Acrylic paint comes in tubes or bottles.
Painting with acrylics results in a beautiful finished product, once the beginner gets over the initial adjustment needed to jump in and start painting. By practicing and working with acrylics, you will acquaint yourself with the feel of the medium. Acrylics are water-based paints, which dry more quickly than oil-based paints. You can paint on boards, paper or canvas. While artists' acrylic paints come in tubes, you can also buy them in bottles for less than $1. Use paints directly from the tubes, or mix them in water to thin them.
Experiment
When you are adjusting to a new medium, experiment until you get the hang of it. Get out a blank canvas, board or paper, and just play with the paint. Squish it, drip it, thin it, swirl it, glop it and mix it. Have fun with the process. Paint straight from the tube is opaque, and can be used as-is or mixed with other colors. If you want to blend paints, you can mix up a large batch before you begin work. Mix two or three shades, working from light to dark or dark to light, to determine which effect you like best.
Tools
Use a 2-inch-wide brush to prepare your surfaces. When applying acrylic paints, you can choose from round or square brushes in several widths. Brushes are an important investment for acrylic painting, as high-quality brushes won't shed and will last longer. A palette knife, somewhat like a butter knife, allows you to mix paints, as well as add texture to your painting.
Cleaning and Texturing
Cling wrap has several practical applications for acrylic painting. Cover wet paint to keep it from drying. Mix paint in cling wrap to save space -- you can just toss the wrap when you're done. Paint on clear glass with white paper underneath for easy cleanup. Texturing mediums, such as gesso or impasto, add thickness to your paint and will change how it dries. You can work with it so the paint looks wrinkly or rough. You can also sculpt it to form mountain peaks. Add acrylic medium or water to paints; the thin glaze that results provides a soft, delicate color.
Painting Surface
Several different types of painting surfaces will affect the way the acrylic looks. Select a thick paper to avoid warping. Canvas, wood and masonite also make fine painting surfaces. One advantage of wood or masonite is that you can cut it however you like; additionally, the grain of wood adds texture to the acrylic painting. Masonite provides a smooth painting surface, though it scratches easily. Apply gesso to wood and masonite before starting work.
You can buy prepared canvas -- the most commonly used painting surface -- in art stores. For a super smooth surface, layer gesso on top of the canvas. Dry well and smooth it with sandpaper between applications.
