Tips for Mastering Acrylic Painting

Acrylic paint is a wonderfully versatile, quick-drying, and vivid painting medium. It’s one of the most popular types of paint and is perfectly suited for both beginners and expert artists alike. However, there are certain caveats to know about acrylic paints, whether you’re new to painting or transitioning to this medium from another.

Make Acrylic Painting Easier

Acrylic paint has properties that can be advantageous or disadvantageous, depending on the artist. These tips will help you leverage acrylic paint’s characteristics and make your foray into Modern coastal art for wall that much easier.

1. Use Gesso

The first thing you should always do when painting with acrylic paints is to apply a layer (or three) of gesso. Gesso is essential for artists, appearing similar to white acrylic paint but thinner in consistency. It dries hard and creates a stiff surface, giving your paint more “tooth” to adhere to, ensuring an even hold throughout the surface. It also prevents your paint from absorbing into your canvas.

If too much texture develops with the gesso, you can sand it down with fine-grit sandpaper. Even on pre-primed canvases, apply gesso to avoid painting on greasy residues from manufacturing or handling. Apply 2-3 layers of gesso for an even painting surface, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next.

2. Add Ground Color Immediately After Gesso

Once you’ve applied your final layer of gesso, immediately paint in your ground color before the gesso dries. The ground layer prepares the surface for painting, affecting the chromatic and tonal values of the paint layers applied over it. Painting your ground over a slightly wet layer of gesso creates a smooth surface with less grab, speeding up your painting process and helping you establish a tonal mood in your work.

Choose a ground color based on the colors you’ll use: a warm base for cooler colors and a cool base for warmer colors.

3. Moisten the Back of Your Canvas

Unless you’re painting on a canvas board, dampen the back of your canvas. This allows the water to absorb into the fibers, keeping the front just wet enough to keep acrylic paints workable for longer, making blending easier, and preventing paint from soaking through the back. This also results in a taut canvas surface that’s inviting to paint on.

Use a trigger-type spray bottle filled with boiled tap water or distilled water to avoid hard water marks on the back of your canvas.

4. Use Two Pots of Water

Acrylic paint is water-soluble, making it easy to dilute with water and clean off brushes. Keep two pots of water nearby: one for cleaning your brush and another for wetting your brush and thinning your paint. This prevents dirty water from introducing unwanted pigments into your paint.

However, avoid using too much water as it can reduce paint adhesion, causing it to flow off the canvas or muddy up colors when blending. Use acrylic mediums instead to maintain proper consistency.

5. Keep Your Brushes Out of the Pot

To maintain your brushes’ shape and ensure consistent brush strokes, avoid leaving them in a pot of water for too long. Prolonged exposure to water can bend and misshape the bristles and loosen the glue that binds them, causing the brush to shed bristles.

Rest your brush on its side after washing it. Dip only the brush tip in water and slide it upwards on the inside of the pot to wipe off excess water.

6. Wet Your Palette

Acrylic paint dries quickly, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. To extend the working time of your paint, lightly mist your palette with water. Alternatively, use a wet palette to keep your paint moist and workable for longer periods. If you don’t want to use a wet palette, mix your paints with an acrylic retarder to extend working time while maintaining adhesion.

7. Have Acrylic Extender Ready

When you need a specific color and run out of your mixed batch, use an acrylic extender. Acrylic extenders act like colorless paint, allowing you to create more of the same color without affecting adhesion. They come in the form of acrylic mediums, such as matte medium and gloss medium varnish, which also adjust your paint’s sheen.

8. Clean Your Brushes Thoroughly After Use

Always clean your brushes thoroughly after painting to prevent dried paint from damaging them. Acrylic paint dries quickly and bonds strongly with porous surfaces, so letting it dry on your brushes can ruin them.

Even if a brush looks clean, pigment residues may remain. Wash off excess paint, rub the brush with soap, rinse with water, and gently pat dry with a paper towel before storing it on its side.

Conclusion

By following these tips, you can make the most of acrylic paints and enjoy the creative process of coastal beach art with fewer frustrations. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, understanding the nuances of acrylic painting will help you create beautiful, lasting works of art.