Acrylics are water-based and can be thinned with water, enabling the artist to achieve different looks from the thickest coats to the thinnest wash. When you paint with acrylics it is wise to keep a cup of water on hand to dip your brushes into to not only thin the paint but also to wash the brushes clean when you change colors. Acrylic paint is composed of pigments, acrylic resin and emulsions. As a result they are very fast drying paints and the artist must work very quickly before the paint dries. Read on to learn use acrylic paints.
Instructions
1. Squeeze the smallest amount of paint possible out of the the tube at any given time. This is due to the fact that acrylic paint dries extremely quickly. Take a spray bottle and spray water mist over the paint on your palette to keep it fresh as long as possible while you are painting. It is possible to 'save' leftover paint by scraping off the dried parts and placing the wet paint into a resealable jar. Acquire enough paint of multiple shades, mix it together and you get a creatively colored base color for your next painting project.
2. Use a sheet of paper towel or newspaper to wipe off your brushes after rinsing. This not only keeps the paint from mixing when you don't want it to, but will also keep you from putting too much water onto the canvas, causing your paint to thin too much and run down the painting making ugly streaks of color where you don't want them.
3. Apply your paint according to the desired look. If you want an opaque appearance to the paint, don't add much water but use very thickly applied paint, but if you want a thinner look such as you would achieve with watercolors or with an airbrush, dilute the paint with water. But be careful not to use too much water, as the paint will run, possibly spoiling the effect you are trying to achieve. The diluted paint is called a wash, and acrylic washes are permanent and can't be lifted out of the canvas again. They can, however, be painted over again.
4. Achieve a transparent glaze by applying the paint in multiple thin layers while applying a single heavy layer makes the surface of the paint glossy. You can also use very thick acrylic paint as a glue medium if you are making a collage, as long as the pieces being glued are very lightweight. Just don't use any water in the paint and it should turn out quite sticky.
5. Paint a sharp edge by applying masking tape to the canvas. The tape can be applied over existing paint as well, without removing the paint. Simply stick the tape to the painting and press it down tightly to the canvas. The edges of the tape need to be stuck down very tight so the edge you get when you lift off the tape will be clear and smooth.
