Acrylic Painting Tips Acrylic Painting Tip 1: Keeping Acrylic Paints Workable
Because acrylics dry so fast, squeeze only a little paint out of a tube. If you're using a 'normal' plastic palette invest in a spray bottle so you can spray a fine mist over the paint regularly to keep it moist. 'Stay-wet' palettes – where the paint sits on a sheet of wax paper place on top of a damp piece of watercolour paper – eliminate the need to do this, but generally don't have a hole for your thumb so are more awkward to hold in your hand.

Acrylic Painting Tip 2: Blot your Brushes
Keep a piece of paper towel or cloth next to your water jar and get into the habit of wiping your brushes on it after you rise them. This prevents water drops running down the ferrule and onto your painting, making blotches.

Acrylic Painting Tip 3: Opaque or Transparent
If applied thickly – either straight from the tube or with very little water added – or if mixed with a little white, all acrylic colours can be opaque. If diluted, they can be used like watercolours or for airbrushing.

Acrylic Painting Tip 4: Acrylic vs Watercolour Washes
When an acrylic wash dries, it's permanent and, unlike a watercolour wash, is insoluble and can be over-painted without fear of disturbing the existing wash. The colours of subsequent washes mix optically with the earlier ones. A watercolour glaze can be lifted out using water and a cloth.

Acrylic Painting Tip 5: Think Thin When Thinking Glazes
If you want transparent glazes, these should be built up in thin layers; a heavy layer will produce a glossy surface.

Acrylic Painting Tip 6: Improve Flow Without Losing Colour
To increase the flow of a colour with minimal loss of colour strength, use flow-improver medium rather than just water.

Acrylic Painting Tip 7: Blending Acrylic Paints
Because acrylics dry rapidly, you need to work fast if you wish to blend colours. If you're working on paper, dampening the paper will increase your working time.

Acrylic Painting Tip 8: Hard Edges
Masking tape can be put onto and removed from dried acrylic paint without damaging an existing layer. This makes it easy to produce a hard or sharp edge. Make sure the edges of the tape are stuck down firmly and don't paint too thickly on the edges, otherwise you won't get a clean line when you lift it.

Acrylic Painting Tip 9: Washing-up Liquid with Masking Fluid
Masking fluid can be used with acrylics washes, as well as watercolours. Once masking fluid has dried in a brush, it's nearly impossible to remove. Dipping a brush into some washing-up liquid first makes it easier to wash masking fluid out of a brush.

Acrylic Painting Tip 10: Using Acrylic Paint as a Glue for Collage
Provided it's used fairly thickly and the item to be stuck isn't too heavy, acrylic paint will work as a glue in a collage.


SPECIAL ACRYLIC PAINTS

Acrylic paints are not to be used just for art canvas. Special acrylic paints have been developed for a variety of uses. For instance, one can now buy paints specifically for use on fabrics, totally washable and durable, giving one the option to add real flair to an otherwise plain piece of clothing. If one is involved with scrapbook and card making, why not add a personal touch to your projects with acrylic paint for paper? If you want to brighten up your kitchen and dining table, consider new acrylic paints for glass and china. This paint allows us to turn an ordinary piece of glass ware into an elegant and expensive-looking personal accomplishment. An added benefit is that this paint, when allowed to dry properly, will stay beautiful through many dishwasher cycles when loaded on the top rack. However, one thing we must be aware of is that this acrylic paint must not be applied in an area which touches the mouth or food.


LEARNING TO PAINT

Learning acrylic painting is not as daunting as it may seem. Many acrylic artists and instructors have developed their own methods, tools, techniques and instructions, making the learning process much easier. Donna Dewberry says that any one who can draw a stick figure can learn to paint using the One Stroke method which she developed, and which is so popular today. For those hesitant to try free-hand painting, stencils for all subjects and designs are available in various sizes, from very small to very large. Want to paint a mural on your wall? Use stencils and acrylic paints.


TUBES OR JARS?

When using acrylic paints, there are several points to keep in mind. These paints consist of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer binder to which water has been added. They are available in tubes and in jars. The tube paint, as you probably know, is much thicker and can be used directly from the tube or diluted with water. Acrylic paint in jars has already been diluted to a 'flowing' consistency. Both are suitable paints and dry to a smooth, shiny finish. This is no surprise as acrylic paint is just that - acrylic, or more commonly, plastic.


EASY CLEAN-UP

Because acrylic paints are water-based, clean up is fairly easy. Soap and water is used, NOT turpentine or other paint thinners, but this must be done before the paint dries. Synthetic brushes are generally used as the alkaline in the paint is hard on brushes made from natural hair. You can ruin an expensive brush in a hurry if care is not taken. Brushes must be kept moist or cleaned immediately. Since, as mentioned before, these paints contain acrylics, despite the fact that they are water-based, once dry they are extremely hard, if not impossible, to remove from brushes.



Credits:
http://painting.about.com/od/acrylicpainting/a/10tips_acrylics.htm
http://www.lindasacrylicpaintingtips.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK3Bgc7-d_0&feature=fvst

Done by: Yi Fang, Joyce, Wen Han