Acrylic paint can be sealed using a good quality sealer. First of all, let the painted surface dry completely. Apply a thin layer of sealer smoothly using a brush, and wait for it to get dry before handling further.
Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Watercolor Paper? Here’s the Answer
Whether you’re a born painter or a novice, painting on paper is a great way to set your deepest imaginations free. All you need to know is how to pick the right paper-to-paint combination and you’re all set! Acrylics are a great choice as they work well with a variety of paper types. However, there lies an age-old question, ‘Can we use acrylic paint on watercolor paper?’ The answer to that is yes! you absolutely can use acrylic on paper with water or without mixing water. All you need to do is, skip the priming process when preparing your acrylics. This will allow you to add more water to make the paint dilute. Today, we will take a deeper look into the pointers you need when using acrylics with watercolor paper.
What’s the Best Surface for Acrylic Paint?
In a short; Acrylic is best for canvas or wooden surface for painting. But, they are quite versatile and often go well with any surface you choose. However, the texture and thickness of your desired surface will affect how the paint sits on it. Let’s look at some of the best canvas options for acrylics.
Canvas Board
Canvas boards are more of a portable option when it comes to working with acrylics. While artists have used stretched-out canvas paper for the longest time, boards have become quite popular nowadays. The surface is made from cotton of the best quality that doesn’t soak in your paint. This makes way for great textures and shades when creating your own canvas art.
Hardwood Panels
When it comes to hardwood panels, artists have been using them for hundreds of years from now. Even before paper for painting was a thing, people would use oak and mahogany wood as surfaces. The reason why hardwood panels are still so well-known is because of their longevity. Not only will the board preserve your art for many years to come but also keep the brightness of your acrylic pigment intact. This way, your painting will look as good as it was on day one. However, one of the downsides of using hardwood panels as a painting surface is the weight it carries. Since the wooden board is heavier than most surfaces, it can be difficult to carry around.
Fiberboard
Medium Density ‘Fiberboard or MDFs’ have recently gained popularity for painting. The board is constructed from wood fibers, wax, and a resin binder. As a result, the MDFs are smooth on the surface and more durable than other bases. When working with fiberboard, the smooth surface allows you to experiment with your painting technique. But you must also make sure the board is water-resistant, else, it could soak in the water from your pigment and damage itself. Furthermore, before landing your brush strokes on the fiberboard, be sure to prime the surface. This will in turn give your better texture and enhance the brightness of your acrylic pigment once dry.
Paper
The most commonly used surface for painting is paper. There are tons of variations when it comes to working with a paper surface, such as texture, density, and absorbency. You can choose to buy single pieces or go for a paper pad that contains multiple pages stacked together. In addition, there is a wide variety of paper types you can use when painting with acrylics as well! Your options range from watercolor paper, canvas paper, mixed media, and many more. Each of these will react differently with the pigment of your color to suit a specific painting technique.
What Types of Paper Do You Use for Acrylic Paint?
Let’s take a deeper dive into the various types of paper you can use with acrylic paints.
Acrylic Linen Paper
As the name suggests, this paper makes use of linen for its construction. When compared to other types such as watercolor paper, it excels in paper longevity. As the construction contains linen, the paper is able to absorb water from any pigment while keeping your colors from mixing together. This is an ideal surface when using acrylic paint as it works well with the thickness of the colors.
Watercolor Paper
This is another popular selection amongst artists, mainly because of the rising appreciation for watercolor painting. What sets watercolor paper apart from others is its thickness. Lighter than almost all paper types out there, you need to be very careful when working with this. Just because it has watercolor in its name does not mean that you can’t use other color types on this paper. You can use any water-soluble paint on it to create the same watercolor-like effect. If you’re feeling adventurous, try using a set of good acrylic paint on it to create unique artwork. Also, it isn’t necessarily true that you have to use paints, watercolor markers are great tools to explore your creative side with.
Canvas Paper
The canvas paper is somewhat different from a canvas board as it does not come with the wooden structure to which the paper is stretched. With these paper types, you will need to stretch them out according to your preference and then begin to work on them. The texture is the same as any canvas but with the thickness of the regular paper. As the density is high, this quality paint-friendly paper works well with both runny and thick paint types.
