Everything You Need to Know About Acrylic Painting

Acrylic is the most beginner-friendly painting medium there is: it dries quickly, cleans up with plain water, and forgives almost every mistake. It offers the flexibility to create detailed work, layering, and textured impasto techniques — and it costs far less than oil paint, so it provides great value for your money.

In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to get started: choosing colors, types of paint, painting surfaces, brushes, palettes, and the exact five-step process I use for every painting.

What Type of Acrylic Paint Should You Buy?

Acrylic paint comes in different consistencies, including heavy body, medium or soft body, and fluid acrylics. Heavy body acrylics have a thick consistency and are ideal for palette knife work or creating textured effects. Medium or soft body acrylics provide a balance between heavy body and fluid acrylics. Fluid acrylics, as the name suggests, are very thin and are great for creating washes and glazes. Personally, I use heavy body acrylics for my paintings.

Student Grade vs. Artist Grade Paint

When shopping for acrylic paint, you may come across student grade and artist grade options. The main difference between the two is the amount of binder and pigment in the paint. Artist grade paint contains a higher concentration of pigment, resulting in better coverage and color intensity. I always recommend investing in artist grade paint whenever possible. However, if you're on a tight budget, make sure to at least get artist grade paint for titanium white and any yellow you use, as student grade cadmium yellow does not provide sufficient coverage.

What Brushes Work Best for Acrylics?

Synthetic brushes are the way to go. Natural hair brushes, such as those made from hog bristle, are not suitable for acrylic paints — they soak up water when cleaning, which can cause them to become misshapen and lose their effectiveness. Synthetic brushes are designed to withstand the water used to clean off acrylic paint.

There are different types of brushes available, including flats, filberts, and rounds. The choice ultimately comes down to personal preference. I recommend buying a few brushes to start with and experimenting to see which ones you prefer. Princeton's Catalyst and Aspen series are both excellent options that offer high-quality synthetic brushes.

How Do You Set Up Your Palette (and Keep Paint From Drying Out)?

While you can use anything from a paper plate to glass as a palette, I highly recommend the Masterson Sta-Wet Palette. It comes in different sizes and has a lid that can be sealed to keep your paints wet. It also comes with a special type of paper that soaks up water without deteriorating. Underneath the paper, there is a sponge that can be wet with water to keep your paints moist for a longer period of time.

For a detailed set-up guide for this palette, check out our article here!

The Sta-Wet palette allows you to mix and blend colors easily, giving you more time to create nuanced and harmonious paintings. When organizing your palette, it's helpful to think about color theory and how colors mix together. Place your primary colors (yellow, red, and blue) in the corners of your palette, and mix your secondary colors in between. Add black and double the amount of white in the corners, as white is often used in larger quantities when mixing with other colors.

When mixing colors, consider using complementary colors to create more grayish tones. For example, mixing red with green can result in beautiful grayish colors, especially when adding a touch of white. By organizing your palette in this way, you can easily go back to a specific color and figure out how you created it.

To learn how to mix colors effectively, create small charts by making as many combinations and mixtures of colors as possible. Write down the exact colors you're using and experiment with different sets of colors. This will help you understand how different colors work together and allow you to make informed choices when painting.

Your Artistic Journey

As you embark on your creative journey, there are a few things that will greatly help you along the way. First, make a plan to paint and set aside dedicated time in your schedule for your artistic pursuits. Don't be ashamed to prioritize this time for yourself and your passion.

Second, find friends or a community to share your creative journey with. Painting is much more enjoyable when you have others to support and inspire you — that's exactly why we built Brave Art Club, so you never have to paint alone.

Third, never stop learning from others. Art is a continuous learning process, and there is always something new to discover. Be open to learning from other artists, whether through workshops, classes, or online resources. Embrace the role of a student, and you'll continue to grow and improve.

Fourth, don't be afraid to experiment and think outside the box. Try different techniques, tools, and approaches to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Incorporate elements that you admire from other artists into your own work. This experimentation will lead to new discoveries and expand your artistic horizons.

Lastly, embrace mistakes. They are an inevitable part of the creative process — around here, mistakes are steps forward. Instead of being discouraged by them, see them as opportunities for growth and learning. Set a goal to try new things and embrace the unexpected. By doing so, you'll open up new pathways of learning and discover techniques and styles you may love.

Above all, remember to have fun. Painting is a creative and expressive outlet, and it should bring you joy and fulfillment. Embrace the process of growth and self-discovery as you explore your own unique artistic voice.

If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to email us at [email protected]. And remember — you are loved and believed in. Happy painting!