Basic Techniques for Painting With Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint is an extremely versatile medium. It can have the thickness of oil paint, or it can be watered down to the consistency of watercolor. The wet paint is great for manipulating, such as mixing colors or using additives. It dries quickly -- unlike oil paint -- so it's great for layering, and when layered, the colors do not mix -- unlike watercolor. With such versatility, the techniques are endless, but the basic ones are easy to learn and use.
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Texture
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Since acrylic paints are thick, you can almost sculpt them into different textures using tools such as brushes, a palette knife, a sponge or stamps. Start with a full brush of paint and spread it thickly on the paper or canvas to make a broad, opaque stroke. Then try using the side of the brush to paint a thinner stroke. By just touching the tip of the brush lightly to the canvas, you can get a "dry brush" technique that allows some of the canvas underneath to show through the bristles. When painting, the lowest layers should be thin and flat -- save the texture for the top layer.
Layering
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Start by blocking out the main sections and elements of the painting with broad expanses of color. Sometimes it helps to cover the entire canvas with a neutral or light wash, and then add the darker layers. Wait for each layer to dry completely before adding the next one. Add the midground, foreground, details and highlights. You can add luminosity by adding layers of watered down light colors. You can also use texture to make the surface layers interesting. Make sure the lower layers don't dry too thickly, or their contour will show through the upper layers.
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Blending
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Blending must be done when the paint is still wet. You can blend the colors on your palette or directly on the canvas. Use a spray bottle to mist the paint to extend the drying time. Use an old brush to mix paints, since the mixing is hard on the bristles. You can blend different tints to create new colors, or you can blend in black or white to create soft shadows. Don't be afraid to use your fingers to smudge and blend the paints.
Watercolor
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To get the consistency of watercolor, the acrylic paint needs to be thinned out considerably. There is no set formula since it depends on the original consistency of the paint and the consistency you want to achieve. A very thin formula can even be sprayed on with a spray bottle for a misty effect. The way to achieve a strong color with this technique is to paint many layers to build intensity. Allow each layer to dry completely before adding the next layer. After a few layers, you can score the page to allow the paint to seep into the score to make stronger lines, which is great for the veins in leaves.
Resist Techniques
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Alcohol and wax resist the water in acrylic paints, so you can use them to create some interesting effects. If you draw with a crayon or candle and then paint over it, the wax lines will show up through the paint. Similarly, you can paint alcohol onto wet paint or spray alcohol onto wet paint to get a granular effect, kind of like water on glass. Oil crayons are also good for this, and they add their own color.
Experimentation
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Try experimenting with tools and additives. For example, you can add sand to the paint to get more texture. You can also make stamps and either paint them and stamp them, or paint thickly onto the canvas and use the stamp to make an impression. Try painting on cling wrap and then dragging it across the canvas to make a flowing-water effect. Acrylics can also be used on a variety of media -- not just canvas. Experiment to create your own techniques.
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References
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