Heavy body or viscosity, like the texture and thickness of soft butter.

One is not superior to the other; it just depends on the appearance you want to achieve.

Choose the hefty body type if you eventually want to move on to thick, Van Gogh-like works. Try the fluid variety if you want to create flowing, dreamy landscapes.

In terms of colors, a novice should start with red, blue, yellow, black, and white paint tubes. You may blend any hue amongst these, from skin tones to natural landscapes.

Choosing minimum colors is one cost-effective approach to get out with acrylic paint. It will also help you understand how to mix colors. This is so that you can get your preferred hue and define the role that each color plays in combinations.

The Brushes

When you begin, you'll need to have some acrylic paintbrushes. Acrylic brushes are often lengthier and sturdier than watercolor brushes. This is necessary since they are frequently driven harder into the work surface during painting.

To begin, keep it simple: one large and one little round brush, as well as one large and one tiny flat brush, should be enough.

The Palette

To mix multiple colors of paint, you'll need a surface.

The paper absorbs too much moisture, and your paint will adhere to it. You require a nonstick surface. Palette paper, a specialist palette, or even a porcelain plate might be used.

The Palette Knife

A palette knife is a cheap and useful tool for dealing with acrylic paint. It will assist you in mixing paint colors most effectively.

You may use the knife not just to mix colors, but also to spread paint on a surface, giving your pieces a very painterly appearance.

Technically, you can blend colors with your brush. However, the paint may become stuck in the brush, resulting in waste and improper mixing.

Furthermore, the forceful mixing action might damage the bristles, thus it is not recommended that you use a brush to mix colors regularly.

The Painting Surface

What kind of surface do you want to paint on?

If you want to eventually paint on canvas, canvas paper is an excellent starting medium. This is because it is affordable and has a texture comparable to stretched canvas.

Board, wood, and Bristol board are other excellent possibilities.

You may find it simpler to set up your work area on an easel, depending on the size of your work surface. However, an easel is not suitable for paper or other flexible work surfaces.

You may also like:

• How to Paint on Canvas
• Everything You Need to Know About Acrylic Paint

The Best Of Acrylic Painting Techniques To Try

Using a Wet Brush on a Dry Canvas

Wet the brush and use it to mix the paint with the water on the palette. This is until it is a smooth lump-free liquid. Then, spread an equal layer throughout the surface.

Using a Wet Brush on a Damp Canvas

First, wet the canvas with clean water. Thin the paint with water and apply it to the damp canvas with a wet brush.

Using a Dry Brush

Using a dry brush, pick up a large amount of paint and apply it to the canvas. If you can enjoy using big coats, acrylic is ideal for this.

Thinner Paint Coats

On the palette, mix the color with water. Paint the canvas with the diluted paint.

Wash the brush and then run a clean, damp brush along the borders of the painted area to remove any excess paint.

Repeat this process a few times. It's critical to work rapidly since thin layers of acrylic soak in and dry quickly.

Ease on the Gradient

You can use three colors to make a gradient. However, you may use as few or as many as you like; even one-color would suffice.

Press them onto my palette and then apply them with a flat brush (a filbert brush also works nicely for this). Apply the paint on the canvas in tiny strokes that are close to each other, repeating the process. To achieve full relief, this method necessitates the use of a large amount of paint.

Splatters from a Toothbrush

Since this method may be dirty, you must start with covering your worktable with a sheet of plastic when I use it. The acrylics are then squeezed onto a palette you can use one or several colors.

Next, grab an old toothbrush and spatter some paint over the canvas by pulling the bristles back with your fingernail.

By using paint, exert a little or a lot of power with your fingertip over the bristles, or alter the distance between the toothbrush and the canvas. Now you may create varying amounts of splashes and splatters.

The Dry Sponge

Squeeze a few drops of paint onto the palette. Dip a dry foam rubber sponge in it, press it on the canvas, and then immediately remove it. Do this several times.

