Leisure Painter - UK (2019 - Summer)

24 SUMMER 2019 http://www.painters-online.co.uk

T

he versatility of acrylic paints

means you have two media in

one. Acrylics can be used thick

like oils or diluted and used like

watercolour, but how do they compare

to watercolour paint?

Using water as a medium means you

don’t have to deal with toxic spirits or

fumes. It’s easier to clean up after use,

and there’s no need for any special

clothing, as the paints will wash out.

Watercolours dry quickly, but can be

reactivated with water. This means we

can lift out unwanted areas of paint on

the picture and revive dry paint on the

palette. They can create a luminous and

transparent look, reflecting the light of

the paper. We can also layer or glaze

so long as we don’t overdo it and

disturb the colours underneath.

Once watercolour paintings are dry,

however, they must be kept dry, as

any contact with water or moisture

can reactivate the paint.

Acrylics

The same user-friendly benefits of using

water as a medium also apply to acrylics.

When it comes to cleaning up, the job is

just as easy, but once dry, the

paint is basically a plastic so you

must wear clothes or an apron

you don’t mind damaging. The

same applies to your brushes.

Let a brush dry out and you’re

left with a stick so set aside a

cheap soft brush just for acrylics

and you won’t lose an expensive

piece of kit. You can use stiffer

hog brushes, but softer brushes

hold more water.

While acrylics also dry quickly,

they can’t be reactivated with

water. This means lifting out

unwanted areas can’t be done,

but you can always over paint

in white and start anew. Paint

on the palette can’t be revived,

but you can prolong its life by

a day or two by covering it with

Clingfilm. On the bright side,

this permanence means acrylics

are less vulnerable to water or

moisture damage, plus, you

can glaze away without fear of

reactivating the paint layers

underneath.

Tips and techniques

Students often comment on the

dull appearance of dried acrylics

and, once dry, they do tend to

flatten out, but a coat of matt

or satin varnish brings the

colours back to life and, unlike

using it on watercolour, it

won’t lift the paint.

Put acrylics to the test and

try the following demonstration

using a few watercolour tips

that may come in handy. Aim for a

flavour of the original, not an exact copy.

Don’t over mix paints on the palette.

Less is more so consider every stroke.

Use all the brush, not just the tip, push

it down and mop the paint around until

you run out, but when you lift the brush

off the paper you’re done; don’t fiddle

trying to ‘make things better’. Finally,

change your water frequently to prevent

muddying your paints.

Try watercolour techniques in acrylics

for yourself. Extend your studies by

copying the watercolours of other

painters you admire. I’ve found this

improves my decision making when it

comes to using watercolour paints for

real. The quick drying permanence of

acrylics promotes economic brushwork

and a lighter, more decisive approach

than watercolour demands. LP

Part 6Build your understanding of this versatile medium as

you paint using watercolour techniques, with Steve Strode

Aspects of acrylics

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

nHow to paint acrylics in the

watercolour style

nHow to compose a painting

nHow to make final adjustments

Acrylic

tLast Hour in the Surf, acrylic on paper, 10x10in. (25x25cm)

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