Scroll to the bottom to learn all about Red’s process and techniques she uses to create her acrylic paintings.
Acrylic Paintings
While some of the oldest methods date back thousands of years, acrylic painting is a relatively recent innovation that originated within the last century. When it first emerged in the early 1900s, artists of all genres quickly adopted this new, fast-drying medium that showed versatility and potential beyond other paints. Employing different acrylic painting techniques has resulted in some of the most well-known and desirable works of art in the market.
With its versatility, acrylic painting draws all artists of all disciplines to it. Not only is it durable, but it also has an immediacy in its finish that other types cannot offer. Today, collectors can find acrylic paintings from artists around the world. https://www.invaluable.com/blog/acrylic-painting-techniques/
If you are interested in painting tutorials, you might check out this list of 30 Best & Free Painting Tutorials – https://www.mavenart.com/blog/30-best-painting-tutorials/
Why I Use Acrylic Paints
I personally like the fast-drying aspects of acrylic painting. It suits my style of creating abstract art. With acrylic paints, one can work quickly adding layers of paint simultaneously. I don’t have to think; for I only need to let my hands do the talking.
Acrylics can be used straight from a tube, like oil paints, or can be thinned, like watercolor. They are extremely versatile and vibrant, allowing me to express my acrylic paintings with a wide range of textures, colors and consistencies.
Bright colors, sharp brushstrokes, and quality lines characterize acrylic painting. Just what I like to represent in my fine art. One of the most desirable qualities of the medium is its ability to be used on a variety of surfaces and mixed with other media. You will often find I mix oils and acrylics to create my mixed media artwork.
Acrylic Painting Techniques
I usually incorporate various acrylic painting techniques in my modern abstracts. My creations may have a plethora of painting techniques. Palette knives, splattering, acrylic pouring and even a dry brush application are a few that I incorporate in my artwork.
Splattering
Splattering is such a fun, freeing, unpredictable technique that relies on applied energy to achieve its aesthetic. Acrylic paints, particularly the fluid mediums such as golden fluid acrylics or Lukas CRYL Studio acrylics, work well for splattering. But I have been known to try other types of acrylics mixed with mediums or just water to achieve various affects. Splattering can be a dangerous choice so one still has to be cautious on how much enthusiasm to use while splattering.
Splattering was popularized by Jackson Pollock, who is widely regarded today as the leading force behind the Abstract Expressionist movement. Coined the “splatter artist,” Pollock worked mostly with gloss enamel rather than acrylic, applying the pigment to his canvases with a stick and creating his famous “drip paintings,” and ultimately revolutionizing the way art is defined.
Palette Knives
Surprisingly, acrylic paints work well with palette knives. I especially like using this diverse tool with acrylic paints to create my abstracts.
A palette knife is a quick and easy way to add texture to the surface of my abstracts. I can also create sweeping, flat layers to provide additional depth to my creations. With palette knives, I can apply many different types of paints, texture and thickness to build up the canvas surfaces for my artwork. My modern art has so much more interest and depth with the simple tool of a palette knife.
Dry Brush
Dry brush is relatively simple to execute. This requires my brush to be dry as possible. I can create a scratchy, textured, uneven movement of lines on my canvas by using a brush not dipped in water. I usually use little paint on my brush and apply it with very quick, directional strokes.
Acrylic Pouring
This technique is fascinating and freeing experience, but you must be ready to make a mess or at least in my case this is what usually occurs. For this technique, buy an acrylic paint in a liquid, pourable consistency and add a pouring medium and other additives as required. In acrylic pouring, there are different ways to apply the flowable paint to the painting surface. I don’t use the popular acrylic pouring technique in which all colors are poured into the same cup or container and then poured onto the painting surface.
My acrylic pour paintings or what I call, “Going With The Flow” paintings evolve from pouring acrylic paint directly onto a flat canvas. Lots of paint is poured at different intervals in the process.
I pour paint at various angles, different spots on the canvas, and even directly on top of a recent pour. I will add water or other mediums to obtain an increased flow of the paints. Moving the canvas up, down, sideways, or tilted allows the paint to flow across the canvas in many different directions. It is like each color of paint has a mind of its own and with little control on my end, all the paints merger together to create their own story.
I especially like the results of this technique and find it soothing, relaxing and just plain fun. The only downside is not being able to touch it or move it until the paint has dried, which can take several days due to the amount and thickness of the layers.
Acrylic Paint and Medium Supplies
Here is a list of various acrylic paint and medium supplies I used to create my contemporary modern acrylic abstracts:
- Golden Fluid Acrylics
- Matisse Acrylic Paint
- Lukas CRYL Studio Paints
- Interactive Artists’ Acrylic
- Creative Inspirations
- Golden Mediums and Varnishes
- Golden Gessoes
- Liquitex Professional Gesso
- Liquitex Mediums and Varnishes
So, there you have it, a few fine art painting techniques that I use to express my acrylic abstract art on a gallery wrapped canvas.
Dare to Feel,
Red
See more of Red’s Creations in her gallery.
View Red’s page www.facebook.com/StrokesbyRed or www.instagram.com/strokesbyredartist
