@@HappyDArtist Also you can keep a spray bottle with water and spray over you palette, that will keep the moisture on the paint for very long. And if you mix too much paint and have to stop for some reason, put the paint in a tuperware on something with a lid, spray with water and keep it in the frigde, this will keep the paint fresh for hours and even days
Placing paint on damp kitchen roll helps too. You can also get open acrylics now we’re you can let them dry in the palette and then open them the next day. Not tried them yet!
Acrylics can be awesome and fustrating to work with because of their fast drying time. But using a retarder changes the whole game! Not only does retarder keep your paints wet for longer it also makes them easier to work with. Golden acutally has a line of acrylics called Open acrylics that are slow drying because they are mixed with retarder. They allow you more working time in both mixing and painting.
So, just took a look at your channel. What exactly constitutes your work as "fine art" because for it to be "fine art" there are standards. Self-dubbing yourself as a "fine artist" is ridiculous. Muppet.
@@Nine90Group have you ever... Seen the definition for *fine art?" Here's the definition directly from Google: "creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content." Also, Artists dub their art as Fine Art all the time. Happy actually does it on her site!! Original commenter's art is also actually very good in my opinion, but it's not up for me or you to choose if someone's else's art is up to mass liking or not. Art is subjective and really anything can be fine art by it's definition
@@Nine90Group what a snob, you’re on the wrong channel we don’t welcome negativity and yes that was negative, not even critique it’s just condescending.
For a mainly acrylic artist like myself is so interesting to hear a different point of view! I agree with everything you said but me being so impatient, I can't handle the waiting game of oils🤣 Loved this video and the painting in the end looks absolutely stunning x
I really loved this video. I really loved hearing you talk about your struggles because that's something we don't see enough on social media. It's really reassuring to know that even an amazing artist like you still struggles even now. As for keeping your acrylics wet on the palette. I recommend making a wet palette. You just need a flat pan (like a cookie baking pan) paper tower and some parchment paper or tracing paper. 1. place the paper towel flat on the pan 2. Pour water on the paper towel until thoroughly soaked 3. empty the excess water back into your water jar 4. Lay the parchment/tracking paper flatly on top Then bam! Your paints will stay wet for a long time. They may dry over on top but they'll still be wet underneath. just beware when spreading the paint too thinly on the palette. Hope this helps.😊
Yup - Acrylics are a hassle! But they save drying time and you can use them underneath your oils! ^^ Beautiful piece btw! 😍 I use the stay-wet palette btw!
As someone who paints primarily with acrylics on canvas, but watches artists who paint primarily with oils on wood, this was so validating! I'll watch y'all paint with techniques you just can't use with my chosen tools. It looks so effortless, and then I feel like I'm struggling so much. When in reality it's just different mediums and surfaces work differently. I'm not going to lie, I love acrylics on canvas, and I absolutely LOVE seeing the texture of the canvas on your art. This is a brilliant piece and you did a great job! Thanks for testing this out again for us, and also for not tearing down acrylics, but noting the good and the challenges with both! It was a very refreshing video. 😄 As everyone else has stated, wet palettes for acrylics are a life saver! I finally invested in one this year and it is life changing! I love your work! Thanks for all you do! 😊
I could never get the hang of acrylic painting, it would always frustrate me because i'd make the perfect colour and then it would dry after like 5 minutes of using it haha I really enjoyed this video and the more candid way of explaining your concepts, process and struggles with acrylics 💖 I always get so excited when I receive a new Happy D UA-cam notification 😊
Wow! That's so amazing and creative. Currently i am working on watercolor and oil. Both are already so much different mediums, that i have postponed creating in acrylic recently.
So I just started painting about a year or so ago. And I always wanted to try oils, but just like you said with yourself. I was intimidated by them. And so I started studying everything I could about Acrylic’s. I have since started trying to learn more about watercolors and oils also. But yet to touch them lol 😂 I see a lot of artists talk about using acrylics for the base of and then they layer in oils on top of the acrylic. Just wondering if you have ever tried this and your thoughts on it?
The only time I have done something like this is a bit complicated. In my painting class we learned to do an acrylic “under painting” on our canvases with like a brown paint. Basically we shaded our paintings with the brown paint, and only painted where there were shadows and things. Then when we oil painted on top, we only used transparent oil paints for a “glazing” process, so that it automatically shaded your painting with those colors, and completely enhanced it. But like I said, very confusing in a way 😂
I used to use acrylic for the base and then work with oils on top and from what I can remember it made oil painting simpler and faster. I’d recommend it, especially if you don’t have much experience with oil paints.
@@jordanalexandra95 That sounds like fun. I like transparent paints, or adding glazing liquid to acrylics. The issue with acrylics I find most is that they are often opaque and don't blend together that great.
