Beginners Guide : Acrylic Paint Techniques and Tools
Acrylic Painting Techniques – What Tools Should I Use ?
Acrylic paint techniques are a relatively easy and inexpensive way to paint. It is water-based and comes in tubes or jars.
This paint dries very quickly and doesn’t contain solvents or lead.
There are many tools that can be used for acrylic painting. The 3 most important tools are the brush, the palette knife, and the rag.
- The brush such as the Doodle Hog Brush Set, is used to apply paint to a surface such as canvas or paper, while broadening colors on a palette with its bristles.
- The use of a palette knife will help control thicker areas of paint or create texture by using it like an artist’s brush. I recommend the Stainless Steel US Art Store Set.
- The rag will easily clean up any spilled paints off your workspace, without damaging your projects like paper towels might.

If you are planning to paint a miniature model such as a warhammer for example, we have written an article on the different brushes you will need to make your work properly right here.
How to Get The Best Acrylic Paints
Acrylic paint techniques are the most popular way to paint for beginners. It is cheap, easy to find, and can be used on many different types of surfaces like miniatures.
Acrylic paint sets are versatile enough to accommodate the needs of any beginner painter.
If you are just starting out on acrylic painting, it’s important to know what type of paint you should use.
There are two main types: tube acrylics and liquid acrylics.
Liquid acrylic paints are often more expensive than tube acrylic paints because they offer more vibrant color options and require less mixing with water or other liquids before use. However, these benefits come with a higher price tag.

If your project is to paint a figurine, we recommend that you choose a liquid acrylic paint. This will allow you to paint your miniature with greater precision. We have written an article on this subject for beginners right here.
Why Choose Acrylic Paint Instead of Other Paint Type?
Acrylic paints have been a staple of beginner and professional artists for decades. Indeed, it is very versatile, colors are bright and easy to mix, offering a wide range of techniques that can be applied to any surface.
Unlike oil paint which takes time to dry, acrylics dry quickly. This means that the artist can wet the canvas again and go over it with another layer of paint or watercolor.
It also means that acrylic paintings can be easily displayed as is, without having to frame them in a protective coating as many other mediums require.
Acrylic paintings also do not need to be prepped with gesso before application like oils do; but clean surfaces should still be brushed with an acrylic-friendly canvas primer for best results.

Bonus : Acrylic Paint Techniques for Miniatures
The following is a set of techniques that will help you paint your miniatures with acrylics.
There are many different ways to paint with acrylics and it is very difficult to find a painting technique that suits everyone. Acrylic paints can be used in many different ways, and we will go over the most popular techniques.
Acrylic paints offer great coverage and detail, but they can be hard to work with because they dry so quickly. They also don’t cover as well as oil or watercolor paints if you want a softer look.
Acrylic paint dries matte, so it’s not ideal for creating shiny surfaces like metals or water. And because of their quick drying time, acrylics work best on smaller areas like minis or terrain pieces rather than whole canvases or papers.
Painting your miniatures will give them a whole new life and personality.
The 3 Most Important Acrylic Painting Techniques
- ACRYLIC PAINT TECHNIQUE 01: Use a fine brush and dip the end of it directly into the acrylic paint can. Remove the excess by wiping the brush on newspaper or your palette. Gently apply your paint to your figure as accurately as possible.

- ACRYLIC PAINT TECHNIQUE 02: Use a toothpick for extremely small areas. For example, the gaps in a mesh rib. Toothpicks are a popular tool for detail lovers in acrylic painting techniques.

- ACRYLIC PAINT TECHNIQUE 03: Use your finger to splash paint from a brush onto your miniature. For example, if you want to create a blood splatter effect on a warrior’s armor.

Every Miniature Painting Technique you must know and when to use them
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