Acrylic Painting Basics

Acrylic, also known as Acrylic resin, is a kind of plastic (thermoplastic to be precise) and hence the properties of the paints that are derived from Acrylic resin are a bit different from normal watercolors and oil paints or other naturally derived paints. The pigment of such paints is principally suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion. This gives the paint different imagery and a great deal of rise or depth. Introduced in the 1950s as a common house paint, artists started using the paint in art due to its bright spectrum of finishes and gloss, matte, sheen, semi-matte and satin are some of the most common finishing effects of the acrylic paints. Depending upon the oil, pigment and particle size or shape, artists use the paint to give a wash, textures, finishing touches and even rise, height and depth to the painting. Though the paint itself is a young invention, there are several innovative acrylic painting techniques, which are used by modern-day painters. Similarly, there are also several variants in the acrylic painting techniques that are used by painters. Changing proportions, the way of application, flexibility, hardness of the paint are just a few of the many tricks that are used in acrylic painting.

Acrylic Painting Basics

As mentioned above acrylic paints have acrylic resins suspended in acrylic emulsion. This makes this paint look a bit like oil paint. However, less viscus acrylic paints tend to be more like watercolors. From the point of view of an artist, the range of viscosity of acrylic paints ranges from thick to thin, hence making use of the viscosity of the paint is a good choice. Here are some acrylic painting color basics:

• High viscosity acrylic paints are butter-like and are sold in tubes. These colors are predominantly used for painting thick shapes, impressing brush marks, give opacity and built up color.
• The medium or thin acrylics are jar colors and are more like watercolors. They are used for flatter construction on the painting, places where translucent and mild density of colors is required.
• Mediums are some substances that are used to alter the basic properties of acrylic paints. Such mediums are used to prolong the reworking and drying period and extend the moisture of the paint.
• Some acrylic painting techniques go towards a more innovative and daring style, as mediums are added to the paint to generate heavier textures of paint.
• Some mediums are also used to make the paint surface thick or thin, thereby affecting the transparency, translucency and also the opaqueness of the paint.
• The gloss, matte, sheen and satin effects can be added with the help of some of the mediums.

Acrylic Painting Practices

The following is a quick overview of the basic acrylic painting techniques...

• Among the basics of acrylic painting, the principle trick is to keep the paint from drying quickly and in a weird manner. The trick is simple enough, one only needs to spray down the parts of paint that are thickening out.
• The second common trick is used to control the fluidity of the paint. Since the particles are suspended in emulsions, acrylic paint is an ideal tool for a wash. Experimenting with different water-paint-medium proportions, will give you an idea of how light dances on washes of different proportions.
• The medium to paint proportion also effects the texture of the color and the light effects. Again experimenting with different proportions will display several of the qualities of the paint.
• The play of light and emotion is a significant combination that every artist tries to capture. Acrylic paints being transparent, translucent and opaque in varying degrees tend to give better light effects in several cases.

Acrylic painting can take a substantial time to master and yet you can be highly creative while painting with the help of such colors.