I started with oils but got frustrated with having to wait a week or more to add details as well as the concern over the toxic chemicals. I'm only a few landscapes in but am hooked on acrylics. I live in a very dry environment but still find myself having to use a hair dryer to get the paints to dry quickly enough. I haven't even tried a nice smooth wood panel yet but am hoping to soon. The keys seem to be adding multiple layers of gesso to the canvas sanding in between applications then just before painting, spray the canvas with water and cover the whole thing with a layer of Slow-dry medium mixed with flo-aid. Then I try not to dispense any of my paints onto my wet palette paper until I'm ready to apply that color/mix. I'm still loving oil but I'm going to keep working at acrylics and add in some airbrushing and india ink over time. Great video, so glad this popped up in my recommended!
The secret to a good canvas is to keep adding layers of gesso until it retains a satisfactory lighter texture. For slower drying use retarder with water. The retarder eventually evaporates with little residue.
I don’t blame you!!!! I have to force myself to paint in acrylic and just practice but what I have learn with trial and error is my canvas need to be smooth gesso your canvas more than once and i use a glass palette “picture frame” 😉 and I keep it in a closed off container with a super wet napkin and my paint stays wet for a week or two hope this helps love your art work❤️❤️❤️
Hi Happy! I've been a fan for a long time and absolutely love your work. I've been a long time acrylic user, and based on the issues you mentioned with acrylics, I would recommend picking up a slow-dry blending medium (I usually use liquitex but there are other brands as well) to mix in with your acrylics that will give you a bit more blendability and also give your paints a bit more of that buttery texture! As for the paint drying on your palette, a cheap and easy life hack is a palette that you can seal. I usually use the lids from take out containers/Tupperware and then when I'm not actively painting I put the bottom on it so it stays wet. I also tend to keep a spray bottle of water handy and most down my palette from time to time to keep the paint wet. You can buy name brand palettes that will do the same thing, but they're more expensive and the take out containers come with free Chinese food 😅
Use a retarder medium to "water down' your acrylics so it's easier to work on canvas. Also use wet palette. Never use water to water down acrylics coz it stops the paint binder from working so paintings will fade a lot faster making your work not as valuable to collectors. Acrylics take a while to get used to but you can get better quicker if you use this info.thank you for your beautiful videos, I love your voice it's so relaxing! Love this painting xxx
You described the exact same experience and sentiments I've often had when trying to paint in acrylics! Your painting still came out quite nicely! It may have a rougher textured look compared to your oil paintings, but given that this was a Halloween themed skull painting, it totally works. :)
I love this painting! I do understand what you are saying about the differences between oil paints and acrylic paints. I started in watercolor as a teenager but in my twenties took oil painting classes and fell in love with the medium. I painted with oils for several years until I started having allergic reactions and yes I had great ventilation. I now only use water based painting methods. I do miss that buttery easy to spread and do many layers. This painting looks great so in spite of you struggles it turned out well. Thanks for sharing!
What makes it a lot easier for me is to prime the canvas with a few layers Golden sandable hard gesso, so the texture is smooth to paint on. light spray down on the canvas helps with blending too, and mix in mediums into it to slow dry time.
The one great thing about having to remix colors with acrylics is that you become a super pro at making the colors you want. By the way you are wonderful with acrylics even if it's not your favorite medium.
I started the same way from graphite when I was young to acrylic painting. Then I decided to try oil painting because someone told me oils where more forgiving. I felt more comfortable with acrylics and they're great for layering but hard to blend when they dry fast and blending with oils are so easy to blend. I'm still learning with oil paint but I totally agree with you oils are really nice to work with. Great job on the skull, very beautiful.
I did the same thing lol - I was painting with oils for a long time and then switched to acrylic recently. Your painting looks amazing! I actually really like that they dry quickly because it allows me to add intricate details more quickly, rather than having to wait a long time to add layers and details to an oil.
I was just doing some art journaling, nothing seriously finished, but the STA-WET palette allowed me to keep acrylic colors wet and blendable for days.
I'm glad you posted this! I am an acrylic painter who is trying oils for the first time so everything that you're going through is how I feel but with oils. lol
I’m still experimenting with different mediums to see what I like and what works for me best but I definitely struggled with acrylics at first as well, I’m getting used to them though!
Love your videos! I was wondering if you could make a video in which you discuss what made you want to be self employed? What was your very first year like? Did you struggle your first year and if so how did you overcome it? How did you manage your money? Do you think a business degree would have helped you? I am really interested in hearing about your experience!
