Acrylic Paint

Art Talk on:

     pencil
    charcoal
     ink
     silverpoint
     colored pencil
     soft pastel
    oil pastel
     watercolor
acrylic paint
     oil

Summary

Acrylic Paint as an Artistic Medium

One of the most versatile of media is acrylic paint. It can be worked like watercolor in thin glazes. It can be layered on a canvas like oil paint. Or it can be used to collage other papers to a canvas. And the artists that use it have styles that range for detailed wildlife paintings to modern abstracts.

History

Acrylic paint was first developed in the late 1940s as a house paint. Artists who wished to do large paintings and who wished to avoid the long drying time of oils soon began using it. Today, acrylic paint for artists is much more highly pigmented and specially formulated.

Tools Needed

	Acrylics Acrylic paints normally come in tubes or jars, the latter for larger quantities. With the increased interest in acrylics, the color ranges have increased. Also they are now available in a variety of consistencies -- from water-like fluids to pastes that can be literally sculpted when dry.
	Support Acrylics are most commonly used on paper (mainly watercolor paper) or stretched canvas. Because the acrylic polymer can bind to any non-greasy surface, they can also be used on wood, stone, glass, cloth,. etc.
	Brushes Most artist who use acrylic paint use synthetic brushes specifically designed for acrylic paint. Because acrylic paint is alkaline, it is hard on natural hair brushes. Also, because the paint dries quickly and permanently, expensive brushes can be ruined in a matter of 10 minutes.
	Water Water is both a thinning agent and a cleaner for wet acrylic paint. Dried acrylic paint is virtually permanent, although small spots can be removed sometimes by isopropyl alcohol.
	Palette The paint needs to be mixed on a surface that can either be thrown away after the paint has dried onto it or the dried paint can be scraped off. A disposable paper palette is a good solution.

Using It

Acrylic paint can be used in so many ways that there is not one typical way of using it.

Pros

	dries quickly
	can be used in a variety of styles
	can be stopped and started with no problems
	details are easy
	mistakes can be covered over easily
	doesn't crack like oil paint

Cons

	dried paint is nearly impossible to remove
	wet paint gives off a peculiar smell which some claim is hazardous
	shiny paint gives painting a plastic feel
	brushes can be quickly ruined by dried paint

Comments by L.M. Hornberger

"Okay, call me old fashioned, but I've never liked acrylics. I never could get it past my brain that I'm painting with plastic. I know they are versatile and the colors are fantastic and the are quick to use, but I still don't like them. About the only time I use them is for painting bird sculptures, basically because oils would be a problem on the habitat."

The next painting medium to be discussed is oil paint.

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