Painting with Acrylics         By Jim Barrass

Course Notes

1. Choosing canvas.

•  Can be readily purchased in 2 grades 8oz and 10oz.  12oz can be obtained. 10oz is best for any support greater than about 400mm square.

•  Can be obtained primed or unprimed.   Unprimed and then primed on the support is best to ensure that the canvas stays tight. Requires no special tool s to tighten.
  

2. Making the support.

•  The support should have a bevelled (or rounded) edge to prevent the support showing through the painted canvas.

•  It is not necessary to purchase stretchers unless using primed canvas, or intending to remove the painted canvas for conveyance.
  

3. Stretching and priming the canvas.

• Primed canvas should be stretched with canvas pliers.

• Unprimed canvas will be stretched by the drying primer.  Various primers can be purchased for oil and acrylic work.
  

4. Developing the concept and drawing the painting outline.

•  If working from a photo, mask off  the parts of the photo that are inappropriate - either because of size (to suit the canvas) or aesthetics.

•  If you're not happy with your sketching ability make a viewing template of suitable size squares to place over your photograph. If working in plein air or with a model make a viewing frame to place on a stand between you and the subject.

• Draw squares on your canvas of the same ratio as the squares on the template or viewing frame.

• Draw the subject outline in pencil on the canvas using the squares as a guide.
  

5.   Choosing paint.

•  Any acrylic paint is suitable provide paints are not mixed.

•  House paint can be used - particularly for backgrounds and large areas of abstracts.

•  Mix Liquithick with very liquid paints.
  

6.   Choosing mediums.

•  There are three types of finish in mediums. - Gloss satin and flat

•   Mediums are used to thicken or thin paint and to give special effects

• Gel medium can be used instead of Liquithick to thicken paint.

•  Modelling paste can be used to build up structure - particularly in abstracts but it will change the tone of the paint.
  

7.  Masking tape.

• Used to define areas and to prevent overpainting.

•  Can be obtained in widths from 3mm to 50 mm.

• Use 3mm for drawing  circles and arcs.

•  Work ' backwards' with abstracts so that the top layer does not have the bottom layers showing through.
  

8. Mixing and application of paint.

•  For fine work use colour from the tube (mixed with medium) if possible rather than mixing two colours to get a required colour because some paint loses its vibrancy when mixed. Not always possible owing to tone variations.
•  Always mix more than needed.  It will be required for later touch up and repairs.
•  Mix and store on plastic picnic plates covered with cling-wrap.They stack well and keep a long time.
•  Apply paint with foam pieces obtained from a foam and rubber shop.
• When working up to masking tape, thicken the paint so that it doesn't run under the tape.
•  Paint tonal transition may be achieved by working :
•  wet on wet, or using retarder medium
•  glazing with mediums (very thin paint)
•  scrumbling wet on dry.
  

9.  Basic colour theory.   

•  Use a visual (or similar)  colour wheel. Learn primaries, secondaries and tertiaries.
•  Learn complementaries.
•  Use blue-grey tonality for distant landscape.
•  Balance a composition by repeating a colour in another part. Gives movement.
•  Be aware that pure hues in a composition can overpower it.
•  Adjacent colours affect each other because of after-image.
•  A grey field will often intensify a colour.
•  An object's colour is not constant. Eg.warmer  in the afternoon.
  

10. Finishing techniques.

•  Paint from the tube will be a satin sheen.  Varnish with gloss medium if necessary.
•  To frame a painting, remove it from the wooden support and glue the canvas to mdf  board or plywood.