I Wish I Knew This When I Started Acrylic Painting.

This video is a complete overview of my acrylic painting process from canvas prep to varnishing. I go through some of the essential tips that I have picked up from over 15 years of acrylic painting. I hope you find it helpful!

MATERIALS

My Most Versatile Easel

Acrylic Retarder

GAC 100

Liquitex Varnish

Removable Varnish

00:00 Intro
00:38 The Surface
01:37 Initial Sketch
02:30 Background
04:29 The Block-in
05:29 Painting Mediums
06:22 GAC100
07:10 Glazing
07:49 Using Water
08:31 Layers and More Layers
09:43 Brushes
11:42 Fur Details
12:51 My Secret Tool
14:14 Last Details
15:45 Varnishing
16:52 The Reveal

FOLLOW

PINTEREST

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[S.W.Best-writer]

I have a BA degree with (HONS). My style of painting is very much like yours. I was told that you can't get no where near enough detail without using oil. I watched this entire thing with my mouth open. (I'm 45 now) but I remember being told also that art won't get you a real job. I work in an office, and I'm miserable. What I wouldn't give to have such a great place to create art like yours. But I will pick up the paintbrushes once again after many years of typing on a keyboard and hating my life. I want to paint the starry night in oil. Which me luck :)

[LaurenceDay-dp]

I am not a good artist, but I find painting relaxing and fulfilling. We can't all be Picassos or Van Goghs, but we can enjoy being creative.

[theasylum]

The level of detail enthusiasm talent and hard work makes your paintings so realistic and amazing.

[cathybradshaw]

Absolutely beautiful! Finally someone who paints realistically with acrylics! Thank you for sharing

[traceywoodall]

Just the most beautiful painting that anyone would be proud to hang up and stare at forever 🥰

[oeb]

Every second of watching this felt like a gift. To be able to see the whole process until the very end was so fun! & I will be binge watching the rest of your videos.

[theoutnumbered]

This is one of the most informative & useful painting videos I have found, so firstly thank you for that.

It has really opened my eyes on techniques etc. My background is miniature & model painting with acrylics, at which I’ve become moderately reasonable over the years. I have occasionally tried to dabble in some canvases occasionally and really struggled. I’ve watched many acrylic painting videos, but many aren’t that different to some of the oils in approach.

But hearing you talk of priming, colour blocking, washes, glazes, layers, the ugly phase, and even using an airbrush, absolutely feeds into my armoury of learned skills. Your explanation has brought some clarity that I haven’t found elsewhere and am now inspired to go and try some more painting.

Thank you for your time

[LEE-kqtq]

As a newbie. I REALLY needed to hear the part about just.. trusting the process. Knowing that it's going to look bad at first. That the first few layers aren't going to look great. I keep having to stop myself from being discouraged and stopping bc I don't like how it looks at the beginning stages.

[Brooklynn-]

INCREDIBLE it's so realistic you'd think it was going to come out of the canvas ❤❤❤

[arminekasimyan]

I have no words to describe how talented and brilliant you are! To know how to put so much work and details into it is just mindbogaling! You are very gifted!

[kathleenpatel]

Wow so helpful! and encouraging knowing the first layers are rubbish even for you. The spray paint really ramps up the values! The gas mask is necessary for all the spraying. You have already given enough. Do not give your health. very helpful and practical!

[rathodmukendra]

"Sunflower farms in wind"
🌻 🌻 🌻
The spots and fur on the jaguar body,
always reminds me that 🙌

[MamitaClaud]

My daughter is a wildlife veterinarian. She will be celebrating her bday soon. I wish you are from somewhere near because I want to give her a painting of the 5 endangered animals they breed. Alas! I am from South East Asia. Love your paintings!

P.S. ​​⁠​​⁠​​For the person mitigating my personal knowledge vs. His subjective experience: I bought a cookbook and the courier cost was $200 while a bag's shipping cost was almost €400. That was DHL and fedex. We do have a post office here and we had lost packages before. Unless items are listed in large wholesale e-commerce marketplace which has really competitive shipping fee in neighboring Asian countries, courier cost is pricey. Some people need to weight in reasonable options such as shipping time, prone to damage in transit and the COST! We have equally talented artists here and deliveries are free. (I have a painting of a humpback whale diving in the ocean and waves are so realistic. It is my favorite and the artist is local). That is my excuse! I can't wink enough here. Before underming people first - widen one's limited perspective, make sure to properly "be in someone's shoes. Apologies, I am not a fan of horror art.

[jacquelinemcgowan]

Its like the big cat was lying there while you add the spots, almost purring and chilling out, gorgeous painting thankyou for sharing awesome ❤❤❤

[oreosryumme]

Holy 💩! Wow!! I think this may be one of the most talented artists ever to walk the earth

[spearageddon]

This beauty is so realistic it looks like he's just laying there thinking "are you done yet?" so he can get up and go. 😊

[artofcod]

Phenomenal work, I am a sculptor but enjoy picking up pencils and paints from time to time, but your work is another level.

[BMfixit]

The hours you went through to just get this beautiful piece painted has to be overwhelming. Im proud of you. I actually found a better way to use my talent to bank. This is so inspiring though. Great job

[AzarroFineArts]

Love your work. Architectural Renderer for 30 years. Retired back in 2007. Pen&Ink water color ad marker air brush. Finally getting back into landscape architecture acrylic thanks to you and other artists on Youtube, helping me from my no desire or burnout. Again great work.

[cherylmilner]

Your paintings are most beautiful. I'd like to thank you for sharing your hints and tricks you've learned along the way, very kind of you.