Acrylic painting techniques

Acrylics differ from oil paints in that they have shorter drying times (as little as 10 minutes) and are soluble in water.

These types of paint eliminate the need for turpentine and gesso, and can be applied directly onto canvas.

Having various paint brushes and a multi color palette is helpful in finding a technique that works for you.

Acrylics are often preferred because they dry faster on canvas than oil paints due to their polymer base.

A trick to keep paints from drying out is to spray a light mist of water over them occasionally.

To create a more fluid consistency, water or a pouring medium is added to the paint.

A translucent glaze or paint will be the opposite, consisting of slightly more water than the opaque version, and will have a smoother texture.

When it comes to acrylic pouring, the consistency of the paint mix will largely depend on the technique that it will be used for.

Warning, this pouring technique is extremely messy so make sure you are in a well-covered area.

Light colored glazes also have softening effects when painted over dark or bright images.