What are the Best Acrylic Painting Techniques for Beginners?

Acrylic painting is a versatile painting medium known for its fast drying time and the ability to produce vibrant and striking colors. This painting medium uses acrylic paints made of pigments suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion. 

Acrylic painting is ideal for beginner artists for several reasons, including durability, versatility, and ease of use. You can apply acrylic paints on countless surfaces like canvas, wood, paper, and even fabric. Its quick drying time allows artists to layer colors, efficiently make changes, and complete their artwork quickly. 

Though acrylic painting is an excellent and convenient medium, beginners should focus on learning various techniques. Mastering different acrylic painting techniques can help develop your skills and create stunning artwork.

Some of the best acrylic painting techniques for beginners include using more water, dabbing with stiff bristles or paper towels, trying repetitive dabbing, acrylic pouring, lifting sections of paint, using painter’s tape for precision, splattering the paints, dry brushing, using the palette knife, using a wet brush, highlighting dark layers of paint, making a color mixing chart, adding the gradient effect, adding spatters from a toothbrush, blending colors, and combining on canvas. 

Increase the Amount of Water

Increasing the amount of water can thin down the acrylic paint and help in achieving smoother translucent layers and smoother blending. You can add water gradually and little by little to get the right consistency and avoid over-thinning the paint. 

Use the Stiff-Bristled Brush or Paper Towel to Dab

You can dip a stiff-bristled brush in paint and dab it on your canvas to create a more textured artwork. The more you dab with a soft-bristled brush, the more solid your artwork will become.

You can also dab with a paper towel on the canvas to add depth and create different effects. 

Experiment with Stippling or Repetitive Dabbing Technique

The stippling or repetitive dabbing technique involves painting small dots in different shades or colors to create textured patterns or shading effects.

You can use different brush sizes and pressures to control the intensity of the stippling.

This technique is mostly used for abstract acrylic painting as it can form solid shapes. 

Try Dripping and Acrylic Pouring

The dripping technique lets wet paint drip onto the canvas to create abstract effects like melting. On the other hand, the acrylic pouring technique involves pouring paint directly on the canvas and allowing it to flow to create a rainy effect.

It’s important to put the canvas on a stand so it can be slanted, to control the flow and direction of the paint. 

Lift Portions of Paint

Lifting is a technique that removes or erases some of the paint from your artwork. This acrylic painting technique allows you to create soft effects and patterns, like clouds, ponds, and certain illusions. You can use a sponge or a damp paper towel to lift some of the wet paint from your artwork. 

Utilize Painter's Tape for Precise Lines and Shapes

You can use painter’s tape to mask off some areas. This technique will help keep the paint away from desired areas and achieve sharp edges and defined shapes, like geometric patterns, buildings, and more.

Scatter Your Acrylic Paints

You can dip your flat brush in some diluted paint and flick it onto the canvas with your finger to create a scattered effect on your painting. This technique creates splashes and miniature explosions on the canvas. You can use this method to show rain, explosions, or a starry night.

Dry Brushing

You can dip a dry brush in paint, and paint it on a dry canvas. This method is used to create subtle or neat shapes, or layers on your painting which doesn’t relatively require blending. This technique can be applied to paint rough textured things like sand, rocks, or trees. Dry brushing is a good technique for landscape paintings.

Using Palette Knives

Palette knives are small chisels used to apply thicker layers of paint on the surface of the canvas. You can also use them to neatly scrape paint from the canvas. Palette knives are typically used in paintings to create ocean waves, ridges, and even fish scales.

Detailing With A Wet Brush

A thin, round-tip brush is often used to outline paintings, but they can be outlined more easily and neatly by using fine brushes that are wet. Getting brushes wet makes them more firm and helps the paint to flow more easily on the canvas. The tip also has to be thin to have it outlined more perfectly. This is a good technique for painted portraits.

