Comments on: The Acrylic Painting Academy – Direct Painting Part 1

By: matt

matt — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:56:37 +0000

In reply to Alan Lorden. Hi Alan, I'm simply getting a little water loaded in the brush (dipping). I hope this helps.

By: Alan Lorden

Alan Lorden — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 14:14:50 +0000

When you say “add a little water” are you adding the water to the brush (by dipping) or to the palette mixture (by spray or drops)?

By: matt

matt — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 20:30:32 +0000

In reply to Gerry Cornish.

Hi Gerry,

Liquitex is one of the better options, so the quality of the paint is not the issue. However, “Liquitex Basics” are considered student grade, but are still very good. Acrylics just simply dry very fast. There are additives that you can use to slow drying time, but they lengthen the life for only a few minutes. Golden makes a line of acrylics called “Open” acrylics. These paints dry much slower than traditional acrylics without having to use an additive. May be worth having a look at these paints, but they are a little pricey.

By: Gerry Cornish

Gerry Cornish — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 15:41:33 +0000

How long can you keep acrylic paints? I seem to be having a lot of trouble getting the paint to flow – even with water or with a gel medium. I watch you pull paint and mix them with very little water. My paint seems to be too gummy. Should I be buying new paint and if so would I be better off using a more liquid paint rather than the thicker kind in a tube. I’m using Liquitex. Thank you. I am really enjoying this course and appreciate your thoroughness.

By: matt

matt — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 18:50:16 +0000

In reply to Denise Allen.

Hi Denise,

The painting in this lesson is 10″ by 8″. It’s rather small.

By: Denise Allen

Denise Allen — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 00:07:40 +0000

Hi Matt,

Can you please let me know the photo size and canvas size used in this tutorial? Was it the same size (12 x15) used in the previous tutorial on “stretching the canvas”? Thank you!

By: matt

matt — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 00:16:12 +0000

In reply to Judy Strykiwsky.

Hi Judy,

These colors don’t really have substitutes, but you can use any primaries that you wish. It will give your painting a slightly different look, but our paintings should all be different anyway. To get a nice cool gray, like Payne’s Grey – I suggest mixing Ultramarine with Burnt Umber. Let the Ultramarine dominate the mixture so that the color stays cool.

By: Judy Strykiwsky

Judy Strykiwsky — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 21:35:47 +0000

Can you tell me what would be good substitutes for Indian Yellow Hue, Cadmium Red Light, and Cadmium Yellow Light? Don’t have those ones. Also is it correct that I can mix Payne’s Gray by using Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna? Thanks so much for your help! Really enjoying the course so far!

By: Debbie Leal

Debbie Leal — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 21:44:30 +0000

Hi Matt,

I started this video and didn’t hear or see anywhere that you explained the charcoal paper or whatever it was that you traced the shape of the image/paint tube onto the canvas. What’s it just a pencil that you drew onto a piece of paper?
Thank you,

By: Lisa Wolford

Lisa Wolford — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 01:58:51 +0000

Hi Matt. i love this project as a practice in getting comfortable with how to mix the variations in value and really taking risks with painting.

are the layers drying as you apply new layers, and does that make it more difficult to get the subtle changes in value?