How to Paint with Acrylics - A Step-by-Step Guide for Budding Artists

 Acrylic paints will be a great medium for artists, particularly for beginners who are just setting out on their artistic journey. The main advantages of acrylic paints would be that they dry rapidly, are simple to clean and possess little odour; they are also strongly pigmented, which means that colours could be vibrant and bold. For acrylic painting, you will need paints, a palette and palette knife, brushes suitable for acrylic painting, a canvas, a rag and water and soap for cleaning up.

 
                                                Img via Unsplash

 Fix up your painting corner

After finding a pleasant and quiet spot within your home or possibly outdoors, you can fix your easel and arrange your supplies. You should set up the canvas securely on the easel and keep a rag next to the palette; your brushes should be within a durable cup close to the palette as well. These materials should be arranged conveniently so that you can reach them readily. If you are painting indoors, you will also have to place a tarpaulin, garbage bags or a discarded rug on the floor beneath you.

 Experiment and practice with your painting materials

Undoubtedly, the initial step in achieving proficiency in any form of art would be getting familiar with the media you have selected. When it comes to acrylic painting, you should gain an understanding of how to apply the paint, how rapidly it dries, the way it sets on the canvas and how the colours blend. You may also try out the various products available for modifying the acrylics’ sheen and consistency, thickening the paint and altering the finish of the paints. For practice, you could dab all your paints on the canvas, try out the products mentioned above and experiment with diluting and mixing them.

 Conceptualise the painting or make a rough drawing

Before you commence applying colours, it would be a good idea to conceptualise the painting. You may do this by just imagining the finished painting and creating a picture within your mind or by making a sketch using charcoal or a light pencil. If you happen to be an artist who prefers to create realistic images, it would be helpful to first create a sketch or under-drawing to help you in composing the painting. Some artists also prefer to make their sketch digitally so that they can try out their ideas whilst also experimenting with different colours before beginning the process of painting.

 Commence painting

Now, you will be ready to start creating your initial acrylic artwork. If you happen to still feel somewhat hesitant, you may start with only a few colours and then progress gradually. Whilst painting using acrylics, it would be advisable to start with light or moderate tones and then move on to darker shades. The moderate tones will create form and shape, whilst darker shades will provide richness. You should also create the larger shapes before turning to the finer details. To get an idea of just what kind of creations can be done using various mediums, check out some Sri Lankan paintings from diverse artists; you can find such creative artworks at sites such as Sri Lankan Art Gallery.

 Preserve the painting and move forward

Since acrylic paints dry rapidly and are water-resistant, paintings made using them are likely to stand the test of time. Meanwhile, if you happen to be particularly fond of a certain painting and desire to preserve it over the long term, you may apply an acrylic-compatible varnish to it. By doing so, you will provide a shiny, glassy look to the painting and safeguard it from flaking and scratches. On the other hand, if you are a little disappointed by your first acrylic painting, don’t be disheartened. Keep trying and eventually, you are bound to create acrylic artworks that you are genuinely proud of.