Using small amounts of water help blend the paint very well and they dry slightly less quickly not like oils for sure and I find I use more layers with acrylics but it’s just adding water and painting a bit quicker
Look for Golden Open acrylics. They are acrylics, but dry in hours instead of minutes. They are professional grade pigments and allow a more oil-like work experience. They are not buttery, but blending, rework, and wet on wet are much easier.
Heres some things I’ve found make acrylics a little easier to use -use Golden’s Retarder medium on the palette. Like happy said she would mix the colors before hand for oils but then doing that for acrylics it would dry up too fast. If you use this medium as an ingredient in the pre mixing it helps prolong having to keep remixing and remixing. If you already do oil painting and want to transition to acrylics use Golden’s Open Stock line because they are the slowest drying acrylics ive used. -With the annoying canvas texture the only solution ive found was adding a diluted underlayer so that it dries fast enough to get started on the actual painting right away and you wont see white specks as much Lemme know if theres better ways of solving these problems
When I need help blending I add water to it, it thins it out which makes the blending a lot easier. Of course you dont want to add too much water because than you see that terrible canvas texture more.
I think ive heard about some "always wet palette" for working with acrylics, but ive never used it. I think that basically it was - a thick watercolor paper 300gr/m2 or more, where u mix ur acrylics, which is always wet, due to... - ...a "esponja" (spanish word need to translate) just below, which is is soaked in water that flows to the paper above. . Changing of subject ive passed the same difficulties than u and ive made similar evolution from acrylics little try outs to finally oils. I mix oil painting (wet stage) with oil pastels (dry stage).
I love Acrylics and I do not use oils. You denifately need a couple of sanded down layers of Gesso on that canvas, it looks way too rough. You might find it eaiser if you get your canvas smoother. Also if you use a stay wet pallet with the lid, then the paints can last a couple of week so you only have to mix once and while you are painting you need to keep misting your pallet with a water spray every hour or two so they stay moist.
Do you prefer any specific kind of wood for wood panel i actually paint on canvas but i don't like it's texture so much I was thinking of trying wood panel
She is a professional artist though whos been painting in her own style for years so I doubt using a different type of paint will make her artwork look terrible lol
Acrylic paint works great for printmaking with a gel plate. I think you would have a lot of fun with that. I totally agree about using canvas. I use acrylic paint all the time for my artworks, but I rarely use canvas because I hate painting on the texture.
Would you consider making a video of you painting different types/races of people in your mystical/ethereal style? I’m curious how it would look as I am used to the same pale, doll faced, flushed figures with light eyes and straight button noses from you-if not I understand but it’s so cool to see how artists interpret different people and things in their style and I think you did it before and it was really cool because it’s hard to learn how to paint different types of people and skin without making it look murky or muddied sometimes and a lot of UA-cam artists have mentioned that they often avoid doing this because of it being harder/easier to mess up or something 🥺 Thank you again for all that you share with us Happy D! 😭💕
Maybe try using more water or get a medium to slow the drying time down ( it'll work kinda like oils then). Also sanding and gessoing your canvas can make it smoother. I usually do this step 2-3 times depending on how bad the canvas is. Lightly misting your canvas can also help with blending 💕
May I suggest you try Golden Open Acrylics with Golden Open Gloss Medium (Extender). Golden Open stays wet longer and with the extender even longer. Makes blending WAYYYYYYY easier. And your painting came out great!!! Using a wet palette helps too.
My main media is steel (sculptures), but I do some oil painting (on canvas) too. With your normal being painting on wood and it's nice smooth texture, I wonder if some of the frustration you are having with canvas is that you are used to using a small amount of paint? When I paint (with oil) on canvas, I tend to load my brush more and it fills the canvas weave easily. I do paint with a wet on wet method though (which also helps fill the canvas weave), so loading your brush is more of a necessity at least for the top layers. My painting experience is still lacking, so I could be completely off.
I tried using acrylic and water color once or twice in the beginning and struggled. Oil is my favorite! Since I've become much better with water color, but I still don't preffer acrylics. It has less to do with skill anymore as much as the personal satisfaction I get when using oil or water color.
Sounds like you need a smoother canvas. Give Fredrix ultra smooth canvas a try, or do 1-2 coats of gesso over the canvas and then lightly sand it. It will be *much* smoother.
Personally I love using acrylics on paper for smaller studies. It kinda looks like gouache (? which I've never tried before) with the matte finish and more distinct yet smooth layers of paint. Oils are still my favourite though, especially for larger paintings!! :)
Also, if definitely essential to spray down the palette with water every 30 minutes, or so while working. Paints wont dry out this way. And if you want to preserve your own homemade mixed color, just mix with a palette knife and scoop into a salad dressing container. You can get an eight pack at the dollar store. They'll last literally for years this way. Also, the Sta-wet pallet keeps my colors wet for about two weeks.
