Have you ever wanted to paint with acrylics but have given up when it all went wrong? Well, don't despair because you really can get fantastic results. You just need to get used to the fact that they dry quickly, and prepare accordingly. Here's a little bit about them.
Acrylics have been around since the 1950s/60s. They're made from fine - ground pigment particles suspended in water and bound with a form of plastic. Have a read of the tips below and maybe you'll find that you want to give them a go. They're so easy to use and I love them. If I can use them, so can you.
You don't need to spend a fortune to get started. You can find cheap ranges in art shops, but I find the Galeria range are good for starting off with. Use heavy duty watercolor paper or canvas, although you can paint on wood or canvas boards.
* I find it an advantage that the paints dry very quickly. It means that if you make a mistake, you can paint over the layer of paint underneath without it mixing with the new paint.
* Make sure you keep a large container of water nearby (ice cream containers are ideal). You'll need to make sure that you wash your brushes regularly or keep them in water because if the paint dries on them, they'll be ruined. Another bonus is that as acrylics are water -- based they only need to be cleaned with water and not turps and there's no smell.
* Acrylics come in tubs or tubes. You can use them straight from the tube or you can mix them with water to thin them. Only put out paint in quantities that you think you will use because it dries so quickly and you don't want to waste it. You can always squeeze out more.I find them ideal for painting
landscapes and seascapes, so why don't you give them a go?
*As the colors in acrylics are quite vivid, I sometimes use emulsion paint as well. As this is water based, I can add more water to give a wash effect, or to perhaps add to skies, seas, etc; it gives a more subtle hue.
*Brushes and palette knives can be used. Sable brushes are good quality but are expensive and can be easily ruined. You can get different shapes of nylon and bristle brushes from art shops which work really well for acrylics. I find that cheap, bristle brushes bought from DIY stores for home decorating work really well. They don't leave any streaks. You might want to use part of a sponge for effects.
Really, once you start to use them and experiment a bit, you'll begin to enjoy them and perhaps prefer them to oil paints. In my next article, I'll go through the process that I use in order to paint a seascape. To view a painting in progress
Click Here
If you'd like to see more examples of what you can achieve with acrylics, you're welcome to
Click Here to view some paintings I have done in acrylics so you can get an idea of what is achievable.
