How to use acrylic paint: five techniques every beginner should know
Acrylic paint is one of the best mediums a beginner can start with. It is water-based, so it cleans up easily. It dries quickly, so you are not waiting hours between layers. It works on almost any surface — canvas, paper, wood, fabric, card. And if you make a mistake, you can simply paint over it once dry.
This guide covers five essential acrylic techniques that every beginner should try. Even getting comfortable with the first two will transform your results immediately.
Before you start: a note on paint consistency
The single most important thing to understand about acrylic paints is that consistency — how thick or thin your paint is — controls almost everything. Thin paint behaves like watercolour, spreading and staining. Thick paint holds brushmarks and builds texture.
As a general rule: add water sparingly. A little water loosens acrylic paint beautifully, but too much (more than roughly 30% by volume) can break down the binder. For very thin, fluid applications, it is better to use an acrylic flow improver or medium rather than water alone.
Technique 1: Layering (building up from dark to light)
Layering is the foundation of most acrylic painting. Because acrylics dry quickly and become water-resistant once dry, you can build up multiple layers of colour in a single session without the layers bleeding into each other.
How to do it: Start by blocking in the darkest areas with thinned paint — this is called an underpainting. Allow to dry, then add mid-tones, and finally your lightest colours and highlights. Each layer refines and enriches what is beneath it.
Beginner tip: Keep your initial layers thin and your upper layers thicker. Thin paint underneath, thicker paint on top.
Technique 2: Dry brushing
Dry brushing produces a scratchy, textured effect ideal for suggesting rough surfaces — bark, stone, grass, clouds, weathered wood, and foliage all respond beautifully to this technique.
How to do it: Load a small amount of paint onto a stiff-bristled brush, then wipe most of it off until the brush is almost dry. Drag or flick the brush lightly across a dry painted surface. The bristles catch the raised texture and deposit colour in a broken, irregular pattern.
Technique 3: Wet-on-wet blending
One of the most common frustrations with acrylics is blending — specifically, that the paint dries too fast to blend smoothly. This is manageable once you understand how to work with it.
How to do it: Apply two colours next to each other while both are still wet. Working quickly with a soft dry brush, gently stroke back and forth across the boundary. For larger areas, mist the canvas with water to keep the paint workable for longer.
Beginner tip: Slow-drying acrylic mediums are a game-changer for blending. Adding a small amount of acrylic retarder extends the drying time significantly — sometimes by an hour or more.
Technique 4: Impasto
Impasto is the technique of applying paint thickly enough that the brushstrokes or knife marks remain visible and three-dimensional on the surface. Van Gogh's swirling brushstrokes are perhaps the most famous example.
How to do it: Use paint straight from the tube without adding water, applying it generously with a stiff brush or a palette knife. To extend your paint, mix in an impasto medium or modelling paste. These thicken the paint further and dry to a solid, permanent surface.
Beginner tip: Palette knives are particularly good for impasto — they allow you to spread, scrape, and layer thick paint in a way that brushes cannot.
Technique 5: Glazing
Glazing is perhaps the most underrated technique in acrylic painting. A glaze is a very thin, transparent layer of paint applied over a dry layer beneath. Because it is transparent, the colour underneath shows through — and the combination creates an optical mix that is richer and more complex than either colour alone.
How to do it: Mix a small amount of paint with a glazing medium until the paint is very thin and transparent. Apply over a fully dried painted surface with a soft brush. Allow to dry fully before adding another glaze.
Frequently asked questions about acrylic painting
Can you use acrylic paint straight from the tube? Yes. Straight from the tube, acrylic paint is thick, opaque, and holds strong brushmarks — ideal for impasto and detail work.
Why does my acrylic paint look different when dry? Acrylics dry slightly darker than they appear when wet. This is a characteristic of the medium and something you learn to compensate for with experience.
Can you mix acrylic paint with water? Yes, but in moderation. Adding too much water can weaken the paint film. For very thin, fluid applications, use an acrylic medium rather than water alone.
Is acrylic paint permanent? Once dry, acrylic paint is water-resistant and very durable. Finished acrylic paintings can be varnished for additional protection.
Shop our full range of acrylic paints, mediums and varnishes, and artist brushes at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online.