What Is Acrylic Art?

Many of us have heard of acrylic art, but really have no idea what the medium is. Acrylics are actually water-based paints, meaning they can be mixed with water to dilute them where they can be used in thin, watery glazes. Acrylics are made with synthetic resin to bind pigment, rather than using linseed or other natural oils. This allows acrylic art to dry much faster than oil paint, along with being water-soluble. This also provides for clean up without solvents.

The fast drying properties of acrylics turn off some artists who prefer a more patient approach, while other are enthusiastic about its quick drying properties. One fan is Seattle area based artist Daniel Wend, who says, “In college, I did a bunch of my work in acrylics. It was easy to set up and get going when I felt those creative juices flowing. I still create acrylic art because it dries so fast I can apply layers and change the piece as fast as I want.”

Acrylics were first produced in Germany during the 1920’s-30’s. The first commercially available acrylic paints specially developed for artists appeared in the 1950’s. The 50’s saw famous artists such as Kenneth Noland, David Hockney, Moris Louis and Barnett Newman use these new acrylic paints. The most popular produced at the time were by Leonard Bocour, founder of Bocour Artists Colors, Inc. and Permanent Pigments, who developed the first commercially available water-based acrylic paint.

Producing good quality acrylic art requires practice and good technique. If you have never painted with acrylic paint before, you should get some paper or cheap canvas and practice. Just paint freehand for a while until you get the hang of it. Your fingers and hand will begin to get a feel for how the paint moves. You can produce some wonderfully unexpected results just by experimenting and forgetting the “rules”. Even if you don’t produce a masterpiece, the act of painting itself can be highly therapeutic.

Check out acrylic art the next time to visit an Art Fair or art related website.

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