Buttery.  Rich.  Luscious.
Painting With Acrylics Has Come A Long Way!

When painting with acrylics (or any paint for that matter!), you and I both know that scooping up a big glob of colour and pushing it across your canvas or paper, is somehow very fulfilling.

When you know a few tricks, or even if you are just starting out, painting with acrylics is an incredibly satisfying experience. Versatile and sophisticated, these days quality acrylic paint is arguably easier to use than oil paint. In many cases you can't tell the difference between them in a finished piece.

The things I love about painting with acrylics are:

• Ease of clean up
• Low toxicity
• Versatility (particularly Atelier Interactive )
• Clean, fresh colours
• Fun! 

Ease of clean up. One word... Water! Cheap, accessible, and (hopefully!) not toxic. Those of you who have concerns about dealing with chemicals (probably most of us) and fumes, acrylic paints are a no-brainer. Whilst they do contain poisons or toxins, the amount of exposure you have when painting with acrylics is considerably less than that associated with oil paints (don't drink it though!).

The versatile nature of modern acrylic paint makes the creative process easier. Even acrylic gesso has come ahead in leaps and bounds. Acrylic paints tend to dry quickly, which can be a plus (or not); it's a matter of understanding the paint's characteristics. When in doubt, there are many things you can do with an acrylic painting medium to help extend the drying time (or speed it up if you need to).

Newer generation acrylics means vibrant pigments. After a short time, you can paint a bright clean layer straight over the top of another, without muddying your colours. This is not always the case with oil painting. Acrylic and oil painting both have their pros and cons.

The fun to be had when painting with acrylics is endless. Fast drying time means any mistakes made can be quickly corrected, (or painted over). The paints can be laid out easily, with less fear of mess; and gets you in that fun painting zone, fast!

For more tips, special offers and quick wit (no, that's not half-wit), subscribe to our monthly e-zine, Acrylics Anonymous.

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Acrylic Painting Basics. Exciting First Steps
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Acrylic Painting Tips to Help Improve Your Painting Process
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Acrylic Gesso. More Than Just a Primer
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Acrylic Painting on Paper - Discover the Untapped Potential
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Acrylic Sealer. Where and When? Not Just a Final Coat
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10 Questions with Stay Creative's Ryan O'Rourke, master of 10 minute paintings.

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10 Questions with Chuck Black - Wildlife Artist and Conservationist.

I felt very priveleged to interview Chuck recently.  He's so generous with his knowledge and honest and humble in his delivery.  Do yourself a favour and learn a little more about him here.

10 Questions with Adrian Reynolds - Ren Creative Works.

As a child of the '70's also, and someone who has dabbled in many different creative areas, I felt an instant kinship with Ren, and was very excited to have the opportunity to interview him. 

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