Acrylics first appeared on the scene in the 1950's .Liquitex was one of the first brands available to the artist and continues to be one of the biggest sellers.Many brands are now available and is a very popular medium due to several factors 1.Being water soluble it eliminates the need for toxic solvents for thinning paint and cleaning brushes ,only water is required.2.The smell is much less bothersome to those who are sensitive to solvents.3.You can use acrylic paint on any non greasy surface.4.It dries fast so you can overpaint in much less time than you could in oils .5.Variety of technique : Acrylics adapt themselves to a wide variety of techniques including opaque(oil like),transparent (watercolor like), gouache and tempera type technique.Brushes, knives all kinds of painting tools can be used.One caution:
When using acrylics Keep your brushes moist by rinsing them often otherwise they will harden completely and will be ruined.
Needed to start : If you've read the other article I have suggested the purchase of a cheap set of paint from an art supply store that cost around ten dollars or so - this is your best bet.Except this time with acrylics you should get 2 of these sets as the acrylic paints dry out quickly more is wasted thus you will need more paint .Also try to get at least a 37-150 ml tube of white as the small tubes included in the set will not be enough if you attempt the opaque oil like technique of painting.
I always prefer synthetic brushes to natural ones for acrylic paint as the emulsifying action of the acrylic tends to clog natural bristles far more than their synthetic counterparts. Just to try it out though either use brushes you have , buy one synthetic flat about a size # 4 or 6 long handle for oil/opaque type painting or a short handle bright one about 1/2 "and perhaps a #8 round for watercolor /gouache technique.
Or you could just buy a cheap pack of hog bristle brushes for the opaque style of painting at the one and two dollar store they are usually stiff enough to withstand water for a couple of painting sessions.As to surface with acrylics you have your choice, you can use watercolor paper,illustration board,canvas ,masonite ,wood, cement,rocks...etc..Any non-oily surface that paint can adhere to can be used for your first experiments I suggest a small canvas panel and/ or inexpensive watercolor paper .
You will need a bucket to rinse your brushes ,a spray bottle to keep paint moist and I recommend that you use a disposable tear off palette,a milk carton cut open and laid flat,or a plastic disposable plate.A drop of dishsoap in the brush water can help keep your brushes clean.
Remember to thoroughly wash your brushes at the end of the day with soap and water. Happy painting!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
What Do I Need To Begin Painting In OIl ?
What do I need to begin Oil painting?
Beginners often ask "What kind of paint should I use ? What materials will I need to buy?"
The single biggest mistake beginning artists make when buying art materials for painting is this: They buy too much!
A simple understanding of how the different types of paint are used , and what type of work you expect to do will give you the knowledge you need to proceed.
So with that in mind, I will present to you an economical and effective list of items that you can get by with to see if you like any particular medium ,without spending a small fortune.
Part 1:
Oil: Oil paint is a slow drying paint, this allows the painter to correct work by scraping out and repainting the areas they wish to .Because of this, oil paint is highly recommended for beginners. Oils are very flexible in terms of the variety of styles and techniques you can use them for .Straight from the tube oil paints are thick and buttery and dry in about 2-14 days depending on the pigment in the paint , thickness of application,whether or not there are driers in the paint and the ambient humidity and temperature of the room .Various mediums can be added to thin out the consistency of the paint and accelerate the drying time.Available in the traditional variety that thins with solvents such as turpentine and odorless mineral spirits , or the newer watersoluble oils that thin and clean up with water.Oils are usually used in an opaque manner, meaning white paint is added to lighten the colors, and can also be used in a transparent manner: using glazes of paint rendered transparent by adding a prepared or homemade medium .
Needed to start: For beginners I would recommend a starter set of paints available at an art supplier like dick blick or others for ten dollars or so.Try and get an extra tube of white oil paint (37 ml or 150 ml) as the amount of white included in the little set is not sufficent to paint even a single painting. A pack of cheap hog bristle brushes will suffice for now.If they are only available individually then a # 4 flat hog bristle will be enough to start with.If a cheap paint assortment is not available then get a large tube of white (Titanium) and a smaller (37ml) studio size tube of Ivory black .For a basic set of three colors I recommend Ultramarine Blue,Cadmium Yellow Light or Pale and Alizarin Crimson or Permanent Alizarin Hue .A small container of odorless paint thinner to thin colors and clean brushes.Some sort of palette to mix on: an empty milk carton cut open will work or a plastic plate later you will want to use something more substantial such as a wooden or glass palette.A couple of small canvas boards (11X14"aprox.) or a stiff piece of smooth cardboard either sealed with a few coats of a glue/water solution or a piece of Masonite sanded then primed with gesso to paint on.You will also need something to mix the colors with: a metal palette knife is best, but a plastic one will serve for the first few experiments.If you choose watersoluble oils instead, simply omit the oderless thinner from this list. Any questions ? Comment below and I'll do my best to answer! Have fun painting !
-Phil
Beginners often ask "What kind of paint should I use ? What materials will I need to buy?"
The single biggest mistake beginning artists make when buying art materials for painting is this: They buy too much!
A simple understanding of how the different types of paint are used , and what type of work you expect to do will give you the knowledge you need to proceed.
So with that in mind, I will present to you an economical and effective list of items that you can get by with to see if you like any particular medium ,without spending a small fortune.
Part 1:
Oil: Oil paint is a slow drying paint, this allows the painter to correct work by scraping out and repainting the areas they wish to .Because of this, oil paint is highly recommended for beginners. Oils are very flexible in terms of the variety of styles and techniques you can use them for .Straight from the tube oil paints are thick and buttery and dry in about 2-14 days depending on the pigment in the paint , thickness of application,whether or not there are driers in the paint and the ambient humidity and temperature of the room .Various mediums can be added to thin out the consistency of the paint and accelerate the drying time.Available in the traditional variety that thins with solvents such as turpentine and odorless mineral spirits , or the newer watersoluble oils that thin and clean up with water.Oils are usually used in an opaque manner, meaning white paint is added to lighten the colors, and can also be used in a transparent manner: using glazes of paint rendered transparent by adding a prepared or homemade medium .
Needed to start: For beginners I would recommend a starter set of paints available at an art supplier like dick blick or others for ten dollars or so.Try and get an extra tube of white oil paint (37 ml or 150 ml) as the amount of white included in the little set is not sufficent to paint even a single painting. A pack of cheap hog bristle brushes will suffice for now.If they are only available individually then a # 4 flat hog bristle will be enough to start with.If a cheap paint assortment is not available then get a large tube of white (Titanium) and a smaller (37ml) studio size tube of Ivory black .For a basic set of three colors I recommend Ultramarine Blue,Cadmium Yellow Light or Pale and Alizarin Crimson or Permanent Alizarin Hue .A small container of odorless paint thinner to thin colors and clean brushes.Some sort of palette to mix on: an empty milk carton cut open will work or a plastic plate later you will want to use something more substantial such as a wooden or glass palette.A couple of small canvas boards (11X14"aprox.) or a stiff piece of smooth cardboard either sealed with a few coats of a glue/water solution or a piece of Masonite sanded then primed with gesso to paint on.You will also need something to mix the colors with: a metal palette knife is best, but a plastic one will serve for the first few experiments.If you choose watersoluble oils instead, simply omit the oderless thinner from this list. Any questions ? Comment below and I'll do my best to answer! Have fun painting !
-Phil
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