Apply Lighter Layers Of Paint To Accentuate Darker Colors

You can highlight areas with darker tones to make your paintings more detailed and realistic. In this technique, you can use a lighter shade of the colors of dark parts of the painting to make them more appealing. For example, to paint shine on a painting of a wooden table, apply small dabs of off-white paint around the table.

Dive Further into Layering

As acrylic paint dries quicker than other mediums of paint, artists often use the thin layer technique. This involves adding thin layers of paint on dried paint so that it can blend properly. This method can be used for adding details to your painting, and you can experiment with different shades as well if you are familiar with color theory. See our landscape painting ideas and try this technique with them!

Blend Colors and Create a Color Mixing Chart to Recall Your Combinations

Using primary colors, (Red, Yellow, Blue) to create various other colors for your painting is very easy. However, it can get confusing when the mixture is finished and you are required to make that combination again. You can make a color mixing chart to make the process more convenient and remember the exact shades and amount of colors. 

Use Various Shades of the Same Color

You can use different shades of the same color in your acrylic paintings to make them look more attractive instead of using several different colors. The same shades blend more easily and neatly, and they also go well with each other. For example, if you are painting a sunset, you can use a darker orange on the top, and make your way down with a lighter orange on each layer.

Gradient Effect

The gradient effect technique involves using various shades of the same color to create an ombre effect in your paintings. This technique makes the painting’s tone look more attractive and gives it more proportion. Overlapping the darker shade with the lighter shade makes it easier to blend with a fine brush if you want to have a smooth alteration between them.

Spatters from a Toothbrush

You can dip a toothbrush in water-diluted paint, and flick it with your thumb on the canvas to create little freckles or specks. You can use this technique in Abstract art or a starry night-themed painting. The size of the specks can be controlled by the distance of the splattering brush from the canvas and the amount of paint that is on the brush.

Blending Colors

You can blend the colors using a soft-bristled brush with light pressure to have smooth transitions in the painting. You can also slightly wet the brush depending on how dry the paint you want to blend is. You have to apply light strokes with the brush in either a circular motion or a stippling motion.

Combine on Canvas

Combining colors on canvas involves mixing colors straight on the canvas to come up with new and unique shades of colors. To combine the colors, start with a base color like yellow, and then top it with blue to create a subtle shade of green. Lightness or darkness of the color can be adjusted by adding white or a little bit of black.

What are Acrylic Painting Techniques with a Paintbrush?

Various acrylic painting techniques can be achieved using different types of paintbrushes. Some common types of brushes suitable for acrylic painting are the following:

• Flat Brushes

  These brushes have a little rounded tips to achieve broad strokes, washes, and filling in large areas. 

• Round Brushes

  These brushes have round yet pointed tips to achieve both detailed work and broad strokes. You can create thin lines and fine details using round brushes.

• Fan Brushes

  Fan brushes have bristles in the shape of a fan. These brushes are perfect for blending and creating soft edges. 

• Detail Brushes

  These brushes have fine and pointed tips and are perfect for complex details and fine work.

• Filbert Brushes

  Filbert brushes have flat and oval-shaped tips. They are a mixture of flat and round brushes. You can use these brushes for blending and creating soft edges and curved strokes. 

The most common acrylic painting techniques you can perform with a paintbrush are dry brushing, wet brush on dry canvas, wet on wet, and stippling. 

Here’s how to paint acrylic painting using the best paintbrush techniques:

Dry Brushing

The dry brushing technique involves applying a small amount of acrylic paint to a dry brush and then lightly dragging it on the surface of the canvas. This technique can create textured effects and is ideal for adding highlights to acrylic paintings. 

Wet Brush on Dry Canvas

In this technique, you can apply acrylic paint on a wet brush and then apply it on a dry canvas. The wet brush allows you to control the application of the paint and achieve precise detailing. You can also create crisp lines and fine details using the wet brush on dry canvas technique. 

Wet on Wet

Wet on wet, also known as the alla prima technique, involves applying wet acrylic paint on a wet surface. This technique allows a smooth blending of colors and creates soft transitions and atmospheric effects. You can also create a gradient using this technique. 

