If you’re looking to learn how to use acrylic paint for beginners, scroll no further. There’s no need to feel intimidated by those tiny branded brushes and tubes a moment longer.
Today, painting is no longer a whimsical time-killing activity for the rich. It’s the type of hobby that can evolve to suit your budget. All you need is time and space to play. So, without further ado, take a peek at my top tips for using acrylic paints… Plus five extra bonus tips.
You’re welcome.
Tip 1: Choosing your type of acrylic paint
Quick art history lesson; acrylic paint is made by combining colourful pigments with a water-soluble polymer media. It shot to fame in the 1940s, thanks to its low odour, quick-drying properties and ease to thin or clean with water.
Since the 40s, the acrylic paint market has thrived. And today, there are hundreds of brands with varying thicknesses of paint. But which one should you use as a beginner? Should you choose artist quality paints (the super expensive kind)? Or student quality paints (the bargain basement type).
If you’re working on a budget, buy the cheap acrylic paint. It may take a few more coats to build up your desired opacity, but the final effect will be fairly similar. Oh, and just so you know, acrylic paints often dry slightly darker than the wet mixture.
Artist quality paints
These acrylic paints are generally thicker and contain single-colour pigments to ensure brighter, cleaner mixes.
Student quality paints
These paints often replace costly pigments with cheaper alternatives or pigment blends. They may even contain additives or extenders for a uniform finish.
Tip 2: Picking a paint palette
There are plenty of pallets to choose from in art shops. But I’ve never bought a ‘professional’ palette in my life. I like to use old yoghurt pots, jars or clean takeaway containers with lids. So, when I take a break, I can snap a top over my acrylic paint, and it’ll retain the moisture for later. But without a lid? The paint just dries up and becomes unusable.
Bonus tip: If your paint starts to dry out, take a fine spray bottle (an old cleaning bottle works well) and spritz over your colours.
Tip 3: How to use acrylic paint – choosing your painting surface
There are billions of painting surfaces to choose from. Papers of all sizes and thicknesses. Stretched canvases. Wood board. Canvas board. Printing panels. Canvas textured papers. The list is endless.
But don’t feel obliged to start with the most expensive materials from the get-go. I began with the cheapest ream of a3 paper I could find in an office stationery shop. It wasn’t the greatest quality paper. But it was the best I could afford at the time. And it gave me lots of opportunities to experiment.
Once you’re starting to feel confident in your skills, then try scaling up your surface. But make sure you have the space to display or store your creations.
Bonus tip: It’s worth noting that different surfaces will react differently to paint and water. For example, because I used cheap a3 paper, it would wrinkle when I added liquid. So, I had to clip the corners to a wooden board using large bulldog clips or stretch it using a gum strip.
Tip 4: Selecting your colours
Once you’ve settled on your type of paint, it’s time to pick some colours. It’s a good idea to stock up on primary colours – red, yellow and blue. And maybe even some secondary colours – orange, green and purple.
All colours are available in ‘cold’ or ‘warm’ tones. And choosing a wide range of colours will allow you to whip up a greater spectrum of colours.
Personally, I seem to burn through black and white paints like there’s no tomorrow. So, I’ll often buy larger bottles of those colours.
The more advanced you become, the more you may fancy a challenge. Restricting yourself to a limited colour palette can be fun. But there’s no need to dive into those challenges straight away. Just get used to mixing accurate colours and moving paint around a page.
Bonus tip: If you mix a colour that needs to be slightly darker, add a small amount of ‘burnt umber’ paint to your mixture. This brown paint has the perfect balance of red, yellow and blue and will gently darken your mixture. Just add a little bit at a time.
Tip 5: How to use acrylic paints – mixing your colours
I used a brush to mix colours for my first few years of painting with acrylics. I’d never been told otherwise, so I had no reason to stop. After all, you paint with a brush, so why not mix paints with a brush?
Well, this one time, I picked up a metal pallet knife from my local art shop. It was about £2, and I planned to try some more textured paintings. But for some reason, I used it for mixing paints. And I’ve never looked back. I’ve learned:
- It’s easier to mix paints with a knife because it slices through paint.
- My brushes stay usable for longer.
- After mixing a colour, you have more mixture. You see, a paintbrush absorbs the paint into its bristles. While a pallet knife can be wiped on the edge of your pallet and reworked into the mixture.
- Colours stay bolder and become less muddied. This is because bristles retain paint, however well they’re cleaned.
Bonus tip: If I have paint that’s too transparent, I’ll add a tiny blob of white acrylic paint to boost the opacity.
And there you have it, my top five tips for painting with acrylic paints.
Raring for more?
Sink your teeth into five juicy bonus tips on how to paint with acrylics.
Tip 6: How to pick your paintbrushes
Paintbrushes can be a minefield. But don’t let the excessive choice overwhelm you. At the end of the day, it’s just a stick, and it should feel comfortable to hold.
