Art Directions on How to Paint With Acrylics

Acrylic artist paints are a popular medium.

Acrylic artist paints are a popular medium for artists and crafters. The paints are water soluble and the colors are bright. On the downside, the paints can dry too quickly to create subtle blending and if you allow paint to sit too long in a paintbrush, it becomes unusable. There are tips and tricks to painting with acrylics that enhance the positives and minimize the negatives. Once you understand how the paint is likely to respond, it is much easier to modify your painting techniques for acrylics to achieve the effects you want.

Things You'll Need

• Canvas
• Masonite board
• Sandpaper
• Gesso
• Acrylic paints
• Water bottle
• Artist brushes
• Artist palette for acrylics
• Palette knives

Instructions

1. 

   Sand the Masonite to remove any surface irregularities.

   Select artist canvas or Masonite board for your practice painting. Sand the Masonite to remove any surface irregularities.

2. 

   Prime the canvas surface with gesso.

   Paint gesso on the surface of canvas or Masonite using a wide brush. Whether you are using a raw artist canvas or Masonite board, both need to be primed with gesso before you begin painting. Paint across the width of the canvas or board in even strokes. Your objective is to refine the surface you will be painting on. Allow four hours for the gesso to dry.

3. 

   Draw your image onto the canvas or Masonite.

   Draw your image or picture onto the canvas or Masonite in pencil. You may also draw the image with your paintbrush and paint. Use the technique that you prefer.

4. 

   Make your own paint palette with a plate and wax paper.

   Prepare a palette. Place two paper towels on an old ceramic plate. Moisten the paper towels until they are damp but not wet. Cut wax paper to the size of the plate and place the wax paper over the paper towels. Run a couple pieces of tape over the edge of the wax paper and under the plate to keep it in place. Squirt out your paints on the wax paper surface. The moist towels will help keep the paints from drying out as quickly.

5. 

   Use a water bottle to keep your painting wet.

   Keep a bottle of acrylic drying retarder and a water bottle with a spray nozzle handy. Use the retarder to slow down the drying time of paints when you are working an area that requires more blending. Use the water bottle to keep the painting wet while you paint.

6. Paint with acrylics like you would with oil paints. You may want to tone your entire canvas first with a base color that will work with your painting. Make sure you can see your pencil drawing through the base coat. Add your painting details on top of the base coat. Work from background to foreground, returning to the background as the foreground changes.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay close attention to your palette knives and brushes. Acrylics are somewhat abrasive and will ruin soft brushes quickly. Paint left on a brush or knife will become glue-like and may ruin the utensil. While you're painting, use a jar filled with warm water to hold paint-filled brushes.

References

• How To Draw And Paint: Acrylic Paints