A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Use Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is one of the most recommended mediums to start in the world of painting. This is due to several reasons: its use is very simple, the use of solvents and products with a bad smell are avoided, and also, its price is very affordable. As in all techniques, there are several brands and types of acrylic paint depending on what we want to do. Anyway, to start painting with acrylics, you don’t need a high-end paint. For this technique, there are studio range varieties with very good value for money.

Acrylics contain a plasticized material (acrylic polymer, derived from latex) that makes it a very fast drying and covering paint. This technique began to be used in the early 20th century, and on this occasion, Jonathan Marsico, a Denver-based painter, wanted to present this guide as a tribute to the 154th anniversary of the birth of Wassily Kandinsky, a great user of this technique in his compositions.

Materials for painting with acrylic

• ·         Acrylic paint
• ·         Brushes
• ·         Water
• ·         Mixing palette
• ·         Canvas, clapboard or even acrylic paper

How to use acrylics, a step-by-step guide

1.      1. Pour a little paint on the mixing palette. It must be of a non-porous plastic surface to be able to clean it easily once you have finished. Acrylic paint blends very well with other colors to create new shades. Artist Jonathan Marsico recommends making these combinations on the palette and not on the support as in other techniques.

2.      2. It is not necessary to create a preliminary sketch on the canvas. Therefore, once you have the shade that you want, you can paint directly in the area that you desire. To paint, lightly moisten the brush in water and spread the paint directly.

3.     3.  Acrylics can be worked with water. In any case, Jonathan Marsico  advises to use some acrylic Medium that will more adequately maintain the properties of your paint. In addition, it can also be painted with unmodified paint, as it comes in our tube or can. To change color you can use the same brush, if you want the tones to intermingle or choose to take a clean one. It is important, the time that we are not using the brush, it is best to leave it submerged in water, because the acrylic dries very quickly and can damage it.

4.      4.  Acrylic accepts multiple layers, therefore, if you need to make any corrections or apply a glaze on an already painted surface, you will only have to let it dry and paint over it.

5.      5.  In works with acrylic technique, a final coat or fixative of any kind is not essential, although acrylic painter Jonathan Marsico recommends applying a protective varnish, to guarantee a longer duration of your work over time.