Stippling

Stippling is an acrylic painting technique where you repeatedly tap the brush on the canvas to create small dots or points of color. You can use this technique to build up texture and add detail to your artwork. 

How to do Acrylic Paint Color Mixing?

Color mixing in acrylic painting is a process of combining different colors to create new shades, tints, and tones. This technique can help you achieve a wide range of colors and effects. The most common steps for acrylic paint color mixing are using a color wheel as a color mixing guide, using pre-mixed colors from tubes or bottles, and Alla Prima.

The steps to perform acrylic paint color mixing are listed below:

Use a Color Wheel as a Color Mixing Guide

A color wheel is a tool that portrays the relationship between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. It helps you understand color theory and how different colors interact with each other. Identify the desired color you want to achieve and determine with the help of a color which primary colors you can use to create it. For example, mixing equal parts of red and blue can create purple. 

Use a Variety of Pre-Mixed Colors from Tubes or Bottles

You can find a wide range of pre-mixed acrylic paint colors in the form of tubes or bottles, readily available in the market. Using these pre-mixed colors can save time and effort, especially for beginners or artists looking for convenience. 

Alla Prima

Alla Prima, also known as wet-on-wet painting, is a technique that involves applying wet paint directly on previous layers of wet paint. This method allows spontaneous blending and mixing of colors directly on the canvas. You can practice alla prima painting using a variety of brushstrokes and blending techniques to achieve the desired color transitions and textures.

How to Seal an Acrylic Painting?

You can seal an acrylic painting by ensuring the painting is dry, applying a clear varnish, letting the varnish dry, applying additional varnish coats, and storing carefully. 

The steps to seal an acrylic painting are listed below:

• Ensure the painting is dry

  Make sure your acrylic painting is completely dry before sealing to prevent smudging or trapping moisture.

• Apply a clear varnish

  You can use a brush or spray to apply a clear acrylic varnish on the painting on the entire surface of the painting. Varnish will protect the painting from dust, dirt, and UV rays. 

• Let the varnish dry

  It’s important to let the varnish dry thoroughly for several hours or overnight.

• Apply additional varnish coats

  You can apply additional coats of varnish for added protection. However, make sure to let each coat dry between applications.

• Display or store carefully

  Once the varnish is fully dry, your acrylic painting is ready to store or display. It’s important to handle it with care to avoid scratches or damage. Frame it with a high-quality frame to preserve it well.

Can acrylic medium substitute for varnish?

Yes, acrylic medium can substitute for varnish in some cases. However, there are still some differences. While varnish provides a glossy or matte finish and enhances color vibrancy, the acrylic medium can also provide protection but may not offer the same level of aesthetics. It's also important to note that acrylic medium may not provide as durable or long-lasting protection as varnish, especially against UV damage. 

How many coats of varnish are recommended?

You can do two to three coats of varnish on acrylic paintings for perfect protection. However, the exact number of coats may vary depending on various factors like the type of varnish used, the desired level of shine, and personal preference. 

How to brighten up an acrylic painting?

There are different ways you can brighten up your acrylic painting and make it more aesthetic. You can use vibrant colors to add more energy and brightness to the painting, consider painting a brighter background, adding highlights using lighter shades of paint, and darkening the shadows. You can also apply a glossy varnish on your acrylic painting to enhance the colors and make it brighter. 

Is there a preferred applicator for varnish?

Yes, there are preferred applicators for varnish when sealing your acrylic paintings. You can use both brushes and spray applicators. Brushes will offer more control over the application and spray applicators offer a more smoother and even finish. You can choose between brushes and spray applicators considering your personal preferences and the size and texture of the painting.

Is Acrylic Painting Easier for Beginners Compared to Oil Painting?

Acrylic painting is generally easier than oil painting for beginners. It's because acrylics dry quickly, which allows for more flexible layering and faster project completion. In contrast, oil paints dry slowly. Artists have more time for blending but require more patience and experience to handle it effectively.