Acrylic Painting Techniques
This page will go through some techniques for painting. There are many resources on the internet to learn more than the techniques listed here, but this will give you a good foundation to begin experimenting!
Blending
Blending is a technique that can be used across many mediums such as paint, pencil and digital. To blend is to smoothly transition from one colour to another, this skill allows you to create artwork in a realistic way.
When learning to blend it is important to start simple. Start by blending one colour into other to create a smooth transition like above. When using paint it is important to have a clean brush.
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Once you become more confident you can start to apply blending to subjects. Often blending is used to help show form by including the values and shadows that are cast by a light source. A good way to practise is to make you image black and white and practise creating tone in greyscale before moving onto colour.
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Sgraffito
Sgraffito is a technique where you scratch through something to reveal a layer underneath.
In the example below a pigment has been applied to a ceramic vase. The pigment has been scratched away to reveal the white ceramic clay.
In a painting you can scratch back the paint while it is wet. If you allow the paint to dry you will need to use more abrasive methods such as sand paper or something sharp. Usually when artists use sand paper and scratch through dry paint they will have used a thick canvas or even a wooden board to paint on so that they don't destroy their artwork (a canvas can be patched up with a hole is accidentally made).
In the example below a pigment has been applied to a ceramic vase. The pigment has been scratched away to reveal the white ceramic clay.
In a painting you can scratch back the paint while it is wet. If you allow the paint to dry you will need to use more abrasive methods such as sand paper or something sharp. Usually when artists use sand paper and scratch through dry paint they will have used a thick canvas or even a wooden board to paint on so that they don't destroy their artwork (a canvas can be patched up with a hole is accidentally made).
Ceramic vessel with sgraffito used to remove the pigment and create a pattern.
This image shows how sgraffito can be used to make a landscape.The blue and red colours you can see in the lines would have been painted first and allowed to dry. The landscape was painted on top and while still wet the lines were scratched through. This is possibly been made in oil paint as it stays wet for longer. When using acrylic you could paint in sections to achieve a similar result.
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An example of sgraffito to create texture.
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Scumbling
Scumbling is a technique where you create texture by painting in layers.
There are many ways to do this technique, however generally a background colour is painted, allowed to dry and then a rough, loose layer is applied on top with a dry brush or even by scrunched paper or cloth.
There are many ways to do this technique, however generally a background colour is painted, allowed to dry and then a rough, loose layer is applied on top with a dry brush or even by scrunched paper or cloth.
Palette Knife
The palette knife is a tool that can be used by artists instead of a paint brush.
There are many different palette knives available on the market from spade like shapes of different sizes and shapes to notched knives.
Generally palette knives are used to create thick patches or colour. Oil paint will stay thick when dried, however acrylic paint with look thick, but when it dries it will shrink and become flat. If you wish to have thick paint with acrylic you need to add a medium such as gesso or impasto. At Year 9 we don't use these additives due to the expense, but you are welcome to purchase your own or wait for senior years.
There are many different palette knives available on the market from spade like shapes of different sizes and shapes to notched knives.
Generally palette knives are used to create thick patches or colour. Oil paint will stay thick when dried, however acrylic paint with look thick, but when it dries it will shrink and become flat. If you wish to have thick paint with acrylic you need to add a medium such as gesso or impasto. At Year 9 we don't use these additives due to the expense, but you are welcome to purchase your own or wait for senior years.
Additives
As the term suggests, this is where you add something to the paint. You can add sand, small broken sticks and leaves, saw dust, fine rocks, etc. This gives texture to the paint
You can also use items like tissue paper for a different texture. Scrunch the tissue paper to make a texture, apply paint to your substrate and place the tissue paper on top. You may need to apply some paint again on top to help it to adhere and not peel off later.
You can also use items like tissue paper for a different texture. Scrunch the tissue paper to make a texture, apply paint to your substrate and place the tissue paper on top. You may need to apply some paint again on top to help it to adhere and not peel off later.