Top 10 Acrylic Paint Techniques

Discover the vibrant world of acrylic painting with our guide to the Top 10 Acrylic Paint Techniques for Beginners. From blending to experimental Sgraffito, this guide offers step-by-step tips, stunning visuals, and product recommendations to help you create breathtaking artworks. Unleash your creativity with paint from Broad Canvas.

View our handy Starter Set bundle

You can find all of our acrylic paint supplies here

1. Blending with Acrylic Paint

Blending is a fundamental paint technique that creates smooth transitions between colours, perfect for realistic effects like skies, skin tones, or soft backgrounds. Acrylics dry quickly, so working fast or using a medium can help.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Prepare Your Materials: Choose two or more acrylic paint colours (e.g., blue and white for a sky). Use heavy body acrylics for better control. Have a flat or filbert brush and a palette ready.
   
• Apply Base Colours: On your canvas, apply the colours side by side where you want the blend. For example, paint a strip of blue next to a strip of white.
   
• Blend the Colours: While the paint is still wet, use a clean, slightly damp brush to gently stroke back and forth where the colours meet. Work in small sections, blending the colours together to create a gradient.
   
• Refine the Transition: Add more paint if needed and continue blending until the transition looks seamless. If the paint starts drying, mist it lightly with water or use a blending medium to extend the drying time.
   

2. Dry Brush with Acrylic Paint

Dry brushing is a technique that adds texture and a weathered look to your artwork, ideal for painting rough surfaces like wood or stone. It uses minimal paint to create a scratchy, textured effect.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Gather Your Supplies: Select a stiff-bristled brush (like a flat brush) and your acrylic paint colours (e.g., burnt umber and white for a rustic look). Use student-grade acrylics for practice.
   
• Load the Brush Lightly: Dip the brush into the paint, then wipe most of it off on a paper towel until only a small amount remains—your brush should feel almost dry.
   
• Apply the Paint: Lightly drag the brush across your canvas in short, quick strokes. The paint will catch on the canvas’s texture, leaving a streaky, textured effect.
   
• Layer for Depth: Add more layers with different colours (like a light grey over brown) to build depth, keeping strokes light to avoid over-saturation.
   

3. Pouring with Acrylic Paint

Acrylic pouring creates mesmerizing, abstract patterns by letting diluted paint flow across the canvas. It’s a fun, beginner-friendly technique that produces stunning, fluid designs.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Prepare Your Mix: Mix fluid paint with a pouring medium (1:1 ratio) to thin it out. Choose vibrant colours like red, yellow, and blue. Add a few drops of silicone oil for cell-like patterns.
   
• Set Up Your Canvas: Place your canvas on a level surface, elevated with cups to catch drips. Cover your workspace to handle the mess.
   
• Pour the Paint: Pour each colour onto the canvas in small puddles. Tilt the canvas gently to let the colours flow and mix naturally, creating organic patterns.
   
• Let It Dry: Allow the canvas to dry flat for 24–48 hours to avoid runs. The result will be a glossy, marbled effect.

4. Impasto with Acrylic Paint

Impasto adds bold, three-dimensional texture to your painting by applying thick layers of paint. It’s great for creating dramatic effects, like flower petals or rugged landscapes.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Choose Your Materials: Use heavy body acrylic paint for its thick consistency. Pick colours like green and yellow for a textured landscape. You’ll need a palette knife or a stiff brush.
   
• Apply Thick Paint: Scoop a generous amount of paint onto your palette knife and spread it onto the canvas in bold, deliberate strokes. Don’t smooth it out—leave the peaks and ridges.
   
• Build Layers: Add more layers to create depth, mixing colours directly on the canvas for a dynamic look. For example, layer yellow over green for a sunlit effect.
   
• Let It Dry: Allow the paint to dry fully (24 hours or more) to preserve the texture. The result will be a tactile, sculptural surface.
   

5. Glazing with Acrylic Paint

Glazing involves applying thin, transparent layers of paint to build depth and luminosity, perfect for creating glowing effects like sunsets or shadows.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Prepare Your Glaze: Mix a small amount of acrylic paint (e.g., a warm orange for a sunset) with a glazing medium (4:1 medium-to-paint ratio) to make it translucent.
   
• Start with a Dry Base: Ensure your base layer is fully dry. Paint a solid background, like a blue sky, and let it dry completely (about 1–2 hours).
   
