When Using Acrylic Paint?

Question

When using acrylic paint, do you apply a base color first, or do you work around things?
Also, are there any suggested paintbrushes that would be good to work with?
Thanks

Answer 1

You don't need a base color. If you're using a primed canvas, you already have one... white.

White will generally give you a brighter and crisper finished product, especially if you work with washes or drybrush {scumble} over it ...Though that really depends on your painting style. If you work in thick, opaque color it really won't matter at all.

Synthetics are generally the best for beginners and acrylic paint. Sables are nice but don't really last that long with acrylics.

Around things? ...Are you planning on painting like you would a coloring book or paint by numbers? With acrylics you can glaze, use the aforementioned washes and scumbles, paint over stuff, work in layers of color, etc, etc... Try working the whole painting at once.

Answer 2

I like to add a base coat because it usually shows through a little and adds enormous depth. Recently, I did a orange-pink rose, I added yellow as a base coat. Then when I added the shadows in the rose, the yellow gave a glow to the non-shadow areas of the flower. So, I would suggest add a base coat except:

When you plan to paint thick like a paste. In such case, there is no point in adding a base coat as it is not going to show through.

Brushes: I like synthetic, mostly the bristle ones. I keep a few of the softer ones for achieving a smoother texture. Acrylic brushes don't seem to last long and so I don't buy the really expensive bristle brushes

Answer 3

I always apply base color first. It is called an underpinning. Than when you paint over the color it sometimes shows through and gives a cohesion to the whole painting.
The best brushes for acrylic are synthetic brushes. They are more durable and can withstand the toughness of acrylics.

Answer 4

I always use an under painting first. Then add color on top. For instance, the painting I'm working on right now is of a couple of swans. I blocked in the bodies of them with a sort of purple-y mauve color, then added white with a dry brush technique to add the feathers and highlights...leaving some of the purple under painting showing through.

Generally speaking, you begin an object with an under-painting, using the darkest value...then add lighter values on top.

Answer 5

yeah apply the base first. i know u didnt ask this, but heres a cool idea/tip i use. i container of gel medium(hobby lobby) and squirt some color on my pallet, then mix a generous amount of gel medium in with it. this makes the acrylic paint look more like oil paint, in the sense that it makes it more 3D and thick. =]

Answer 6

You can do either, so long has you have a primed base to work on. Brushes, I recommend synthetic taklon. Pig bristle drags more paint than it deposits with acrylics, and sable is cruel.