Detailing is the last move an artist makes to add precision and captivating features to an acrylic painting.
Acrylic Painting Tips For Beginners: 5 Proven Steps To Master Your Skill
However, you’ll require some tools, supplies, and importantly, the right technique through which you can make this happen.
This is why we’ve decided to write this blog to explain to you the nitty-gritty of acrylic paintings.
What you just saw were the finest creations of our artists.
And there are many more, since we’ve delivered hundreds of acrylic paintings across the globe.
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Making art and becoming a master at it are two different things.
You can’t become Darien Bogart or produce the finest prints like Andy Warhol in a week or two. However, you can be a skilled acrylic painter if you constantly learn and improvise on your craft.
In order to help you learn new techniques and create art using acrylic paints, we decided to share some tried-and-tested acrylic painting tips.
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Table of contents
- A. What Do You Want To Paint With Acrylics?
- B. What Do You Need To Paint With Acrylics?
- C. How To Paint With Acrylics? Acrylic Painting Tips For Beginners
- D. 5 Pro Tips To Level Up Your Acrylic Painting Skills
- E. Learn Basics To Maximise Your Productivity
The most essential part of making paintings with acrylics is figuring out the subject or idea.
You can’t set up an easel, grab a canvas, and brush through it.
You’ve to picturise your subject before you take that brush up in your hand.
Here’s what you can do:
- Explore as much as you can until you find what really catches your eyes
- Try to view things from different angles to develop new perspectives.
- Observe what excites you and speaks to your soul
Throughout the process, you’ll understand what you want to paint with acrylic colors.
It can be a renowned landscape painting, an abstract art, an interior, or a wise owl.
Once you’ve decided on the subject, you will have to repeatedly view, study, and observe it until you get bored since it’s part of the creative process.
Tadaa! You’ve figured out the subject; you’re ready for the next step.
B. What Do You Need To Paint With Acrylics?
In this guide to acrylic painting tips for beginners, the three most important acrylic paint supplies you will require are acrylic paint, paint brushes, and a canvas.
You’ll need other supplies as well to add meaning and depth to your acrylic painting.
1. Acrylic Paints
Before you buy acrylic paints, you have to know what exactly they are made up of and why they are best for use.
Fact: They are made up of pigment suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion, plasticizers, silicone oils, defoamers, stabilizers, or metal soaps.
Acrylic paints dry quicker and turn darker compared to oil paints.
When it comes to getting your hands on acrylic painting, use student-quality paints as they’re less expensive and best-use for practice.
Once you know the intricacies and crux of acrylic painting, you can be ahead with artist quality.
Even human acrylic portraits are the most famous among the audience.
However, initially, you will have to order student-quality acrylics that give you satisfactory results.
When you’re just starting off, consider these 10 acrylic colors that are highly recommended by our artists.
- Titanium White
- Cadmium Yellow
- Cadmium Orange
- Cadmium Red
- Alizarin Crimson
- Phthalo Green
- Phthalo Blue
- Dioxazine Purple
- Burnt Sienna
- Ivory Black
These are the ones you will need to make other colors.
2. Acrylic Paint Brushes
The right set of paintbrushes decides your work.
You can complete your painting with a single brush. However, it’s always better to have multiple brushes for finishing and adding features.
There are 8 types of brushes professional acrylic painters use.
- Round
- Pointed Round
- Flat
- Bright
- Filbert
- Angular Flat
- Fan
- Detail Round
Since you’re a beginner, you need only two types of brushes—a mid-sized flat brush and a mid-sized round brush.
However, if you wish to add a touch of detail to your painting, you’ll need fine-tipped brushes.
And the best type for acrylic painting is synthetic bristle which is made of polyester, which copes well with acrylic resin and is easy to clean.
Remember, the quality of the brush is directly proportional to your overall experience. Choose wisely!
3. Acrylic Paint Canvas
Choose canvas over wood or paper.
I’ll tell you why.
#1 It’s receptive to acrylic paints.
#2 It’s lightweight and easy to transport.
Canvas can be expensive but it’ll let you make a meticulously detailed painting.
Furthermore, there are four major types of canvas for acrylic painting:
- Stretched Canvas
- Canvas Panels
- Canvas Pads
- Canvas Rolls
I’ll leave it to you to choose.
4. Acrylic Painting Palette
Three things to know about color palette before you start acrylic painting:
Your color palette should be easy to clean, have a flat surface, and have a large space for mixing.
Although they’re crucial factors to look for, you can still buy other types as per your comfort and technique.
5. Easel
Most people make their first acrylic painting at home. And so will you. I believe.
Taking that into account, a floor-standing easel can be great since it prevents shoulder or back pain, and is easy to set up.
However, you’ll find different easels according to your preference.
Make sure you buy one that has multiple height settings, customizable tilt angle, and is easy to access.
6. Paper Towel
It won’t be a necessary item for the development of acrylic painting, but it’s good to have it handy.
Try to keep rag cotton next to you as it absorbs moisture quickly which helps you in cleaning bristles.
If you have kids or pets, you better have paper towels while painting since they can create a ruckus, and spill paints all over the floor.
7. Water Container
Some use Nutella, whereas some use fruit jam jars to fulfill their needs of cleaning brushes and thinning the paint.
However, some professionals choose ready-made water containers that serve this purpose.
As a beginner, you should repurpose home jars and allot the budget for the next painting when you’re familiar with the basics of acrylic painting.
8. Varnish & Its Brush
No matter how wonderful or terrible the painting comes out, you will have to preserve it.
And all you’ll need is varnish and its brush which gives the final touch, giving a layer of protection to it.
It’s up to you whether you want to pick matte or glossy, make sure you buy a reliable yet expensive one that’s known for giving an amazing glittery finish.
That’s all my friend.
You’ve bought almost everything that’ll succeed you in making a painting with acrylics.
Here’s the roadmap to it.
Drybrush
The drybrush technique is an excellent way to start your acrylic painting journey. This method involves applying paint directly to the canvas using a dry brush. This creates strong, confident color strokes with an uneven texture that adds a unique, tactile quality to your painting.
As you explore this technique, your brush strokes will create depth and texture, creating an expressive masterpiece. This technique is especially effective for depicting rough surfaces such as tree bark or the coarse fur of an acrylic dog painting .
Learn to Layer
Layering is a fundamental technique in acrylic painting. It involves applying multiple layers of paint, allowing each one to dry before adding the next. This method enables you to create depth, contrast, and interest in your work.
If you’re painting a complex scene, such as a bustling cityscape or a detailed landscape, layering will help you build up the image and achieve a sense of realism. But remember, patience is key in this technique, as each layer needs time to dry before you proceed with the next.
Stippling
Stippling is a technique that involves creating a series of dots to form an image or texture. Using the end of your brush, you can create a dense area of small dots or vary the size and spacing to create interesting visual effects.
This technique is great for adding detail or creating an interesting textured effect. It’s an excellent choice for depicting intricate textures such as fur, grass, or the shimmering effect of light on water.
