Brush Techniques For Acrylic Painting
Overview:
10 brush techniques for acrylic painting
Dry brushing
Cross hatching
Blending
Double loading
Splattering
Wet-on-wet
Fan brushing
Glazing
Scumbling
Stippling
If you’re a fan of brush painting techniques, you’ve come to the right place! Today, we delve into the captivating world of brush techniques for acrylic painting. Mastering the right brush strokes is essential for artists seeking to express their creativity. So whether you're a beginner or a professional painter, we provide our top 10 tips and tricks to help you unlock the full potential of acrylic paints and elevate your artistic journey. Let's dive into the exciting realm of brush techniques to enhance your next masterpieces!
Before you start
Before you get stuck into these 10 exciting brush techniques for acrylic painting, you will need some essential art supplies. Depending on what techniques you would like to experiment with, here is a list of the basic art supplies that will help you get the most out of these acrylic painting techniques.
- An acrylic paint brush
- Primed canvas, board, or painting paper
10 brush techniques for acrylic painting
1. Dry brushing
If you’re looking to capture natural textures and fine lines in your artwork, then the dry brush technique is perfect for you! This brush stroke technique is ideal for depicting grass, wood, and dirt on canvas. The best part about this technique is that it can easily be completed by artists of all levels.
How to do it:
1. Start by loading your paint brush with a small amount of paint (in any colour of your choice). We recommend opting for a stiff bristle brush.
2. Lightly apply the paint to your canvas in strokes.
3. Avoid dipping your brush back into the paint, as this will create the feathery and transparent effect you’re after.
4. Continue loading your brush with small amounts of paint and applying paint strokes until you are happy with the final result.
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2. Cross hatching
This brush stroke painting technique is perfect for easily blending colours together to create a unique texture, shading and depth on your canvas. Artists have the flexibility to control the density, direction and thickness of their strokes, allowing them to create a wide range of effects. So whether you’re looking to add intricate details or shade large areas, cross hatching adds a unique visual element to your artworks.
How to do it:
1. Start by choosing two different coloured paints to create the desired effect. Any paint brush can be used for this technique.
2. You can paint the background of your canvas to create more depth and dimensions first.
3. Grab your second colour and begin overlapping the paints, whilst stroking your brush in different directions. You can use classic vertical, horizontal, or ‘x’ shaped strokes for a dynamic effect.
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3. Blending
Blending is one of the most iconic painting strokes used by beginners and professional artists. It’s perfect for creating smooth transitions and gradients between colours. Blending with acrylic paint also offers the advantage of quick drying time, allowing artists to layer and build up colours efficiently. Whether you’re merging colours or creating bold colour transitions, blending adds depth and visual richness to your artwork.
How to do it:
1. Firstly you will need to select the colours that you want to work with. Make sure to use two colours that will seamlessly blend together.
2. Load your brush up with paint and start applying this onto your canvas in strokes.
3. Grab your second colour and start slowly adding strokes next to your first colour, and begin overlapping the paints to create a smooth transition.
4. Continue loading your brush with more paint to continue the process. You can also add more colours as you please.
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4. Double loading
Similar to blending, double loading is a popular technique that helps to create vibrant and harmonious blends between two colours. The double loading technique is ideal for creating foliage, flowers, or any other subjects that require smooth traditions. With practice and experimentation, artists of all skill levels can master the technique to enhance the overall richness and complexity of your acrylic paintings.
How to do it:
1. Start by choosing the two colours you want to blend together. Make sure to pick colours that will seamlessly blend.
2. Next, simply dip one corner of your brush into the first colour and the opposite corner into the second colour to make sure each side of the brush holds some paint.
3. Simply apply the colour onto your canvas to reveal a beautiful gradient effect.
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5. Splattering
Splattering is a super easy, fun and expressive technique that can be completed by artists of all skill levels. It can be used to create different elements, such as stars, rain, or abstract textures. Artists can experiment with different brush sizes and techniques to achieve unique splatter effects, ranging from fine mists to bold drips.
How to do it:
1. Start by choosing the colours you want to work with. You can get as creative as you like with your chosen colour palette!
2. Pour your chosen colours into a paint palette or small cups, so you can easily load your brush.
3. Once you have your chosen colours, dip your brush into a generous amount of paint and either flick, tap, or shake the brush to create your desired splatter effect.
