If you are a beginner lever artist who just started with acrylic, then read these tips. They might be useful for transforming it into a beautiful painting.
Acrylic paints are versatile water-based paints loved by both professionals and amateurs. These paints were first introduced to the market in 1940. They have a unique working property that has seen them rise in popularity. These paints dry quickly and can be thinned with water. This makes them a great choice for beginners.
Once you are familiar with their quick drying times, they are easy to use. Also, they are cheaper than oils or watercolors. As a beginner, it is fun and rewarding to learn how to paint with acrylics. Sometimes, it seems like there are too many things to do and learn.
If you are an artist who just started, then this quick guide will help you get started with acrylic painting.
How Acrylic Paints Work?
Before we start discussing how to use acrylics, it’s important that we first define acrylic paint and explain how it differs from other media.
Acrylic paints consist of pigments suspended in water-soluble acrylic polymer media which becomes water-resistant when dry. Acrylics offer many benefits, including the fact that they dry quickly, are easy to clean, are low in odor, and have a lot of pigment, which allows for bold, vibrant colors.
Acrylic paints dry much faster than oil paints. They can take as long as a day to dry.
Another important fact about acrylic paints is that they dry in a darker shade than the pigment they display when they are wet. Also, they don’t spread like watercolors. Also, if you want, you can check out The creative folk. You will find interesting acrylic paint knowledge there.
How to Get Started With your Painting
● Prepare Your Area
You must have enough space and lighting to start your painting. Personal preference will dictate the scale of your work. A large canvas, especially if it is your first time, can seem overwhelming. It may be easier to start small. If you have the space, working on a large scale can be liberating.
● Choose Your Painting Surface
Stretched canvas may be the most popular painting surface. It is a durable surface that has been used for many years and provides support to your painting. You may find stretched canvas too heavy for your needs. These surfaces are thinner and easier to store, especially if you don’t have much storage space.
Or canvas-textured papers are a great option for preliminary painting or if you don’t have the budget to purchase a canvas. These papers can be used with acrylics and are available in bound pads. They are also easy to carry and store, just like a regular sketchbook.
● Get creative
Sometimes, it’s best to just let your creativity take you where it takes you. Some artists prefer to make preliminary sketches or paints to keep their attention. After you have settled on your composition, you can scale your sketches up to fit onto a canvas. You can use a grid transfer method with scaling tools and tracing papers, tracing down, or even a projector.
Tips to Get Started With Acrylic Paint
● Synthetic hair brushes
Medium-bodied acrylic paint will stick better to synthetic bristle hair brushes than to softer brushes. You can easily find them because brushes designed for acrylic painting are identified in art supply stores.
● Large strokes
If you use wide strokes, they will cover more ground and create better textures. Wider strokes are useful, for example, to paint a background and fill in the sky with water. You can use narrow strokes to paint small areas or for adding details.
● Paint thoroughly
It is okay to use lots of paint and apply it thickly. While you might think that thinner or less paint will cost you more, in the end, it weakens your piece and forces you to use more layers, leading to paint muddying.
● Palette tool
Palette knives are great for adding texture to your art by scraping off paint or adding thick layers.
Use a short, fine bristle brush for tiny details. A long, thin-bristle liner brush is also a good choice. You can highlight the edges with a small brush. You can also add details to your work with a small flat brush.
But be careful not to use too much paint. Acrylics can dry and set up while you wait to use them. When you need more, you can always squeeze more from the tube. Remember that it will not go back into the tube.
● Work Fast
Acrylic Paint is well-known for its quick drying times. Therefore, it is important to learn a quick painting technique. Acrylic paint can be hard to activate once dry. You can purchase extenders to add moisture to acrylic paint and prolong the drying process.
● Make your painting lively and bright
Do not be afraid to use bright colors. It’s amazing to see how dynamic a picture can be when there are highlights in the whites and areas of bold or unorthodox color. Any color can be turned opaque by mixing it generously with titanium and adding it to your paint. This will provide the desired color you want. It is best not to add water to the mixture. If you want it to look more watercolor-like, add some water.
● Different techniques
Acrylic is a flexible paint that lends itself nicely to various methods. You can even paint with your finger to smoothly blend and combine the colors. Experiment with the paint—mix different colors, use unconventional tools, and work on unexpected surfaces. These are the elements that will provide variety to your painting and help you create your distinct style.
● Paint over
No need to worry if you make a mistake. You can simply paint over any stray markings or undesired colors.
● Look for a reference
There are a variety of pictures on the internet that you may use as inspiration for interesting things to paint. Using photographs as references is also an excellent method to practice painting landscapes and urban settings before going out to paint in public.
Some Useful Tips:
- Do not compare your work to others.
- Mark and date your artwork.
- Take photographs of your artwork.
- Keep track of what you did while you were painting.
- Keep painting. It takes time to learn how to paint.
- Take a step back from your painting often. A few feet away gives you a better view. From a distance, you can see the whole composition and the way the colors work together.
- To mist your paints and prevent them from drying out, keep a spray bottle with water handy.
- Practice blending acrylics.
- Start with large areas and work your way down to the details.
- Keep at least two jars with water on hand. Two jars of water are needed: one to clean brushes and another for washing your paint. You can use any jar, including a large mason jar or another glass jar.
Conclusion
Acrylic paint is affordable, versatile, and easy to use that beginners can easily use. Without the use of solvents, you can use acrylics, and you can easily clean them with soap and water. It is highly recommended that you invest your money in high-quality acrylic paints from well-respected brands. The better the texture of your art will be, the higher the pigment load.
This quick guide will help you save time, improve the quality of your paintings, and make your art more professional.