Try using a smooth canvas for Acrylics. Hobby Lobby makes a very good and inexpensive Watercolor Canvas that works beautifully with Acrylics. I also struggled before switching to smooth canvas. Also, Sta-wet pallet is essential and a good matte medium will blend colors smoothly. Gotta work in layers, leaning into the translucency...buy heavy body primaries, Black and white. Then you can buy the Hobby Lobby and Liquitex Basic line to add vibrancy and a glowing effect. But hey, if you like oils, you like oils. I like working in layers and if used oils, I'd never finish a painting!
I always felt the same way you did until I bought Retarder by Golden,now acrylics are my go to. It let's me blend for much longer. Then I just use a blow dryer to dry the layer all the way when I'm done blending. But your painting is lovely 😍
Painting with acrylics are better when you lay your flat mid-tones first, then build it up with values and highlights. They're not great when just built up, because they do dry fast and aren't as blendable as oil. I think oil & acrylics have their value, it just depends on how much you know about your mediums.
I love to paint with acrylics, but I understand your struggle with it. If you are used to paint with oils it is harder to go back to acrylics because it dries faster. The concept you did for this painting is beautiful. I was also inspired by roses and skulls a few weeks ago for my Halloween make-up look. You can view it on my channel if you want.
I use slow drying mediums. It still doesn't come even close to oils but at least your paint doesn't dry while using it hahaha. There's a painter in UA-cam (Greg "Craola" Simkins) that uses a slow dry medium that he mixes himself with different products that lets him do awesome artwork that looks like it were made with oils, it's incredible
I seems like it needed a little more gesso layer befor you started. Would have saved the layers. Love to see you back in acrylics, the concept is beautiful and it came out so good. Your explanation for the differences between oil and acrylic were spot on.
I'm super late to watching this but my favorite combination for traditional mediums is actually acrylic and oil paint in the same piece. The acrylic paint is used for the first and second layer to get your base colors down quickly. Then after the acrylic paint dries, you can use oil paint on top for the nice details and blending. I dont know if you've ever tried it but I think it could be a good idea for one of the smaller study paintings you've been doing. Just don't do it the other way around. Fat over lean method lol
What I do is do the under painting in acrylics and paint over it with oil. It makes a good base and you can build more texture with the acrylic and not waste oil paint.
I think that the tooth of the canvas you used was a bit too big which is why I think it didn't feel quite right. The tooth on the canvases that I use is much smaller. To get the most out of acrylic paint it's important to have high pigmented paint such as Golden, Vallejo, liquitex ( gamblin equivalent ) and use water in combination with matt or gloss medium to mainting the surface's integrity. Take a look at todd schor's or James jean's work. I Enjoedy the video dude, Thanks once again.
a wet pallet is a must for using acrylics.
I just heard of those - definitely need to try that! 😆
@@HappyDArtist Also you can keep a spray bottle with water and spray over you palette, that will keep the moisture on the paint for very long. And if you mix too much paint and have to stop for some reason, put the paint in a tuperware on something with a lid, spray with water and keep it in the frigde, this will keep the paint fresh for hours and even days
Placing paint on damp kitchen roll helps too. You can also get open acrylics now we’re you can let them dry in the palette and then open them the next day. Not tried them yet!
I added KY to my acrylics as a medium once and it worked beautifully. I figured since it was water based. Who knew
@@patricialopez8788 what is K Y ??
I absolutely love acrylics! I prefer that medium.
Acrylics can be awesome and fustrating to work with because of their fast drying time. But using a retarder changes the whole game! Not only does retarder keep your paints wet for longer it also makes them easier to work with. Golden acutally has a line of acrylics called Open acrylics that are slow drying because they are mixed with retarder. They allow you more working time in both mixing and painting.
So, just took a look at your channel. What exactly constitutes your work as "fine art" because for it to be "fine art" there are standards. Self-dubbing yourself as a "fine artist" is ridiculous. Muppet.
@@Nine90Group have you ever... Seen the definition for *fine art?"
Here's the definition directly from Google: "creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content."
Also, Artists dub their art as Fine Art all the time. Happy actually does it on her site!!
Original commenter's art is also actually very good in my opinion, but it's not up for me or you to choose if someone's else's art is up to mass liking or not. Art is subjective and really anything can be fine art by it's definition
@@duckyducktm9197 Thank you! I hate that shit. And I hate Art Snobs!
@@Nine90Group you are ridiculous.
@@Nine90Group what a snob, you’re on the wrong channel we don’t welcome negativity and yes that was negative, not even critique it’s just condescending.
For a mainly acrylic artist like myself is so interesting to hear a different point of view! I agree with everything you said but me being so impatient, I can't handle the waiting game of oils🤣 Loved this video and the painting in the end looks absolutely stunning x
I really loved this video. I really loved hearing you talk about your struggles because that's something we don't see enough on social media. It's really reassuring to know that even an amazing artist like you still struggles even now.