4. You can also use a toothbrush for different splatter effects.
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6. Wet-on-wet
Wet-on-wet is an acrylic painting technique that involves applying wet paint onto a still-wet layer of acrylic paint. This technique allows for smooth blending and mixing of colours directly on the canvas. Artists of all skill levels can create soft transitions and soft gradients by working with wet paint that hasn't fully dried. This technique is particularly useful for creating atmospheric effects, such as sunsets, or different objects with soft edges.
How to do it:
1. Start by choosing the paint colours you want to work with.
2. Grab your brush, load it up with your chosen colour and begin painting strokes onto your canvas.
3. Simply grab more wet paint on your brush and begin painting over the already-wet strokes on your surface.
4. Continue with this process until you create your desired result.
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7. Fan brushing
Fan brushing is a creative way to produce unique textural effects and delicate strokes with a fan brush. The type of brush is shaped as a fan, making it the perfect tool for creating soft and feathery textures, subtle details and blended gradients. By holding the brush in different angles you can create a wide range of effects which are perfect for resembling grass, clouds or foliage.
How to do it:
1. Choose the paint colours you want to work with.
2. Before applying directly onto your canvas, you may want to practise the technique on some art paper beforehand.
3. Dip your fan brush into some paint, hold it on a slight angle and lightly drag the brush along the surface to create different effects.
4. You can test out this technique using up and down stroking motions or circular motions. Get creative and see what different effects you can master!
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8. Glazing
Opposite to the wet-on-wet technique, glazing involves applying thin, translucent layers of paint over previously dried layers. By diluting the paint with water or acrylic glazing medium, artists can achieve a transparent effect that allows the underlying layers to show through. This unique technique can be used to enhance the richness of colours, create subtle colour variations, or add a subtle blended effect to the overall painting.
How to do it:
1. Start by choosing the colours you want to work with. You can choose as many colours as you would like!
2. On your palette or in a cup, mix your acrylic glazing medium with your chosen colour. Make sure each colour is in an individual cup. This will help to thin the pain and extend its drying time for smoother applications.
3. Using a clean brush, load it up with one of your glaze mixtures and apply it in thin even layers wherever you would like to enhance your painting.
4. Allow your glaze to dry completely before adding anymore paint.
5. Once the first layer is dry, you can repeat the glazing process until you are happy with the final effect.
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9. Scumbling
Scumbling is an acrylic painting technique that involves applying a thin layer of paint over a dry base layer. This technique is used by artists to create textured effects, adding visual interest and depth to a painting. By adjusting the pressure, speed, and direction of the brushstrokes, artists can achieve different scumbling effects, from soft and diffused to more textured.
How to do it:
1. Start by selecting your chosen paint colours. We recommend using opaque or semi-opaque colours to achieve the best results.
2. Grab your brush, dip it into a small amount of paint and wipe off any excess if necessary.
3. Begin by lightly storing the brush over the dry base of your painting, allowing the texture and the colour of the base to show through.
4. Get creative and experiment with different brush strokes, pressures and directions to achieve unique scumbling effects.
5. If you want to deepen the texture of your painting, allow each layer to completely dry and continue adding more layers of paint.
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10. Stippling
Stippling is an acrylic painting technique that involves the application of small dots onto a canvas. It is achieved by using a small round brush with stiff bristles, otherwise known as a stippling brush, or even the end of a paint brush handle. By varying the size, density, and placement of the dots, artists can create a range of effects, from subtle gradients to intricate patterns. It is also ideal for creating textures like foliage, fur or any other rough surfaces.
How to do it:
1. Start by choosing the paint colours you would like to work with.
2. Using a stippling brush or the end of a regular paint brush, begin placing small dots onto your canvas. You can use different sized brushes to create different-sized dots.
3. Vary the pressure and speed that you apply your dots to the canvas. You can also drag the dots to create different textural effects.
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So there you have it! 10 brush techniques for acrylic painting. Don’t forget, you can get all your supplies from Art to Art either online or in-store, everything from paint brush sets and acrylic paint sets to art boards and paint brush cleaners. If you shop online, you can enjoy free shipping when you spend $100 or more. Plus, same-day dispatch Australia-wide when you order before 11 am.
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