Painting in general for the first time can be intimidating, but once you do it for the first time, it's not as scary as it appears. When I first started painting with acrylic I remember that I was scared to mess up. Thankfully I had an amazing teacher to help me and reassure me that I would be fine. But not everyone has a great mentor as I did.
Since there are not a ton of acrylic techniques to be taught like there are with watercolor. I thought it would be beneficial to provide you guys with some good tips and tricks that I've learned from mentors or from trial and error.
One of the most important things to know when painting with acrylic is that it dries fairly fast.
Beginner Tips:
Learn the color wheel
This tip I find to very important. Knowing the color wheel is very beneficial
especially when you are learning how to mix colors. So taking the time to
understand the color wheel will be very beneficial.
When beginning, buy basic colors
Cheaper paints are usually less opaque
I know buying paints are expensive and it is okay to buy the less expensive craft
store paint. Something to keep in mind is that they do tend to be less opaque than
the nicer ones. I will even admit that I usually buy the less expensive paints. But
when I know that I need my color to be opaque I will "splurge" on a nicer paint
just so I won't have to paint multiple coats.
Take care of your brushes!
-After painting ALWAYS clean your brushes. I cannot emphasize how important
it is to clean your brushes. If you don't clean them then they will harden and most
likely be ruined. I have learned the hard way from not cleaning my brushes.
-My next tip is after you have cleaned your brushes and are putting them away, it
is important to store them with the bristles facing up. If you store brushes with
the bristles down when they're wet it can ruin the shape of the bristles and
potentially ruin them as well.
Take pictures of your artwork
-I always take pictures of art I create even if it is just a sketch or doodle that I did
in my free time
-Taking pictures is a way to see how much you improve over time. It is awesome
to look back and compare a piece you recently did to a piece you did when you
first started out.
Practice makes perfect
Painting like a ton of other things is a skill that you develop over time. You will
not be a "perfect" painter overnight. It takes a lot of time and practice to know
what painting style fits you best and what type of paint you like to paint with as
well.
Last tip...
NEVER compare yourself to others. It is great to get inspiration from others'
artwork. But don't compare your skill level to others because we are all different
and are better at doing different things. I used to compare my work to others until
I realized that I am a completely different person and have a different painting
style from someone else.
I hope that you find these tips helpful! Here are some acrylic paintings that I have done to give you some inspiration for when you make your next piece of work!
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