As for keeping your acrylics wet on the palette. I recommend making a wet palette. You just need a flat pan (like a cookie baking pan) paper tower and some parchment paper or tracing paper.
1. place the paper towel flat on the pan
2. Pour water on the paper towel until thoroughly soaked
3. empty the excess water back into your water jar
4. Lay the parchment/tracking paper flatly on top
Then bam! Your paints will stay wet for a long time. They may dry over on top but they'll still be wet underneath. just beware when spreading the paint too thinly on the palette.
Hope this helps.😊
Actually all we see on social media is people bitching about their struggles... Where have you been?
Yup - Acrylics are a hassle! But they save drying time and you can use them underneath your oils! ^^ Beautiful piece btw! 😍 I use the stay-wet palette btw!
As someone who paints primarily with acrylics on canvas, but watches artists who paint primarily with oils on wood, this was so validating! I'll watch y'all paint with techniques you just can't use with my chosen tools. It looks so effortless, and then I feel like I'm struggling so much. When in reality it's just different mediums and surfaces work differently. I'm not going to lie, I love acrylics on canvas, and I absolutely LOVE seeing the texture of the canvas on your art.
This is a brilliant piece and you did a great job! Thanks for testing this out again for us, and also for not tearing down acrylics, but noting the good and the challenges with both! It was a very refreshing video. 😄
As everyone else has stated, wet palettes for acrylics are a life saver! I finally invested in one this year and it is life changing!
I love your work! Thanks for all you do! 😊
I could never get the hang of acrylic painting, it would always frustrate me because i'd make the perfect colour and then it would dry after like 5 minutes of using it haha I really enjoyed this video and the more candid way of explaining your concepts, process and struggles with acrylics 💖 I always get so excited when I receive a new Happy D UA-cam notification 😊
I oh! So wish I could struggle with acrylics like this..Absolutely gorgeous as always 😀
Wow! That's so amazing and creative. Currently i am working on watercolor and oil. Both are already so much different mediums, that i have postponed creating in acrylic recently.
So I just started painting about a year or so ago. And I always wanted to try oils, but just like you said with yourself. I was intimidated by them. And so I started studying everything I could about Acrylic’s. I have since started trying to learn more about watercolors and oils also. But yet to touch them lol 😂
I see a lot of artists talk about using acrylics for the base of and then they layer in oils on top of the acrylic. Just wondering if you have ever tried this and your thoughts on it?
I have heard about it but yet to try it myself unsure if it would change the outcome but I have been wondering
The only time I have done something like this is a bit complicated. In my painting class we learned to do an acrylic “under painting” on our canvases with like a brown paint. Basically we shaded our paintings with the brown paint, and only painted where there were shadows and things. Then when we oil painted on top, we only used transparent oil paints for a “glazing” process, so that it automatically shaded your painting with those colors, and completely enhanced it.
But like I said, very confusing in a way 😂
I used to use acrylic for the base and then work with oils on top and from what I can remember it made oil painting simpler and faster.
I’d recommend it, especially if you don’t have much experience with oil paints.
@@jordanalexandra95 That sounds like fun. I like transparent paints, or adding glazing liquid to acrylics. The issue with acrylics I find most is that they are often opaque and don't blend together that great.
Love the concept! Beautiful work as always. I am used to using acrylics and I am intimidated by oils, but you inspire me to try.
Incredible! Love these colours so much!
I started with oils but got frustrated with having to wait a week or more to add details as well as the concern over the toxic chemicals. I'm only a few landscapes in but am hooked on acrylics. I live in a very dry environment but still find myself having to use a hair dryer to get the paints to dry quickly enough. I haven't even tried a nice smooth wood panel yet but am hoping to soon. The keys seem to be adding multiple layers of gesso to the canvas sanding in between applications then just before painting, spray the canvas with water and cover the whole thing with a layer of Slow-dry medium mixed with flo-aid. Then I try not to dispense any of my paints onto my wet palette paper until I'm ready to apply that color/mix. I'm still loving oil but I'm going to keep working at acrylics and add in some airbrushing and india ink over time. Great video, so glad this popped up in my recommended!
The secret to a good canvas is to keep adding layers of gesso until it retains a satisfactory lighter texture.
For slower drying use retarder with water. The retarder eventually evaporates with little residue.
