Acrylic Painting: the Basics

Series Summary

Painting with acrylic paints is an enjoyable art form, both for the artist and for those who view the art. Acrylic paint is different from regular paints because the color pigment is suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. When dried, this solution is water proof. Depending on the medium, acrylics can obtain a unique look, or can look like a watercolor or an oil painting. Acrylic paint tends to have a quicker dry time which can impede or help the artist in painting an artwork. Dry-time can be slowed with the use of glycol or glycerin based additives. The advantages of acrylic include its durability and waterproof qualities. In the years since invention, acrylic paints do not oxidize, crack or change.

In this series of expert videos, you will receive an introduction to acrylic painting. Watch a demonstration on step-by-step painting of a birdhouse. Learn about the different types of brushes used to apply acrylic to the canvas. Learn about pre-treating your canvas for an acrylic painting. In this series of expert videos, you will also find tips on painting crafts such as gift bags or glass. See our artist teach the technique for applying acrylic paint to nearly anything! You can paint a basket with acrylic paints after watching these educational and informational videos.

Video Transcript

" Hi! This is Brenda, and we continue to talk about acrylic painting. Now for the paint job of course we will need acrylic paints. You can buy these at the craft stores and they come in various colors. I have about 12 or 15 here on the table just about any color that you can imagine. They come in the smaller bottles that are about two ounces or if you need a bigger job, you have got the bigger bottle for the job. There are also some in the tubes if you like to work with the tubes and there are just various colors, I even have some gold here that is shiny. They also come in silver and it is easy to clean up. When you get through your paint job you can clean your brush with soap and water. That is why I really like to work with acrylic paints because of the cleanup it’s so easy and the paint is easy to work with."