The process of applying paint to a canvas will take a few days and sometimes weeks. This timeframe will depend on the thickness of the paint, the thickness of the layers, and the number of layers. A thick film can take up to two weeks to harden, but a thin film can take as little as one day or two days to set.
Tips & Techniques
Want to develop your practice or try something different? Discover new effects and new ways of working with these project guides and techniques videos.
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Mimicking oil paint with Professional Slow-Dri Medium
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Using unconventional tools
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Monoprinting botanicals with Heavy Body Acrylic
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Acrylic skin abstract collage
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Create an impasto palette knife portrait
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Marbling with Liquitex Inks
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Splatter painting with Acrylic Ink
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Mixed media with Acrylic Ink
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Using Basics with Gloss Pouring Medium
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Using Basics with String Gel
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Using Basics with Matte Pouring Medium
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Using Basics with Iridescent Pouring Medium
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Using Basics with Flow Aid
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Raised stencilling with Satin Gel
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Splatter painting with Masking Fluid
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Customized planters with Liquitex Glass Medium
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Layering Heavy Body over Black Gesso
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Dry brushing with Soft Body Acrylic
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Still life study with Acrylic Gouache
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How to create a watercolor-style landscape with Acrylic Ink
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How to paint original greeting cards with Acrylic Ink
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How to make a palette from empty Liquitex pots
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How to upcycle Liquitex pots into plant pots
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How to combine String Gel and Pouring Medium
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How to stain raw canvas with Acrylic Inks
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How to create Dutch pours with Soft Body
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How to use String Gel
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Masking and layering with our fine art Spray Paints
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How to create special effects
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Blocking and layering with Acrylic Gouache
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Tips for color blending with Soft Body Acrylic
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How to use String Gel with Soft Body Acrylic
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Illustrating with Acrylic Gouache
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How to use Acrylic Inks for wet in wet effects
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Creating color pours with Acrylic Ink
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Color washing with Acrylic Inks
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How to get the best color blends with Acrylic Gouache
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How to use our professional Gloss Gels
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How to keep your Spray Paint caps clean
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Tips on getting the best from our fine art Spray Paints
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See how to create acrylic skins with Soft Body
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How to look after Acrylic Markers
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How to achieve watercolor effects with acrylics
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How to create acrylic skins
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Soluvar varnish removal
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Painting on fabric
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7 Tips and Tricks for Painting with Acrylics
Acrylic paint is great medium for beginners because it’s non-toxic and can be easily cleaned up with soap and water. Acrylics are also great because they can be used to paint on any surface as long as it doesn’t contain wax or oil.
One of the first things that we tell our guests when they paint with us is that acrylic paint dries fast – sometimes too fast. It’s fast drying time is great because it allows our guests to complete their painting and take it home at the end of a two-hour event. It’s not so great when it makes it on to clothing or dries out before they are able to blend it.
Here are 7 Tips and Tricks for Working with Acrylic Paint .
1. When blending colors, keep your paint surface wet. You can do this by working very quickly. It may also help to frequently dip your brush in water to help keep the paint wet and spread more easily. If your paint dries out before you are able to blend the colors you can always reapply the paint immediately above or below the area you want to blend into.
2. Use wide and complete brush strokes with the largest brush you can when working on backgrounds. Because acrylic paint dries fast, short choppy brushstrokes will dry that way – your short, choppy brushstrokes will show up. When working on backgrounds you are trying to paint from one side of the canvas to the other without taking your brush off the canvas – a complete, wide brush stroke. If you find that your brush is drying out in the middle of the canvas and you cannot complete the brushstroke, try adding some water to your brush or picking up more paint.
3. Let your paint dry if you want to paint over something or layer colors. Acrylic paint will dry in a matter of minutes, depending on how thick it is. If you don’t like what you’ve painted, you can simply paint over it after it’s dry. If you are layering colors and getting blending of colors that you don’t want – let it dry. Your canvas can quickly become a muddy mess if you work an area with too much color and don’t give it enough time to dry between colors.
4. What are your options for when you “mess up” ? If your paint is still wet – you can dip your finger or a paper towel in water and simply erase your mistake. You literally can take the paint back off the canvas and erase it if the paint is still wet. You can also paint over the “mistake” when the paint is dry. OR take the Bob Ross approach that there are never mistakes only happy little accidents.
5. Acrylic paint will permanently stain clothing. If you don’t get it off your clothing very quickly, while it’s still wet, it becomes more challenging – if not impossible- to get it off. Getting acrylic paint off clothing is a topic in itself but the main thing you need to know is that if you get paint on your clothes, keep it wet until you can get it out. Murphy soap works well to get acrylic paint off brushes, hands and clothing but simply getting your clothing wet and working the paint with your fingernails is the best first line of defense.