I don’t blame you!!!! I have to force myself to paint in acrylic and just practice but what I have learn with trial and error is my canvas need to be smooth gesso your canvas more than once and i use a glass palette “picture frame” 😉 and I keep it in a closed off container with a super wet napkin and my paint stays wet for a week or two hope this helps love your art work❤️❤️❤️
Hi Happy! I've been a fan for a long time and absolutely love your work. I've been a long time acrylic user, and based on the issues you mentioned with acrylics, I would recommend picking up a slow-dry blending medium (I usually use liquitex but there are other brands as well) to mix in with your acrylics that will give you a bit more blendability and also give your paints a bit more of that buttery texture! As for the paint drying on your palette, a cheap and easy life hack is a palette that you can seal. I usually use the lids from take out containers/Tupperware and then when I'm not actively painting I put the bottom on it so it stays wet. I also tend to keep a spray bottle of water handy and most down my palette from time to time to keep the paint wet. You can buy name brand palettes that will do the same thing, but they're more expensive and the take out containers come with free Chinese food 😅
Use a retarder medium to "water down' your acrylics so it's easier to work on canvas. Also use wet palette. Never use water to water down acrylics coz it stops the paint binder from working so paintings will fade a lot faster making your work not as valuable to collectors. Acrylics take a while to get used to but you can get better quicker if you use this info.thank you for your beautiful videos, I love your voice it's so relaxing! Love this painting xxx
I love acrylics. This is a great piece. Love hiw you did the eye
Incredible skull painting
You described the exact same experience and sentiments I've often had when trying to paint in acrylics! Your painting still came out quite nicely! It may have a rougher textured look compared to your oil paintings, but given that this was a Halloween themed skull painting, it totally works. :)
I love this painting! I do understand what you are saying about the differences between oil paints and acrylic paints. I started in watercolor as a teenager but in my twenties took oil painting classes and fell in love with the medium. I painted with oils for several years until I started having allergic reactions and yes I had great ventilation. I now only use water based painting methods. I do miss that buttery easy to spread and do many layers. This painting looks great so in spite of you struggles it turned out well. Thanks for sharing!
There is also extenders for acrylic paint to keep it wet longer and you can go over acrylic with pastels to get more subtle gradients.
What makes it a lot easier for me is to prime the canvas with a few layers Golden sandable hard gesso, so the texture is smooth to paint on. light spray down on the canvas helps with blending too, and mix in mediums into it to slow dry time.
You are very good using acrylic paint and oil paint 👍👍
The one great thing about having to remix colors with acrylics is that you become a super pro at making the colors you want. By the way you are wonderful with acrylics even if it's not your favorite medium.
You do a wonderful job with any medium 🤗
I think the canvas texture added a cool touch to the painting, kind of vintage pixel-arty feel. I reeally like it!!
Can never get over the beauty of your art🎨💕
I started the same way from graphite when I was young to acrylic painting. Then I decided to try oil painting because someone told me oils where more forgiving. I felt more comfortable with acrylics and they're great for layering but hard to blend when they dry fast and blending with oils are so easy to blend. I'm still learning with oil paint but I totally agree with you oils are really nice to work with. Great job on the skull, very beautiful.
I did the same thing lol - I was painting with oils for a long time and then switched to acrylic recently. Your painting looks amazing! I actually really like that they dry quickly because it allows me to add intricate details more quickly, rather than having to wait a long time to add layers and details to an oil.
I was just doing some art journaling, nothing seriously finished, but the STA-WET palette allowed me to keep acrylic colors wet and blendable for days.
So gorgeous 😻
I'm glad you posted this! I am an acrylic painter who is trying oils for the first time so everything that you're going through is how I feel but with oils. lol
I’m still experimenting with different mediums to see what I like and what works for me best but I definitely struggled with acrylics at first as well, I’m getting used to them though!
I love the style of your videos so very much - so calming and neat. I always look forward to your uploads. Wishing you a good week xx
Love your videos! I was wondering if you could make a video in which you discuss what made you want to be self employed? What was your very first year like? Did you struggle your first year and if so how did you overcome it? How did you manage your money? Do you think a business degree would have helped you? I am really interested in hearing about your experience!
Using small amounts of water help blend the paint very well and they dry slightly less quickly not like oils for sure and I find I use more layers with acrylics but it’s just adding water and painting a bit quicker
Look for Golden Open acrylics. They are acrylics, but dry in hours instead of minutes. They are professional grade pigments and allow a more oil-like work experience. They are not buttery, but blending, rework, and wet on wet are much easier.
Beautiful piece HD! 🙏💃
I think you would love golden's open acrylics. they are a happy medium between regular acrylic and oil paint.
Love the dripp!!!
You are so awesome 💕💕💕
Keep inspiring.👍
Heres some things I’ve found make acrylics a little easier to use
-use Golden’s Retarder medium on the palette. Like happy said she would mix the colors before hand for oils but then doing that for acrylics it would dry up too fast. If you use this medium as an ingredient in the pre mixing it helps prolong having to keep remixing and remixing. If you already do oil painting and want to transition to acrylics use Golden’s Open Stock line because they are the slowest drying acrylics ive used.