• Apply the Glaze: Using a soft brush, apply the glaze in a thin, even layer over the dry base. Work quickly to avoid streaks, blending edges for a smooth finish.
   
• Layer for Intensity: Let each glaze layer dry (30 minutes), then add more layers to deepen the colour. For a sunset, glaze orange, then red, for a radiant glow.

6. Sgraffito with Acrylic Paint

Sgraffito is an experimental technique where you scratch through a top layer of wet paint to reveal a contrasting colour underneath, creating intricate patterns or textures. It’s perfect for adding details like tree bark or abstract designs.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Set Up Your Base Layer: Apply a thick layer of paint in a colour like dark green or black using heavy body acrylics. Let it dry completely (about 2 hours).
   
• Add a Contrasting Layer: Paint a second layer of a contrasting colour (e.g., yellow or white) over the dry base. Keep this layer wet for the next step.
   
• Scratch the Surface: Use a tool like the end of a brush, a toothpick, or a palette knife to scratch through the wet top layer, revealing the base colour. Create patterns like swirls, lines, or crosshatching.
   
• Refine and Dry: Add more layers and repeat the process for depth, then let the painting dry fully to preserve the scratched textures.

7. Stippling with Acrylic Paint

Stippling involves using small dots of paint to build texture and shading, creating a pointillist effect. It’s a meditative technique that can produce detailed, vibrant images like landscapes or portraits.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Choose Your Colours: Select a range of paint colours (e.g., blues, greens, and yellows for a meadow). Student-grade acrylics work well for this technique.
   
• Prepare Your Brush: Use a small round brush with stiff bristles. Dip the tip into the paint, wiping off excess to avoid blobs.
   
• Start Dotting: Lightly tap the brush onto the canvas to create small dots. Begin with a base colour (e.g., green for grass), spacing dots evenly.
   
• Layer for Depth: Add dots in different colours (e.g., yellow for flowers, blue for shadows) to create contrast and depth. Vary dot sizes and density for a realistic effect.

8. Splatter Technique with Acrylic Paint

The splatter technique is a bold, experimental way to add energy and movement to your artwork. By flicking or dripping paint onto the canvas, you can create dynamic, abstract effects reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s style.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Protect Your Space: Cover your workspace with newspaper or a drop cloth. Wear gloves, as this technique gets messy.
   
• Mix Your Paint: Thin your paint with water or a pouring medium (2:1 ratio) for a fluid consistency. Choose bright colours like red, yellow, and white.
   
• Splatter the Paint: Dip a stiff brush or toothbrush into the paint, then flick it onto the canvas using your fingers or by tapping the brush. Experiment with different angles and distances for varied effects.
   
• Layer and Dry: Add more splatters in different colours, letting each layer dry (30 minutes) to avoid muddying. Tilt the canvas for drips if desired.

9. Collage Integration with Acrylic Paint

Combining paint with collage elements (like paper, fabric, or found objects) creates a mixed-media piece with depth and storytelling. This experimental technique lets you explore texture and narrative in your art.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Gather Materials: Collect collage items like magazine clippings, textured paper, or fabric scraps. Choose acrylic paint colours that complement your materials (e.g., earthy tones).
   
• Prepare the Canvas: Paint a base layer on your canvas with acrylics (e.g., a neutral beige) and let it dry. This creates a cohesive background.
   
• Adhere Collage Elements: Use a gel medium or the paint itself as glue to attach your collage pieces. Layer them creatively—overlap paper for depth or add fabric for texture.
   
• Paint Over: Once the collage is dry, paint over parts of it with acrylics to integrate the elements. For example, add shadows or highlights to make the collage pieces blend with the background.

10. Crackle Paste Effects with Acrylic Paint

Crackle paste creates a weathered, cracked effect, adding an aged, vintage look to your artwork. It’s perfect for backgrounds or textured focal points, giving your piece a rustic charm.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Prepare Your Surface: Apply a base layer of paint (e.g., a dark brown) to your canvas and let it dry fully. This will show through the cracks.
   
• Apply Crackle Paste: Using a palette knife, spread a layer of crackle paste over the dry paint base. Vary the thickness—thicker layers create larger cracks, while thinner layers produce finer ones.
   
• Let It Crack: Allow the paste to dry naturally (12–24 hours). As it dries, cracks will form, revealing the base colour paint underneath.
   
• Enhance with Paint: Brush a contrasting acrylic paint colour (e.g., white or cream) over the cracked surface to highlight the texture. Wipe off excess paint for a subtle effect.