Painting: Acrylic Painting Tips
1. Opaque & Transparent
Acrylics can be used to creating both opaque and transparent paintings.
Opaque: means that you are not able to see through it.
Transparent: means that you can easily see through it.
Opaque can be achieved if you apply the paint directly from the tube. If you would like more transparency you can mix the paint with water.
2. Dry very Quickly
Unlike oil, acrylics dry very quickly and can be applied to almost any surface which is free of oil and wax.
A retarder can be added if you want to increase the drying time.
3. Apply underneath oil paint
Acrylics should not be applied over oil paint or any oily surface as the paint will not stick to the surface, but can be used successfully underneath layers of oil paints.
4. Water resistant
Acrylic paint is water-resistant and permanent when dry.
This allows the artist to over-paint when dry without disturbing the existing layer.
5. Adhesive strengths
Using acrylics as glue in a collage makes excellent use of it's adhesive strengths.
6. Gets darker when dry
Unlike watercolour, acrylic paints darken when dry.
It is always best to do some tests on a piece of paper first.
7. Cleaning
As long as your brushes are kept wet, they can be washed with soap and warm water.
The surface of a dry acrylic painting can gently be washed with soap and water as acrylic paintings tend to attract and collect dust and dirt easily.
8. Use a Wet Palette
As acrylics dry very quickly, it is advisable to buy a Wet Palette.
This stops the paints on your palette from drying out while painting.
9. Other uses
Liquid acrylics are also great for use in airbrush work either by mixing them with water or by purchasing special airbrush liquid acrylics.
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