-With the annoying canvas texture the only solution ive found was adding a diluted underlayer so that it dries fast enough to get started on the actual painting right away and you wont see white specks as much
Lemme know if theres better ways of solving these problems
I love to use watercolor paper with transparent airbrush paint easier to glaze and blend
I use acrylic paint and discovered a Sta Wet pallet. It keeps your acrylics wet and makes them easier to use.
When I need help blending I add water to it, it thins it out which makes the blending a lot easier. Of course you dont want to add too much water because than you see that terrible canvas texture more.
Your oil painting has a digital looking style to traditional medium art wow very nice 👍🏼
I think ive heard about some "always wet palette" for working with acrylics, but ive never used it.
I think that basically it was
- a thick watercolor paper 300gr/m2 or more, where u mix ur acrylics, which is always wet, due to...
- ...a "esponja" (spanish word need to translate) just below, which is is soaked in water that flows to the paper above.
.
Changing of subject ive passed the same difficulties than u and ive made similar evolution from acrylics little try outs to finally oils. I mix oil painting (wet stage) with oil pastels (dry stage).
I love Acrylics and I do not use oils. You denifately need a couple of sanded down layers of Gesso on that canvas, it looks way too rough. You might find it eaiser if you get your canvas smoother. Also if you use a stay wet pallet with the lid, then the paints can last a couple of week so you only have to mix once and while you are painting you need to keep misting your pallet with a water spray every hour or two so they stay moist.
Gorgeous painting.
great work!
Stunning 🌺🌺🌺🌺
Use a wet palette, that'll help you retain the colour in a usable state for much much longer after you mix them.
Wet palette and a blow dryer! I adore your work so much.
turned out so incredible though
I love your art
Canvas is always such a challenge to use because like you said it always leaves those little bits unless you glob!
Do you prefer any specific kind of wood for wood panel i actually paint on canvas but i don't like it's texture so much I was thinking of trying wood panel
I use water to keep my acrylics wet. And side load my brush to blend.
If you're looking for acrylic tutorials I suggest the art sherpa or jasmine beckett- griffith
is it alright if I use this design for a denim jacket? I love your work 😍
Title: WHY I STRUGGLE WITH ACRYLICS
Happy D: *creates a beautiful painting reminiscent of her oils*
Me: Yeah sure Jan 🤔😒
She is a professional artist though whos been painting in her own style for years so I doubt using a different type of paint will make her artwork look terrible lol
@@xriss1335 Hence the "Yeah sure Jan." Because come on D, really?
@L1qu1d S1lenc3r We know.
Acrylic paint works great for printmaking with a gel plate. I think you would have a lot of fun with that. I totally agree about using canvas. I use acrylic paint all the time for my artworks, but I rarely use canvas because I hate painting on the texture.
Amazing. Thank you
That is DAMN good for someone who isn't crazy about acrylics on canvas.
Would you consider making a video of you painting different types/races of people in your mystical/ethereal style? I’m curious how it would look as I am used to the same pale, doll faced, flushed figures with light eyes and straight button noses from you-if not I understand but it’s so cool to see how artists interpret different people and things in their style and I think you did it before and it was really cool because it’s hard to learn how to paint different types of people and skin without making it look murky or muddied sometimes and a lot of UA-cam artists have mentioned that they often avoid doing this because of it being harder/easier to mess up or something 🥺
Thank you again for all that you share with us Happy D! 😭💕
You motivate me to do better art, better videos, better all ❤👍🌟🔥
Maybe try using more water or get a medium to slow the drying time down ( it'll work kinda like oils then). Also sanding and gessoing your canvas can make it smoother. I usually do this step 2-3 times depending on how bad the canvas is. Lightly misting your canvas can also help with blending 💕
May I suggest you try Golden Open Acrylics with Golden Open Gloss Medium (Extender). Golden Open stays wet longer and with the extender even longer. Makes blending WAYYYYYYY easier. And your painting came out great!!! Using a wet palette helps too.
You should try to mix your paint with golden retarder :) it will stay open for much longer and feels more like oils and blending is so much better :)
My main media is steel (sculptures), but I do some oil painting (on canvas) too. With your normal being painting on wood and it's nice smooth texture, I wonder if some of the frustration you are having with canvas is that you are used to using a small amount of paint? When I paint (with oil) on canvas, I tend to load my brush more and it fills the canvas weave easily. I do paint with a wet on wet method though (which also helps fill the canvas weave), so loading your brush is more of a necessity at least for the top layers. My painting experience is still lacking, so I could be completely off.
