Acrylic art paint, pigment in a polymer emulsion, was introduced to the public by Liqutex in the 1960's. It was developed to have the consistency of oil paints but because acrylic art paint is water soluble it can be diluted and used like watercolors too. It is a popular choice for painting because it is fast drying and unlike oil paints that need turpentine to work with and for clean up, acrylic paint cleans up with soap and water.
Instructions
1. Decide how you want to use your paint; like an oil paint or a watercolor. You will need to know this to decide what kind of surface to choose to paint on. If you want to paint like oils you will need to choose a canvas or an art board. If you want to work the paint like watercolor use a watercolor paper or a heavy 100 pound plus paper.
2. Select the appropriate brushes according to the type of painting you want to paint. If you want to paint like oils choose stiff brushes. You may also choose to use a palette knife to build up layers of paint. A palette knife is a tool that comes in different shapes that allows you to load a large amount of paint onto your painting and spread it like you would butter for a thick paint application. If your choose to paint like watercolors use softer brushes.
3. Let the paint dry before adding another layer. The paint can be diluted and layered over either thick or thin applications of paint
4. Gel mediums can be added to the paint to make it thicker, add texture and extend the time you can work with it. Fluid mediums make the paint transparent and can be used in the mixed media process as an adhesive
5. Put out a small amount of paint at a time to work with because the paint dries fast, there will be less waste.
6. Mix paint by putting down a small amount of the lighter color you want to blend. Add darker colors in very minute amounts. A little dark color goes a long way.
7. Load your brush at the tip and be careful not to fill the brush so full that the paint gets into the brush near the handle. It is hard to clean out. Use flat brushes for sharp edges and small round brushes for detail.
