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Acrylic Painting Techniques. Brief History: Acrylic paints, a modern medium which came into general use in the 1960s, have become very popular due to their extreme versatility.
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Brief History: • Acrylic paints, a modern medium which came into general use in the 1960s, have become very popular due to their extreme versatility. • They are made from pigment, water and an acrylic binder, which forms a hard, clear film as the water evaporates. It is this transparent film, reflecting light from the pigment inside it, that gives acrylic color its brilliance.
Here are a few tips to help you get started painting with acrylics: 1. Acrylics dry relatively quickly, so you don't have to wait much before painting the next layers. The film is more flexible than that of other media and is unlikely to crack.
2. Acrylics are extremely versatile, fast-drying paints, and can be used straight from the tube like oils or thinned with water and used like watercolors. 3. Acrylics are resistant to water once dry, which means they can be over-painted without disturbing the previous color. This means that color cannot be dissolved with a damp brush as it can with watercolor.
4. Acrylics become darker in tone as they dry, rather than lighter as with watercolor, so remember to allow for this effect when mixing your colors. 5. You can mix acrylics with water and use them like watercolor, or you can use them straight from the tube as if they were oil paints.
6. Since acrylics dry so fast, squeeze only a little paint out of a tube. Always start with mixing the lighter color first. 7. Keep a piece of paper towel or cloth next to your water jar and get into the habit of wiping your brushes on it after you use them. This prevents water drops running down and onto your painting, making blotches.
8. When an acrylic wash dries, it's permanent and, unlike a watercolor wash, is insoluble and can be over-painted without fear of disturbing the existing wash. The colors of subsequent washes mix optically with the earlier ones. A watercolor glaze can be lifted out using water and a cloth. 9. Blending Acrylic Paints. Since acrylics dry rapidly, you need to work fast if you wish to blend colors. If you're working on paper, dampening the paper will increase your working time.
Procedure: 1. Select a personal “landscape” or “cityscape” image/photograph with a good sense of vanishing point or perspective. *Tip: try to choose an image that you can relate to such as a vacation photo, but try to avoid choosing an image with people in it. 2. Sketch the image onto your sketchbook and plan/test out the colors you would be using. Your colors must represent one of the following color schemes: Warm Colors (red, yellow, orange), Cool Colors (blue, green, purple), Complementary Colors (opposite colors on the color wheel such as red & green), or Monochromatic Colors (different shades of the same color). 3. Now observe your rough sketch and use your imagination to add a small person or animal in your work. Tip: What is the theme of your painting? What colors are you using? You might consider adding a bird if it’s a peaceful theme using cool colors, or you may want to add a cat on the beach during sunrise using warm colors. Be creative! 4. Draw the final copy on the paper provided using a HB or 2B pencil. Start your painting using the techniques learned in class. Mix your colors carefully and remember to take your time to show details since neatness counts!!!