You’ll probably only need one or two brushes when you’re starting out. Then, if you enjoy painting, you’ll expand your collection over time.
In addition to regular artist brushes, I like to visit hardware shops for larger, chunky brushes that will add more texture. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
When buying good acrylic paint brushes, there are two things to bear in mind.
The material of your brush
- Synthetic brushes – As a rule, these vegan brushes are stiffer, which makes them ideal for working with thicker paints.
- Animal hair brushes – These are often the brush of choice for watercolour users. That said, different animal hairs have different purposes. For example, hog hair brushes are used for thicker paints, while sable brushes (these days, hair is usually taken from weasels, ferrets or minks) are used for detailed works of art.
The shape of your brush
- A round brush – Features a tapered point for detailed studies.
- A filbert brush – A good shape for blending colours.
- A stipple brush – Perfect for adding texture.
- A fan brush – Great for blending colours or painting hairs.
- A short flat brush – Features a flat top, which is great for covering the page. This is good for painting angles.
- A long flat brush – Similar to a short flat brush, just with more length.
- A large flat brush – Great for large washes of colour or varnishing.
Tip 7: How to use acrylic paint – your water jar
When it comes to washing brushes, I like to use two jars of water (I call them jars, they’re yoghurt pots. The big kind. You know the ones I mean). One is for washing the gloopiest paint from my brush. And the second jar is for a proper cleanse before switching the colour of my paint.
Similarly to my paint palette, I like to have a lid for my water pots. But not because they’ll dry out. I like to use covers because my cat tries to drink from every bowl of liquid she spies – and I’d rather she didn’t drink colourful water.
After washing your brush, blot it on a rag. Or a wad of toilet paper. This will absorb any unnecessary moisture and prevent pools of water from forming on your paper. You’ll thank me later.
Bonus tip: Avoid leaving your brush in water for an extended period as water will loosen the bristles. After use, clean them in warm soapy water and leave them to dry horizontally.
Tip 8: Don’t be scared to try different types of paint
There are loads of different types of paint to try. So, if you’re not quite sure about traditional acrylic paints, that’s ok.
Take a look at acrylic paints, which are: heavy body, soft body, ink, high flow, gouache or paint markers.
Not a fan?
There are also watercolours, spray paints, oil paints and encaustic. Some mixed media artists combine different types of paint.
Tip 9: Be aware of your posture
Whether you choose to work on a table, a board, a H-frame tabletop easel or a large standing easel, take a moment to think about your posture. Your setup should be the right height for your body, meaning you’re not overstretching or contorting your body into an uncomfortable position.
During my first two years of painting, I had terrible pain in my right shoulder. Hours of stretching, physio, and a higher chair later, I can now paint for hours without wincing.
Tip 10: How to use acrylic paint – just start
A blank white page can feel incredibly daunting. I’ve been there; I know. So, start with some inspiration. Do you have a reference you’d like to copy? Like a photograph? Or, is there a still life set up in front of you to recreate? Or a particular set of colours that you’d like to use?
Next, start by focusing on what you can do rather than what you can’t. For example, can you draw, but you’ve never used paints before? Then consider sketching an outline before you throw some colours around.
Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Mistakes happen, but that doesn’t mean you need to throw your painting in the bin. If your paint is wet, try scraping it off with a palette knife or removing it with a damp paintbrush. If your paint is dry, just paint over it. Going from a light colour to a dark colour is relatively easy. But if you’re going from a dark tone to a light tone, it may take several coats.
And there you have it, my five top tips for painting with acrylic paint (plus a couple of bonus tips). I hope you’re excited to get painting. Are there any other tips that you think are worth adding? Let me know in the comments below.
That’s all for now ✌️
Your paint-pal
Hi there; I’m Rebecca, a British artist and copywriter, and I’ll never be ‘ready enough’ to write a bio in the third person. I’ve been practising my crafts ever since the day I picked up my first pair of scissors in primary school and glued my fringe to a collage. Tasteful, eh?
When I’m neither painting nor writing, you’ll find me gardening, snowboarding, baking cinnamon buns or practising Muay Thai.
Frequently asked questions
Do you use water with acrylic paint?
As a rule, you wouldn’t add water to your acrylic paint unless you wanted to change its consistency or create a different effect. Acrylic paint is naturally thick and gloopy, so just add a bit of water if you want a thinner or runnier consistency.
What is acrylic paint used for?
Acrylic paint can be used to customise many surfaces and materials, including (but not limited to) paper, glass, brick, metal, plastic, canvas, fabric, stone and leather.
How long does acrylic paint take to dry?
Acrylic paint takes anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes to dry, depending on your room temperature, the thickness of your paint and whether you have added a fluid retarder to slow the setting time.
How do I get a smooth finish with acrylic paint?
Build up thin layers of paint with a nice broad brush. If any layers come out too thick or blotchy, you can always sand them down after they’ve dried.
