Acrylic Painting Section
Acrylic painting is one of the newest painting mediums, being introduced as 'recently' as 1955.
These paints have come a long way since then, with an ever-widening range of paints and associated art supplies.
If you've ever painted the walls of your home with latex or emulsion paint, you'll have used a very close cousin of the these paints. In fact I use white matt emulsion, tinted with yellow or brown, to put a base coat on the canvasses I prepare for some of my acrylic painting work.
The acrylic painting technique offers both the new and experienced artist a very versatile method of painting.
It's a water-based medium and the usual texture and consistency is similar to oil paints. However, unlike oils, you can get acrylics in a wide variety of densities (or 'viscosity' as it's sometimes called).These range from a very thin, ink-like consistency able to be used in airbrushes through various degrees of 'flow' to the consistency of soft cream cheese.
This allows really heavy 3D (impasto, or paste) effects. And you have the choice of either mixing the paints with the additives to create a solid color throughout the impasto, or letting the impasto dry, then painting over it.
Various substances are available to be added to the paint to create all sorts of textures. Or you can use your own, such as plaster or sand, for a further variety of textured effects.
All the brands and thicknesses can be thinned back down using water. Some artists actually use thinned down acrylic in a pure 'watercolor' style.
Acrylics, although similar in style and finish to oils, gives subtely different but important qualities to your work. Probably, its biggest benefit is its speed of drying.
But hold on!
I'm getting ahead of myself here...
Click on the links below to find a series of articles on paints, brushes, surfaces and additives. Each page is packed with tips that will help the newcomer to acrylic painting get off to the best start.
I'll tell you as well how you can save time and money, by using household items instead of searching for those 'must have'expensive accessories the manufacturers would love you to buy!
Acrylic Painting Articles & Videos
Getting Started With Acrylics
Acrylic paints offer both the new and experienced artist a very versatile method of painting...
How to paint grass in acrylics
It's easy to produce convincing looking grass with just few simple tools -find out how easy by clicking here....
VIDEO TUTORIAL - Acrylic Painting Basics Part 3 - Finishing Touches
In the final part of the series we add the finishing detail and highlights...
VIDEO TUTORIAL - Acrylic Painting Basics Part 2 - Adding Color
In the second part of this video series we paint the sky and begin to add color and contrast to picture...
VIDEO TUTORIAL - Acrylic Painting Basics Part 1 - Tonal Sketch
In the first part of this mini video series I begin painting a habour-side scene. As you'll see, the first step is the tonal sketch and underpainting...
VIDEO TUTORIAL - Getting Started with Acrylic Painting - Set Up & Equipment
This video introduces you to the wondeful world of acrylic painitng. It starts with the basics covering various types of paint, brushes and how to make your own special palette...
Choosing and Using Acrylic Brushes
Get the information you need about selecting the best acrylic brushes for your acrylic work...
Choosing and Using Acrylic Paints
Acrylic paints are one of the newest painting mediums, being introduced as 'recently' as 1955. They have come a long way since then, with an ever-widening range of paints and associated art materials....
All You Need to Know About Canvas
Using canvas panels or boards for your acrylic painting is as easy as with oils. Learn more here...
The Best Mediums & Additives for Acrylics
Acrylics are even more versatile with the mediums and additives now available. Find out more...
Using oil and acrylic paper for your paintings
Don’t dismiss the various types of oil and acrylic paper available to the artist as being just for practice work...
What Acrylic Tips & Advice Can You Share With The Rest of Us?
If you like to paint with acrylics, you’ve almost certainly discovered some handy little hints without even realising. It may seem insignificant to you but don’t underestimate how your experience can help others...
Maybe you have some great tips for color mixing? Perhaps you're good at capturing realistic water? Or it could be something as simple as "how to preserve your paints".
By sharing your experiences and tips, it will help us all to enjoy this wonderful past time even more! Here’s how to do it...
See Acrylic Painting Tips From Other Visitors
Click below to see acrylic painting tips from other visitors...
How to achive longer blending time using acrylics.
I find that if I use super heavy gesso instead of white acrylic paint and water, that I am able to blend colors together. The drying time is slower. I ...
TREE LEAVES
HI EVERYBODY, WELL I LIKE TO PAINT GUM TREES AS SOME OF YOU KNOW,WELL I WAS SHOWN A NEAT TRICK,ALLS YOU NEED IS SOME GLAD WRAP THAT YOU KEEP YOUR LUNCH ...
blending acrylic metallics
I've been painting murals in a Mexican restaurant, and playing around yesterday discovered (almost by mistake) a neat effect!
In a little cup I mixed ...
Protecing while correcting your work
If you have an uncertain spot on your almost finished painting and you want to try and correct it but you are afraid of ruining the rest of the area, give ...
Keep your acrylic colours wet for weeks, months..
I tend to use alot of mixed colours,that i have made for spesific colour scheme, or even murals.
For murals, i find the best way to store large amounts ...
Some tricks with acrylics, watercolour and pastels
If you want to paint realistic church window glass, paint the colours (i.e. red, blue, green, yellow, purple) then draw in the black leading then melt ...
Another good way to keep paint from drying out too quickly
I find that using an empty Huggies wet wipe travel box is excellent! It is quite flat and has a lid which of course keeps those wipes moist for a long ...
A great way to stop the paint from drying on your Pallette
When real life interrupts my painting I hate to lose the paints that I have put onto, and mixed on, my pallette.
However, by accident, I came across ...
Keeping Your Acrylic Paint Wet
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There are expensive pallets you can buy -
there are pallets you can make using wet kitchen paper towels on a small tray under a pane of glass (which works ...
Choosing Acrylic Paints
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I am an art student and this year I began to use Acrylic paints for the first time. As a beginner, I wasn't sure which paints to buy but I knew that my ...
Study Habits
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I keep a book of the lowest priced canvas paper I can find. Before I work on the real painting, I try to acquaint myself with the instructions on the various ...
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