6. Take care of your brushes. Just like paint dries on clothing it’ll dry on your paintbrush if you don’t take care of them. When working on a project, keep your brushes in a water cup when not using them. You’ll also need to thoroughly clean your brushes with soap and water after each use.
7. Most importantly have FUN and remember as with most things….practice does make perfect!!
Want to learn more?
Come Paint. Drink. Have Fun with us in the studio or virtually at home.
Avoid hard edges
If you’re painting acrylic on a stretched canvas, one of the first things you should know is how to avoid hard edges. This is where you can use masking tape. This tape will help you keep the edge of your painting from sagging and peeling off. The tape should also have low-tack properties because regular masking tape can remove acrylic paint and pull off the gesso on a gesso panel.
Paint thinly to avoid streaks and hard edges. You don’t want your brush to have too much paint on it. You also don’t want your paint to reach the ferrule, which can cause your brush bristles to separate. When working with any medium, it’s important to blend, but blending is especially important with acrylics. They dry very quickly and you don’t want your edges to stick out.
Acrylic paints tend to dry quickly, making it difficult to blend colors, especially on large scales. A good way to avoid hard edges is to feather the edges. This will prevent the edges from becoming too hard and will make it easier to blend. You can also slow the drying time down by adding a medium or retarder. If you’re painting with acrylics on a large scale, you may want to use a glaze liquid gloss, which will help the paint stay wet longer.
Another way to avoid hard edges when painting acrylic is by understanding the difference between hard edges and soft edges. Edges come in many forms, including changes in color, shape, or plane. Knowing the nature of these edges will help you capture them accurately. Hard edges, for instance, mark a sharp transition between two elements, while soft edges are more gradual.
Vary the viscosity of acrylic paint
You can use a variety of different acrylic paints to create the look and texture you want. They can be used for paper-based paintings, canvas, leather, and many other surfaces. However, you must be aware that the viscosity of acrylic paints can vary significantly. Learn how to determine the right viscosity for the type of painting you want to create.
Varying the viscosity of acrylic paint can help you control how much paint you need for a particular area. It also affects how much air you need for an airbrush or sprayer to apply the paint evenly and cover a surface. For example, a thicker paint requires more air pressure than a thinner one.
One way to control the viscosity of acrylic paint is to add a thickener or flow release to it. This help extend the duration of painting’s workability and enhance its ability to blend colors. You can also purchase a heavy-bodied acrylic, such as Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic, to create a heavy-bodied effect. Another option is to use fluid acrylics, such as Golden Fluid Acrylics, Lukascryl Studio, and Liquitex Soft Body. These paints are ideal for decorative and artistic applications. They are also lightweight and flexible, making them perfect for painting on a canvas.
Acrylic paints come in two types: high-viscosity paints and low-viscosity paints. High-viscosity paints are thicker and will not flow on a surface, while low-viscosity paints are thin and will run on the surface. If you’re new to painting with acrylics, you should start with medium-viscosity paints, which are the most accessible to beginners.
Avoid painting on oily or waxy surfaces
Acrylic paint adheres well to a wide range of surfaces, but it is important to avoid painting on surfaces that are oily or waxy. Painting on oily or waxy surfaces will cause the paint to run or peel off. This is a common problem that many artists have, so it’s important to avoid these surfaces when painting with acrylics.
To avoid the problem, use a firm art board. Museum board, illustration board, and fiberboard are firmer and won’t warp as the paint dries. Alternatively, you can use wooden or cardboard boards. A firm surface will ensure that the paint doesn’t run.
Another way to prevent paint from soaking into the surface is to use a sizing agent. This helps to seal the surface, preventing the paint from absorbing into the fibers. Wax resists paint from sticking to it, but requires heat and is therefore not recommended when painting acrylics.
Before painting acrylics, make sure the surface is dry and free of blemishes. If you want a perfectly smooth surface, use an acrylic medium, rabbit skin glue, or gesso to create a smooth canvas. Avoid painting on oily surfaces, which can make the paint run, or cause the fabric to buckle.
Another tip is to use a ground, which is the surface your paint comes in contact with. Different grounds are better for different purposes. Some are more absorbent and can be sanded smooth, while others are non-absorbent and are only suitable for rigid surfaces. Some are tinted, which means you can mix it with acrylic paints to make them more attractive.
Painting with acrylic paint can be fun and challenging. It can be used to create beautiful paintings in a very short period of time. However, it’s important to avoid painting on waxy or oily surfaces, as this can lead to cracking or bubbles.