That's badass 🔥☠🔥
I feel exactly the same. Now acrylic under painting then oils is cool
Love how it turned out Doll 😘 amazing
Would you consider trying out a wet pallet on your next acrylic painting video?....
I tried using acrylic and water color once or twice in the beginning and struggled. Oil is my favorite! Since I've become much better with water color, but I still don't preffer acrylics. It has less to do with skill anymore as much as the personal satisfaction I get when using oil or water color.
Sounds like you need a smoother canvas. Give Fredrix ultra smooth canvas a try, or do 1-2 coats of gesso over the canvas and then lightly sand it. It will be *much* smoother.
Personally I love using acrylics on paper for smaller studies. It kinda looks like gouache (? which I've never tried before) with the matte finish and more distinct yet smooth layers of paint. Oils are still my favourite though, especially for larger paintings!! :)
Also, if definitely essential to spray down the palette with water every 30 minutes, or so while working. Paints wont dry out this way. And if you want to preserve your own homemade mixed color, just mix with a palette knife and scoop into a salad dressing container. You can get an eight pack at the dollar store. They'll last literally for years this way. Also, the Sta-wet pallet keeps my colors wet for about two weeks.
Have you tried an acrylic under painting then finishing with oils?
Try using a wet palette and a liquid pouring medium rather than a gel
Golden fluid acrylic is what you need to try.
Try using a smooth canvas for Acrylics. Hobby Lobby makes a very good and inexpensive Watercolor Canvas that works beautifully with Acrylics. I also struggled before switching to smooth canvas. Also, Sta-wet pallet is essential and a good matte medium will blend colors smoothly. Gotta work in layers, leaning into the translucency...buy heavy body primaries, Black and white. Then you can buy the Hobby Lobby and Liquitex Basic line to add vibrancy and a glowing effect. But hey, if you like oils, you like oils. I like working in layers and if used oils, I'd never finish a painting!
Would help to gesso canvas first!
I always felt the same way you did until I bought Retarder by Golden,now acrylics are my go to. It let's me blend for much longer. Then I just use a blow dryer to dry the layer all the way when I'm done blending. But your painting is lovely 😍
The butterfly is my favorite part
Painting with acrylics are better when you lay your flat mid-tones first, then build it up with values and highlights. They're not great when just built up, because they do dry fast and aren't as blendable as oil. I think oil & acrylics have their value, it just depends on how much you know about your mediums.
I love to paint with acrylics, but I understand your struggle with it. If you are used to paint with oils it is harder to go back to acrylics because it dries faster. The concept you did for this painting is beautiful. I was also inspired by roses and skulls a few weeks ago for my Halloween make-up look. You can view it on my channel if you want.
Zeke's Lunchbox uses acrylics and she can blend them AMAZINGLY. She's a great artist to watch here if you want to see some awesome acrylic paintings.
I think you're too hard on yourself. I think it came out beautiful 😍😍 honestly.
I use slow drying mediums. It still doesn't come even close to oils but at least your paint doesn't dry while using it hahaha. There's a painter in UA-cam (Greg "Craola" Simkins) that uses a slow dry medium that he mixes himself with different products that lets him do awesome artwork that looks like it were made with oils, it's incredible
I seems like it needed a little more gesso layer befor you started. Would have saved the layers. Love to see you back in acrylics, the concept is beautiful and it came out so good. Your explanation for the differences between oil and acrylic were spot on.
Oooh, thanks for the tip! I have similar issues with acrylics to what Happy talks about, so it's great to find advice in the comments 💕
I'm super late to watching this but my favorite combination for traditional mediums is actually acrylic and oil paint in the same piece.
The acrylic paint is used for the first and second layer to get your base colors down quickly. Then after the acrylic paint dries, you can use oil paint on top for the nice details and blending. I dont know if you've ever tried it but I think it could be a good idea for one of the smaller study paintings you've been doing.
Just don't do it the other way around. Fat over lean method lol
This explains why I paint something on my acrylic painting and all of a sudden that detail seems to disappear and I end up with multiple repaints
What I do is do the under painting in acrylics and paint over it with oil. It makes a good base and you can build more texture with the acrylic and not waste oil paint.
Nice, I did a digital drawing like this kind of .
What an awesome image. This painting turned out damn good considering you said you struggled with acrylics.
Can you make a painting using crayola paint and brushes
I think that the tooth of the canvas you used was a bit too big which is why I think it didn't feel quite right. The tooth on the canvases that I use is much smaller. To get the most out of acrylic paint it's important to have high pigmented paint such as Golden, Vallejo, liquitex ( gamblin equivalent ) and use water in combination with matt or gloss medium to mainting the surface's integrity. Take a look at todd schor's or James jean's work. I Enjoedy the video dude, Thanks once again.