The appearance of the final texture is determined by the amount of paint used and the force applied to the sponge. For the best results, practice on the palette first until you get the desired appearance.

A Dripping Sponge

Wet the sponge, dip it in paint, then thoroughly mix to combine the water on the sponge with the paint.

Spread the wet paint to the canvas with a soft hand and without pushing too hard with the sponge.

The Abrasive Sponge

With a dry rough sponge, lift some paint and push it to the panel, pushing it away repeatedly.

The resultant texture is determined by the amount of paint used and the degree of pressure employed.

Employing a Palette Knife

It's interesting to try painting using equipment other than a brush. In this scenario, a palette knife can be used to scoop up some paint off the palette.

Transfer it to the canvas from various angles. The key to keeping the texture is to not use too much pressure with the knife.

Color Gradations

Squeeze two or more colors into a palette. For example, red and yellow in this case.

Use a dry brush to paint a line of yellow on top and a line of red on the bottom of a canvas. Then clean the brush and grab some yellow paint and transfer it from the yellow line to the red line.

Gently blend the colors and since it dries rapidly, blend the colors immediately.

The Sgraffito Way

This centuries-old technique is most typically utilized in sculpting and pottery manufacturing. It also looks beautiful when painted with.

To begin this method, apply a thick layer of paint in a dark color to the surface. Then, let it completely dry.

Then, on top of that, add gold paint or paint with a lighter hue. Scratch a line, a pattern of triangles, dots, symbols, or any forms you like before it dries.

Use the other side of the brush, a tiny stick, or a toothpick to go through this layer of paint.

The Scumbling Technique

First, create a backdrop with a uniform layer of paint. To produce a sky, you can make a gradient from white to blue. Allow it to dry completely.

Then, rub the canvas with a dry bristle brush soaked in paint. You can create a variety of effects by combining different colors. Making wispy clouds is one favorite way to employ scumbling.

Tips for Painting with Acrylics

These pointers can help you achieve success when painting with acrylics:

Cover the Colors When on a Break

Acrylic paint cannot be revived after it dries. So, if you need to take a break, keep the paint wet by sealing it in an airtight container.

For a brief break, just wrap the palette in plastic wrap. For a longer break, place the entire palette in an airtight storage container. You can also use your palette knife to move individual colors to airtight containers.

Allow Your Artwork to Dry Fully

Allow your artwork to dry completely before relocating it. There's nothing worse than finishing a masterpiece only to unintentionally smear your thumb into wet paint.

Have Some Fun

You may not be able to create masterpieces right away, but with practice, you will begin to gain abilities and confidence in your painting. It's a fantastic adventure, so take advantage of it.

FAQs

Can I use water with acrylic paints?

Acrylic paint is water-based and consequently water-soluble when wet. Thus, it may be thinned with water.

You may use any quantity of water while painting on an absorbent medium since the fibers of the unprimed canvas, paper, or wood will hold the pigment. This is to the substrate while also absorbing excess water.

Do you dampen your brush before applying acrylic paint?

Keep your brushes wet when painting to prevent paint from drying in them.

Use a small layer of water in one container to keep the brushes moist without wetting the handles (which will cause the lacquer to peel off). Keep another container to clean the brushes between colors.

What do you do when you combine acrylic paint?

Acrylic paint can be thinned with either water or acrylic medium.

Water dissolves the acrylic binder, thinning the paint to the consistency of watercolor. This allows it to sink into the surface, resulting in a matte effect.

Summing Up

A genuine artist inspires others rather than being inspired by others. So, go ahead and have fun with your acrylic paints, as an amateur or pro! You'll soon discover that acrylic is your new favorite paint as you spend hours crafting.

You can start by painting freehand, or you can try a basic approach like a monochrome painting or a self-portrait.

If you find this blog useful, please share it with your fellow painters. Leave a comment below if you believe we missed out on any new or old techniques.