How to Paint Fantasy Characters in Acrylic Paints

This technique of painting with acrylics is easy and gives excellent results.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Acrylic Paint
• Canvas Board or Paper
• Acrylic Brushes
• Water
• Pencil
• Scrapbooking Pen
• Papertowels
• Paint pots

1. 
    

   First set up your work place, when using acrylics your canvas board or paper doesn't have to be perfectly flat because acrylic paint is thicker and doesn't run as bad as watercolors. Make sure all your supplies are within arm reach.

2. 
    

   Again, with the imagination. A very important step. You have to have an idea in your head of what you want and sketch your fairy or mermaid onto your canvas with a pencil. Don't press too hard because these lines are not permanent. Once you have your pencil lines the way you want them use the scrapbooking pen to go over each line, then erase all of your pencil lines. You will eventually cover all of your pen lines with paint but they are a very handy guideline to keep your paint in the right places.

3. 
    

   I always start with the background first, painting the things that are farthest away and working my way up to the subject. For the background to make a fantasy sky effect you will want to water your paint down, which is perfectly fine with acrylics since it is a water based paint. Use a very small dab of paint in a small paint pot of water to create a light wash for your background, do several colors and blend them with your brush, experiment. Also, since the paint for your background may be runny since it is watered down you might want to have it laying down flat while you are working with it. Let the background completely dry before you start on your subject. If you are feeling really bold you can even mix a little glitter medium into the background wash. What a neat effect!

4. 
    

   Use solid colors first to paint your subject, make two separate paint wells for the same color and then mix in a little dab of black to one to darken and a little dab of white to the other to lighten, mix with your brush. Apply darker colors and have them fade completely to black to shadowed areas and your lighter mixture to highlighted areas, and eventually have them fade completely to white, even if it's just a hair line white or black it makes a big difference and adds detail to your painting.

5. Let your painting dry and you are ready to frame and hang.

Tips & Warnings

• If you mess up don't worry, acrylic paint is thick and a little paint covers a multitude of sins! If your paint has already dried just paint over it, it make take a couple of layers but it can be done.
• Don't squeeze out more paint than you plan on using, it will only go to waste since you can't get it back into the tube, or put it in a paint pot with a lid.
• Always work in a well ventilated area when using any kind of paint.

[apalmer]

on 3/18/2009 I love acrylics too. Definitely will try the fantasy painting. 5*

[vlhammett]

on 3/18/2009 Excellent instructions on painting with acrylics. Thanks for sharing. 5*