Acrylics are just like watercolours, you can use them straight from the paint bottle and
thin them with water. Acrylic paints are versatile and forgiving as they allow the artist to
cover up some mistakes. Not only do they dry fast, but are also opaque, and vibrant
with great consistency.
The most impressive thing about these paints is that they blend beautifully. Since they
are super affordable, most artists use acrylic paint to create large canvas paintings.
Although you can dilute the paint with water, the medium still dries very fast.
There is very less time to blend or manipulate the paints. This is one of the many things
that an artist should master before working with acrylic paints. From beginners to
experts, acrylic paints are everyone’s favourite. Here are some tips and tricks that will
level up your painting game and make you a professional real quick.
Basecoat is significant
Base coating the painting can prove to be helpful as it creates a smooth surface for you.
Before starting to paint, use a lighter shade of the main colour to apply it as a base coat.
You can easily colour all the white surfaces on the canvas with this coat. Choose the
main shade that you will be painting with. To create a basecoat, simply dilute the shade
with water till it has a thin consistency. Ensure that the paint is not too thick yet it should
provide some coverage to the canvas.
Know your brushes
You must have a set of brushes but knowing them individually and their uses are
significant. For instance, large areas require thicker brushes while small areas need thin
brushes. Study the use of different brushes to know when you should use which type of
brush. Moreover, finding your comfort with the brushes is another task. Do not simply
copy everything that other artists do and figure out which brush works for you the best.
This factor only comes from practice so be open to different kinds of brushes in the
beginning. Sometimes, you have to use a brush multiple times and only then its true
form will come out.
White paint is a lifesaver
It is only natural to make mistakes while painting. White paint comes to your rescue
when you make an error or paint a darker shade. A little white paint can instantly fix
such small mistakes. For instance, if you painted the wrong colour, do not try to add a
coat of new colour to cover it. Instead, use a damp cloth to pull the colour off and then
go with the desired shade. This thing is applicable only when the paint is not completely
dry.
Layering is the key
You may notice that all famous artworks have one thing in common and that is layering.
If your painting looks flat, it probably means that you are missing the layering part. Add
multiple layers of paint on the canvas and use different shades of the same colour to
create a dimension of the painting. Do not rely on just one coat to do the magic. Work
with numerous coats and then see what a difference layering makes to the painting.
Use light, mid and a dark tones of the same shade to get the best results.
Pick up the pace
The only tricky part about working with acrylics is that they dry very quickly. Therefore,
you need to paint the picture in your head first and know exactly what you want. Once
you start painting, you won’t take much time in thinking about what shades to use. In
case the paint starts to dry while you are still retouching, dab the area with a little water
and start blending again. Going too slow will make the paint dry whereas going too fast
can make bubbles on the painting. Figure out the perfect pace and maintain it
throughout.
Expanding your colour palette
To make skilled paintings, you should always opt for professional grade acrylic paints.
Such paints provide great coverage and blending becomes supremely easy. If you are a
beginner then you start with student grade paints. It is always better to have a rich
colour palette to make the paintings more realistic. However, it is fine if you cannot
afford them all right now. Instead, understand the colour theory in-depth to mix the
colours and create the shade you want. Read about the colour wheel and start
practising mixing shades to achieve perfection. This way, you can easily have a diverse
colour palette.
Taking care of the brushes
Cleaning and maintaining the brushes is a crucial step. Use soap and water to clean the
brushes immediately after you are done painting. Once the paint dries, it can be difficult
to get it off. After washing the brushes, lay them flat so the water does not get inside the
brush. If this happens, the glue in the ferrule may loosen and even the wood can swell
up. Do not leave the brushes in water for long periods. Store them in a container in a
way that the bristles face upwards.
Do not run after perfection
This is the most important tip. Art does not have to be perfect or make complete sense.
Do not get upset if that one stroke did not go as you planned. Look at the bigger picture
and paint like you want to. It is great to follow artists, learn from them, and take
inspiration but in the end, your skills and techniques should be unique. Experiment with
your own styles and methods to see what works for you. Practice and patience is all you
need when it comes to acrylic painting.
Final Words
These were some unknown facts about acrylic painting that can help you in the long
run. Pick up your brushes and paints, let your creativity flow and trust the process. Do
not make the painting time stressful by overthinking or questioning your belief because
every art is extraordinary in itself.