Creating original art is satisfying and fun. Oil, watercolor, graphite, and pastel are all exciting and useful media, but I enjoy acrylics. To create an acrylic painting, you will need:
1. A support. This is a painting surface. It can be metal, wood, or any kind of cloth, but most people use stretched canvas or heavy paper.
2. Paints. I prefer Golden acrylics , but I also use Liquitex and other brands. They are compatible.
3. Brushes. Bristle brushes are good for oil painting, and natural hair brushes are terrific for watercolor, but, for acrylic, you will need stiff, springy synthetics. I like Winsor Newton gold, but more inexpensive brands with either gold or white bristles work fine.
4. Medium. This is a special thinner that helps you control the opacity and thickness of your paint. You can use water alone, but this compromises the bond of the paint to the surface. Acrylic mediums come in many thicknesses, textures, and glosses. If you are accustomed to oil painting, you may want to use a medium that slows drying time and gives you longer to work.
5. Rags. As you work, you will want to wipe your brush and dip it in water frequently. This keeps your colors clean and pure. It also increases the life of your brushes. Rags are also useful for wiping off disasterous passages on the painting before they dry.
6. Water. When you paint outdoors, take a large plastic water container and a smaller empty jar for your working water. You will need to change water frequently when you are painting to avoid muddy hues.
7. An easel or table. If you are working on stretched canvas, you will need an easel. It is important to be able to use your whole arm while working and to step back frequently to check your composition from a distance. If you are working on paper and using thinned acrylics like watercolor, a drawing board will give you maximum control over drips and runs.
8. A palette. This can be a disposable foam plate, an old white ceramic dinner plate, or a plastic dish. Many acrylic painters use plastic containers with resealable lids. These can be found in the housewares section of any discount house. The lid will keep paints wet for several days. I prefer to use all of the paint on my palette in a single session and begin afresh each time. I store my favorite personally mixed colors in small bottles. A friend of mine used baby food jars for this purpose.
9. Also useful, depending on your painting style, are plastic palette knives, tool boxes for holding paint tubes and jars, a pair of canvas pliers for stretching custom supports, and a digital camera to shoot your finished works.
Now, you are ready to begin. If you need inspiration, check out my blog for dozens of ideas.
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Contributor's Note
Linda Armstrong is an author, teacher, photographer, and painter.
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