| The acrylic painting medium is a fairly new addition | | | | the edge with the other brush that has been |
| to the various painting mediums available to | | | | dampened with the water. |
| todays artists. It has been around since the 1950's | | | | Blending Opaque Colors |
| and has been continually under development and | | | | With watercolor effects, the acrylic paint is applied |
| refinement ever since. | | | | in transparent washes. With the opaque technique |
| Acrylic paint is highly favored amongst artists | | | | the paint layers are non-transparent. Blending |
| because of its wonderful versatility. It can be | | | | opaque acrylic colors can be a bit tricky as you |
| applied thickly as an impasto having rich texture | | | | are kind of pressed for time. It is important |
| or in washes mimicking the characteristics of | | | | therefore to only work on areas that you know |
| watercolor. | | | | you will have enough time to blend. To blend two |
| Another likable characteristic of acrylic paint is its | | | | colors, first paint a block of each color side by |
| permanence. Acrylic paint is not susceptible to | | | | side on your support. Where the two colors join |
| yellowing or hardening with age. With acrylic paint, | | | | paint down that line with a clean damp brush to |
| the artist does not need to be concerned with | | | | soften the edges. To blend the colors even |
| the order the paint is applied or other special | | | | further, move the blending brush from side to |
| techniques that ensure the paint film remains free | | | | side or up and down, until the desired blending is |
| from cracking. So it can be said that acrylic paint | | | | achieved. |
| is much easier to use than oil paint. | | | | Sgraffito Technique |
| Yet another characteristic that invites new artists | | | | Sgraffito is a scratching technique. It got its name |
| to this medium is its fast drying time. Since acrylic | | | | from the Italian word graffiare which literally |
| paint dries so quickly, colors can be applied and | | | | means to scratch. Just as the name implies it |
| overlaid quicker than with oil painting. | | | | involves scratching into the surface of the wet |
| There are however a few downsides to the quick | | | | paint which reveals either the ground or layer of |
| drying time of acrylic paints: | | | | dry color underneath. There are a number of |
| 1) The paint will not remain workable for very | | | | different tools that can be used for this technique. |
| long, so you have to work quickly. | | | | Tools like screwdrivers or the sharpened end of |
| 2) The fast drying time of acrylics can also ruin | | | | an old paintbrush handle should suffice. It really |
| brushes if the brushes are not cleaned | | | | depends on the support you are using. For |
| immediately. | | | | instance, a screwdriver may not be the best tool |
| 3) Acrylic paint is not the best medium for direct | | | | if you are using a panel as a support. The hard |
| painting outdoors, especially on a bright sunny day. | | | | metal may damage the panel, so you would need |
| Whatever paint you put out on your palette will | | | | to use a softer tool. |
| begin to dry quickly and form a skin over the | | | | Using a Squeegee |
| surface of the paint making it very difficult to | | | | A regular squeegee that you can purchase at any |
| work with. | | | | hardware or auto store can create some |
| Watercolor Effects | | | | interesting effects when used with acrylic paint. |
| Acrylic paint works wonderfully as a transparent | | | | First you would squeeze out some paint blobs |
| medium, similar to watercolor. Acrylics do have an | | | | directly along one edge of your support. You can |
| advantage over watercolors. You can lay out a | | | | layout whatever colors you wish. Then with one |
| number of thin washes over one another without | | | | fluid motion you would drag the paint across the |
| fear of disturbing the colors underneath. You must | | | | support with your squeegee, which will smear and |
| wait for one layer to dry completely before | | | | mix the paint and create some very unique and |
| applying another of course. Once each layer dries | | | | interesting designs. You may need to alter your |
| it becomes insoluble in water. The only | | | | squeegee a bit as the rubber blade that comes |
| disadvantage to using acrylics as a watercolor | | | | with most squeegees may not be rigid enough to |
| medium is the difficulty in modifying the color. | | | | drag the paint. You can remove the rubber blade |
| Once acrylic paint begins to dry it becomes rather | | | | and in its place glue in a regular wooden ruler. This |
| difficult to work with. One of the biggest | | | | will give you a flat sturdy edge to manipulate the |
| problems is the tendency for washes to dry with | | | | paint. |
| unwanted hard edges. You can avoid this problem | | | | I hope you have enjoyed this article on acrylic |
| in one of two ways. You can either dampen the | | | | painting techniques. Take some time today to |
| paper before the paint is applied or you can use | | | | experiment with these techniques and have fun. |
| an additional brush dampened with water. Use one | | | | Happy Painting! |
| brush to apply the paint and immediately soften | | | | |