More on Acrylics

Acrylic paints can basically go on any surface. Traditionally, wood, canvas, and masonite are used. Some artists might use illustration board or paper, however if too lightweight of paper is used it can buckle from the liquid in the paint.

Acrylic mediums can alter the appearance, hardness, flexibility, texture, and other characteristics of acrylic paint. If an artist wants texture in acrylic paintings, he adds texturing mediums which thicken the paint and allow it to dry in different ways such as crinkly surfaces, rough sandy edges, or stiff peaks.

Acrylics are useful in mixed media as when once dry, artists can use pastels, charcoal, or pen on top of the dry surface.

Acrylic paints were invented about 50 years ago, so they have not had the test of longevity that oil paints have had, but so far they seem to yellow less. Read more!

Acrylics

Unlike oils, acrylic paints dry really fast. There are advantages and disadvantages to this quality. Quick drying can obviously speed up the painting process. Yet, too quick drying might make it difficult to achieve some effects, such as blending of two colors on the painting itself.

Acrylics can be thinned with water and acrylic medium. Acrylic clean up is easier – no solvents needed. There is also less odor when painting with acrylics.

More on this topic next week.

Meanwhile here are some of our artists that work in acrylics: Ursula Brenner, Cathy Kline, Gloria Coker, Ashley Dietrich, Alexandra Kruglyak, R.F. Tapnio, Christina Cena, & Yvonne Mora. Read more!

Painting techniques

In an earlier entry I talked about blocking in. Of course, there are other painting techniques.

Some artists paint over a detailed drawing they’ve done. Others prefer to paint one section at a time. They might complete individual objects before moving on to another item. One might paint the background first, then add the details on top. Another artist might paint the details and add the background afterwards.

When the painting is done, can you tell how it was done? Doubtful for the untrained eye, though it depends on what type of paint was used. Since acrylics and oils have texture to the paint, if one paint is painted on top of another that obviously will be more visible. Read more!

Art basics – Color: Transparent or not?

Color pigments are transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque. Opaque paint will cover up another color. Transparent barely shows on top of another color. Semi-transparent is in between. When an artist wants light an airy, they may use transparent paint. To make an object look solid more opaque paint may be used. Paint isn’t divided up so simply into these categories, but this gives you an idea of the range. Read more!