Step-by-Step Guide on Acrylic Painting
Updated: Apr 7, 2022
Similar to any other craft today, learning how to paint with acrylics requires a lot of time, patience, and practice. There is a lot of trial and error in the process of learning that serves as a stepping stone to success.
If you are reading this now, chances are you are interested to learn about acrylic painting and perfecting your craft. Lucky for you, we have put together a comprehensive guide on this topic. In this step-by-step guide, we have covered everything there is to know about acrylic painting and how you can get started.
What Is Acrylic Painting?
Acrylic painting is the art of using a water-soluble acrylic polymer that is suspended in basic paints to create beautiful water-resistant paintings.
The advantages of working with acrylic paints are endless. They can dry faster than other paints and they are easier to clean up. They also have highly pigmented shades with very little odor.
With acrylic paints, you can be sure that your painting will be bold, beautiful, and bright.
Many artists today make a living out of their art online. There are various websites for digital art prints where you can find gorgeous acrylic paintings for sale online. In fact, a lot of people buy original art online to upgrade the look of their homes.
Needless to say, art is so much more than just a hobby; it can also be a way of life.
Pre-requisites
Before we get started with the main subject, here are the materials you will need:
Acrylic paints
Acrylic paint brushes (including a flat brush, round brush, wash brush, angled brush, liner brush, and a fan brush)
A canvas and an easel
Methodology
Now that you have all the required materials, you are ready to get started!
Step #1: Get Your Painting Station Ready
The first step is to find a peaceful place for you to paint. This can be an indoor or an outdoor location. Next, set up your canvas on your easel. Make sure you have a paper towel or a rag next to you for convenience. You can also use a cup and place all your brushes inside it.
If you would like to keep the surrounding areas clean, you can place rags around your workstation.
Step #2: Start Practicing
In order to master the art of acrylic painting, you will need to start practicing. Start by brushing a few strokes on the canvas to get a feel of the paint gliding over it. You will also come to understand how quickly it can dry and set on the canvas.
Next, mix a few other colors to see how they can blend with other hues.
Step #3: Create A Rough Outline Of Your Painting
Before you start unleashing your inner painter, create a rough sketch of your painting. Think about what you would like to draw and what your vision is.
Then take a few minutes to sketch the outline with charcoal or a pencil lightly. For instance, if you would like to paint a picture of a garden, take some time to visualize the elements of a garden and carefully sketch it out on the canvas.
Step #4: Get Creative!
Once you have completed the sketching process, you can now start painting your vision. If you are a beginner, you can start slowly by using basic shades. However, as you become more experienced, you can mix more colors together to create unique shades.
Step #5: Preserve Your Painting
As mentioned earlier, acrylic paints tend to dry out quickly and are resistant to water. This means that your painting will preserve itself very well. However, if you are exceptionally proud of your painting, feel free to coat it with an extra layer of varnish on top. Not only will this protect your painting from scratches, but it will also add a glossy, shiny effect to it.
Advice
And voila! It’s that easy! As a beginner, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t look how you’d imagined for the first couple of times. Practice makes perfect and you will master your craft.
The key is to keep painting and follow your passion for art, Follow your heart, and the rest will follow.