Mixed Media Paper
This is more of an economic option for artists looking to allocate most of their budget to their paint kit. Although this does not give the same satisfaction as ‘acrylic artist paper’, you can still create mind-blowing pieces on this. One thing you must be careful of is the corners of the paper. As the material is very light, using runny paints can curl up the corners. However, you can use weights when drying to reduce the curling. This has been known to help with lower-grade watercolor paper.
Can You Use Acrylic Paint on Sketchbook Paper?
Yes, you can use acrylic paint on sketchbook paper. The paint sticks well to paper and retains vibrant color. However, you will need to be careful about the dilution of paint. If the paint is too much thin or diluted, meaning it contains more water, it will cause the paper to get flexed or wrinkled. So better not add too much water to the paint, or you’ll end up ruining your art.
We know acrylic paint is a water-based color, so the paper you’re planning to draw on must withstand the paint’s moisture. Most of the papers are sensitive to liquids and get wrinkles or flexes. So we recommend you choose a quality and compatible paper type. Some of the most commonly used acrylic paint papers include:
- Sketchbook paper
- Hot press paper
- Cold press paper
- Heavyweight paper
- Grain paper
A thicker paper is preferred by most artists when it comes to using acrylics. The reason is apparent; thicker paper can withstand the paint’s moisture while thin one has a chance of getting warps.
If you’re not able to draw directly on sketchbook paper, an alternative is sticking your drawing with sketchbook paper using tape. First, you must paint on sturdy surfaces like cardstock and then attach it to the sketchbook paper with glue or tape.
Heavyweight paper:
Heavyweight paper is ideal while using acrylics for your paintings. The paper is synthesised using thick cellulose layers and can bear heavy coats of paint. Moreover, it holds up to the weight of acrylic paint.
Can you use acrylic paint in a sketchbook made with heavyweight paper? Yes, but before you draw your paintings, make sure to attach the paper to the sketchbook with a strong adhesive so that the paper doesn’t fall.
Watercolour paper And mixed-media paper:
Another option is a watercolour paper which is a good choice while dealing with acrylics. The paper is mainly designed to absorb water and dry out the paint. Moreover, it is much cheaper than a sketchbook.
But it has some drawbacks. It has a non-uniform surface and regular bumps. So if you want a smooth and steady surface, the paper is not for you.
Hot Pressed paper:
Can you paint on sketchbook paper that is hot-pressed? Yes, it is perfect for drawing a variety of patterns, landscapes, and abstract art. It’s a bit expensive, and you have to spend extra compared to a sketchbook.
Moreover, the paper is not much flexible and can be split into parts. So be careful while handling and using this hot press paper for acrylic painting.
Cold-pressed paper and grain paper:
Cold press and grain papers are recommended when you want some background texture. They have a granular structure and are perfect to be used with acrylic paint.
Can you paint on sketch paper that is cold-pressed? Well, the downside is you’ll be deprived of drawing fine details or smooth lines. So go for this paper if you have nothing to do with extreme details.
Pros and Cons of Sketchbook Acrylic Painting
Acrylic paints are no doubt one of the most widely used paints. They are usable over a variety of surfaces and provide promising results. Moreover, they can be applied in many ways and are better than other mediums in many aspects.
Some of the benefits and flaws of utilising acrylic paint on sketchbook paper are discussed below:
Pros:
- Acrylics are easily cleanable and non-toxic to animals and humans.
- Compared to other paints, acrylics are much cheaper and affordable.
- Different colours and varieties of acrylics are available in the market easily.
- One of their upper hands as they dry faster. It allows you to draw over painted surfaces and paint layers over layers.
- Acrylics are permanent; once they are dried, they hardly fade.
- They can be used to produce multiple effects and tones.
Cons:
- Unfortunately, acrylics are not designed to adhere to every kind of surface. Even if you stick it to a non-compatible surface, with time, it will peel out.
- Acrylics are dense and somehow thicker than watercolours, so acrylic paint can be seen on sketchbook pages underlying.
Can You Apply Acrylic Paint On Ordinary Paper?
Usually, you can use acrylic paint on regular paper, but as you know, the paint is quite dense and thicker than watercolours, so thin paper can’t bear the heavy weight of acrylic paint, causing it to get flex or wrinkle. Moreover, normal paper is not much absorbent, so you have to wait longer for acrylics to dry.
So can you paint in a sketchbook having ordinary paper? Well, yes, you can by coating the paper with a primer such as gesso prime. It ensures a fence between the paper and the coating of the paint. It prevents your paint from oozing through the paper.
