Acrylic painting techniques

by Lucia

 

Different acrylic painting techniques can be utilized on different surfaces, from the traditional ones like paper, canvas or wood to very unusual like cardboard, glass, leather, fabric etc. to obtain strikingly different results.

 

Acrylic colors can be diluted in water consequently they do not need costly solvents often dangerous for the artist health. Their principal characteristic is that they dry off really quickly. I mean really, in 10-15 minutes!

 

Once the are dry they become impermeable to water and can not be removed anymore unlike the watercolors. The only way to change a dried off color is consequently to apply another color on top of it.

Acrylics can be used very diluted like watercolors or almost undiluted like oil colors. Between these two extremes, as you can imagine, you have an almost infinite variation of color dilution which through practice you can learn to control to your advantage to achieve intended results.

 

The name "acrylic colors" comes from the fact that the pigments are suspended into an emulsion of acrylic polymers. Acrylic colors are a recent invention and have been available since the early '60.

 

Acrylics are commercially available in paste or as liquids and normally at a very affordable price and in a great variety of pre made tones and shades. On the same shelf you might find that there are a lot of correlated products like gels to slow down the drying process or other media to enhance vibrancy or brightness of the final dried colors.

 

These products are all great but if you are just starting off with acrylic painting and experimenting with acrylic painting techniques I strongly suggest you to stick with the basics: acrylic on paper.

 

Ingredients are: white paper at least 185g, acrylic colors in paste and a few decent synthetic brush, specific for acrylics.

 

This is a good starting set!

 

 

The quick drying will be the major problem you'll have to face (and it has been a nightmare for me at the beginning) but once you learn how to manage it you'll be able to use it to your advantage and start discovering the variety of possibilities that acrylic painting techniques can offer.

 

A few suggestion for a nice starting set!

 

Studio Acrylic Set

Studio Acrylic Set

This set makes an excellent gift for a beginner. Comes with 2 brushes, pencil, eraser, mixing palette, 3 acrylic boards, and an instruction booklet. Also includes ten dynamic, safe colors that come in 12 ml (.4 oz) tubes: Medium Yellow, Brilliant Red, Crimson, Phthalo Blue, Cerulean Blue Hue, Phthalo Green, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White, and Mars Black.

Acrylic Paint Set

Acrylic Paint Set

Includes 10 acrylic paints, six brushes, palette, canvas panel, eraser, pencil, sharpener, and palette knife.
 

 

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