Acrylic Paintings

Acrylic paintings last longer than artwork based on oil. They are also capable of producing stunning effects. Here are some suggestions on how to get started.

How to Start Painting

Required Materials

Plastic plate
Paper towels
Spray bottle
Container of water
Interior/exterior varnish
Canvas
Acrylic brushes
Acrylic paint

Step 1

Sketch your subject. Try to get the proportions right. If you don’t get it correct, the painting will never look right no matter how much color you apply. Put some paint in a plastic plate.

Step 2

Put some paint on the plate. Put in three drops of varnish. Sprit with water and mix it.

Step 3

Start painting. There is no such thing as a right way to paint. Just follow your vision. Have the color palette ready so you can paint continuously.

Reminders

Acrylic paints dry up quickly, so have that spray bottle by your side. After you paint, wash the brushes. Store them in the container in an upright manner.

Brush Types

A large acrylic brush looks like a smaller version of the brush used on walls. This brush has a rectangular shape and thick bristles. Use this to blend big paint areas of your painting.

The flat brush comes in different sizes. These are used for painting backgrounds. Use big flat brushes for large brushes. The brush is flat and double sided. It has long bristles and the shape is rectangular.

Another brush used in acrylic paintings is the bright brush. These brushes are used to blend colors. They are also useful for painting small sections on the canvas. Their bristles are shorter than those of flat brushes.

Round brushes are available in different sizes. These brushes are round where they are connected to the brush handle’s foundation. They culminate with a point at the bristles’ tip. Round brushes are used for painting fine details. They are also used for adding lines and finishing the painting.

How to Care for Acrylic Brushes

All acrylic brushes are cleaned in the same way. Just put the paint in the water. Keep them there until all the paint residue is gone. You can use synthetic brushes instead of real hair brushes. They are cheaper and work just as well.

Learning the basics of acrylic painting is easy, but producing a painting that will satisfy you may take time. Just be patient. Keep experimenting and eventually you will be able to produce that image in your mind’s eye.