6 Tips for Beginners Painting with Acrylic Paint

Painting with acrylic paint is possibly the most common method when it comes to painting, as acrylic paint is a really great medium to work with, especially for beginners. You can do so much with them, they dry fairly quickly and you can achieve a range of vivid colours in them.

We’ve come up with 6 top tips for beginners painting with acrylic paint to give you some ideas on how to get started if it’s completely new to you.

Essential supplies you need to begin

As with any art project, there are a few supplies you’ll need to get started. These include:

·         Acrylic paint palettes – investing in a set of good quality acrylic paints (available here, for example; http://www.artifolk.co.uk/paints/acrylic-paints/acrylic-sets.htm) is a good start. Opt for a well known brand and avoid going for cheaper options as it should be thought of as an investment.

·         Brushes – likewise, avoid really cheap brushes as these can malt a lot and can even ruin your painting. It’s better to have a few good ones that lots of not-so-good ones. Synthetic ones are fine as long as they’re looked after properly.

·         Your canvas of choice – whether you want to paint into a sketchbook, onto a canvas or a big piece of card, experiment with different types of paper to find the best one for you.

Getting the lighting right

As with any painting, getting the lighting right is essential to ensure that your work is as true to life as possible, and isn’t affected in any way. Natural light works best, though if that’s not possible, an artificial light above you (not behind you) should serve as a good substitute.

Mixing colours and creating new hues/shades

There’s a great guide here for mixing acrylic paints to create new colours and hues that’s definitely worth checking out. As soon as you get the hang of the basics, you’ll soon be able to move onto being a bit more creative and inventive with your hues.

Getting into the ‘acrylic painting zone’

As briefly mentioned above, some artists prefer to work on a canvas or piece of paper/card, and it’s been found that when using acrylic paints in particular, using an easel is superior as this helps a lot with perspective and proportions. Whether you want a tabletop one or a standing one, there are so many available you’re sure to find one that’s right for you.

Deciding what techniques work for you

It’s definitely worth taking a look at this article to see what sort of effects and techniques you can try out with acrylic paints and how to improve your paintings as a result. These include things like what colours to start with and adding details to your work.

Finding your inspiration

Deciding on what you want to paint is of course half the battle when it comes to creating a inmasterpiece, so don’t be afraid to try lots of different subjects, themes and styles to find what you enjoy most and what you’re best at.

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