Though many painting purists would argue that oil paints are the best medium, acrylic paints are versatile and can be used with a variety of techniques to create interesting results. They dry faster than oil paints, allowing several layers to be added to a canvas over the course of a day. Since you can thin them easily with water or mediums, there are many ways you can use acrylics for pouring and glazing. The traditional and the modern come together to form many techniques to use acrylic paints.
Impasto
Because acrylic paints are made with synthetic chemicals, they can be used in a variety of thicknesses. If you enjoy the technique of impasto (applying paint with a palette knife) to create texture, acrylic paints can be used in this way. Work quickly and consider applying paint to the knife straight from the tube, because it will dry fast.
Transparent Layers
If you use your paints straight from the tube they will give you an opaque look, but that is not all you can do with acrylics. If acrylic paints are diluted with water or a thinning medium, they can be used in the same way as watercolors. These thin, transparent layers can be built together to create depth and blend colors. Unlike watercolors, these layers are permanent and can be easily painted over.
Glazing
Many glazing mediums are available to transform your acrylic paint into a sheer coating that can change the look of your entire painting. You can add several coats of glaze made from acrylic paint without problems. Because it dries quickly, many mediums include a retarder to slow the drying process.
Lines and Edges
If you want to create a hard, straight line within your painting, acrylic paints make it easy to do. Masking tape can be applied to dry paint without doing any damage to the work you have already done. In the same way that you would use painter's tape when painting your home, masking tape allows you to define an edge within your painting and remove excess.
