Check-out this acrylic paint bible to know everything about this craft essential and is acrylic paint safe for skin?
For all the art lovers out there, acrylic paints are a favorite, not only because they are a fast-drying medium but are also water-soluble. These paints become water-resistant when they dry and therefore you can use them on various surfaces like wood, metal, fabrics, and ceramics to create unique art pieces. Therefore, artists that are masters in different fields can use this medium for their artwork easily.
The History of Acrylic Paints
Did you know acrylic paints were first used in the 40s but were commercially made available in the 50s? Leonard Bocour and Sam Golden invented acrylic paint intending to combine the best properties of both oil paints and watercolors. In simple words, they wanted to bring together the best of both worlds, and they did.
However, artists in the ’50s were a little reluctant to use this medium. The reason included both the different attributes of the art medium than they were used to and its quick drying time, which artists believed created a hindrance in the colors’ blending process.
Finally, Andy Warhol’s artwork with acrylic colors brought its due attention to this revolutionary paint medium. Artists realized these colors were more bold, sharp, and had a distinct clarity! The quality of these paints are continuously improving to date, and artists today have created unique art with acrylic paints mixed with other mediums.
Using Acrylic Paints
Acrylic paints are made up of plastic pigments, and their quality has become more refined over time. They are easy to use, and you only need a few simple tools to use them and make magical art. These are not high-maintenance paints and offer generous support to your artwork from creating simple, bold art pieces to experimenting on different surfaces. They dry up quickly and you can also scrape them off easily. Moreover, acrylic paints can be used as an additive that can help you with the thinning and thickening of any base material or medium.
In addition to this, these paints are easy to use. They can also be used anywhere, unlike oil paints that require a well-ventilated area to work in and dry properly. They dry up quickly and hence provide the opportunity to add multiple layers in beautifying the artwork speedily and effectively.
Techniques With Acrylic Paint
- Dry Brush: Use a dry brush to create a textured and scratchy stroke in this technique.
- Stippling: Create an assemblage of tiny dots with your brush.
- Dabbing: As the name suggests, dab the paint with light pressure using a brush or a paper towel.
- Sponging: Use a sponge to dab the paint on the canvas.
- Glazing: Mix a little amount of the paint with a translucent glaze to create a hue shade.
- Splattering: This technique is popular in abstract arts. Use your brush to splatter the paint over your canvas.
- Detailing: Use a thin brush to add lines and extra details in your painting.
Learn how to choose a color palette for your acrylic paintings through this informative and helpful guide on acrylic paintings in general.
Is Acrylic Paint Safe for Skin
People in the art field often wonder about the safeness of acrylic paint when it is used on the skin. So, is acrylic paint safe for skin? Even though the bottle contents are non-toxic, one should not smear this art medium on the body. The reason is simple; the paint forms a non-breathable film over your skin that dries up quickly and makes it impossible for your skin to breathe. So, the paint can lead to issues when left on the skin for a more extended period. In addition to that, taking off acrylic paint from your body is a painful process, as water cannot remove the paint; it is instead peeled off from the skin and can uproot some of your body hair sometimes as well.
Therefore, it is recommended to use acrylic paints only on surfaces to create your idea and artwork. A current favorite for all artists out there, acrylic paints are offered by different brands and are readily available. Here are a few options to try:
Homemade Acrylic Paint Recipes
You can make this exciting art supply at home with these recipes:
Recipe #1
You’ll Need
- Color Pigments
- Clean glass surface
- Water or Alcohol
- Glass Muller
- Binding Solution or Glue
Method
- On a clean glass surface, grind and mix your color pigment thoroughly with a small amount of alcohol base.
- Next, make sure there are no lumps in your color mix.
- Then add a finishing medium as per your color preference. These mediums can help your colors get matte, chrome, or metallic finish.
- Finally, bring together your colors with a binding solution.
- Once the color is ready, fill it up in an air-tight tube or bottle and keep sealed when not in use.
Recipe #2
You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour – 1/2 Cup
- Water – 1/2 Cup
- Salt – 1/2 Cup
- Color Pigment or Food Colors
Method
- In a clean bowl, mix the flour, salt, and water to create a smooth flowing mixture. You can also add a little bit of extra water if required.
- Then, add a few drops of food color to this mix to create your faux acrylic paint at home. You can also make different colors in separate bowls.
- Finally, put these paints in tubes or bottles and use them with your kids to create unique art!
We hope you learned something new and different from this article. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
