The Acrylic Painting Academy: Introduction and Materials

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This course features:
4 Hours of Instruction
15 Videos
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Lesson Description

An introduction to “The Acrylic Painting Academy” video series, including a listing of materials and tools that will be used. A look at the compositional make up of acrylic paint and the brushes commonly used for acrylic painting.

Lesson Materials

None.

Lesson Resources

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Course Curriculum

Lesson 1: Introduction and Materials (7:59)Lesson 2: Light and Form (11:57)Lesson 3: Stretching Canvas (7:27)Lesson 4: Direct Painting - Part 1 (18:25)Lesson 5: Direct Painting - Part 2 (23:29)Lesson 6: Color Theory and Mixing (21:11)Lesson 7: Color Theory in Action (25:49)Lesson 8: Acrylic Mediums (12:09)Lesson 9: Underpainting - Part 1 (27:06)Lesson 10: Underpainting - Part 2 (26:19)Lesson 11: Glazing - Part 1 (18:44)Lesson 12: Glazing - Part 2 (13:31)Lesson 13: Painting with a Knife (19:17)Lesson 14: Abstraction / Non-Objective (11:12)Lesson 15: Conclusion (3:49)

Lesson Discussion

  1. Hi Matt. . . .great start to what looks like a super course!
    This is one that I’ve waited forever for – now instead of stumbling around on my own, I’ll have actual instruction! YAY!!!
    Thank YOU Matt! Can’t wait for the next module.
    Cheers from Canada,
    Bev

    PS: Love that you decided to work with Golden – just a terrific product, IMHO,

      • Hi Matt

        So many courses at the same time! This is so exciting!! And all of them cover great topics, I’m also particularly looking forward for this one as well.

        I was just wondering if you have any suggestions about an alternative brand to Golden?

        Unfortunately it’s not very easy to come across them where I live and they are a bit expensive (although I understand they are also a high quality product off course).

        Should I buy specifically “heavy body” acrylics? I actually don’t know very well the differences (sorry if the question is a little bit basic :P).

        Thanks a lot!

        • Hi Joana,

          Yes, Liquitex, Winsor and Newton Artist Acrylics (formerly “Finity”), and Winsor and Newton Galleria paints are all very good. Heavy body paints are thick (like tooth paste), while “flow” or fluid paints are thinner (like syrup). We will be using heavy body acrylics in the course. While fluid acrylics can be applied to canvas, heavy body acrylics tend to perform better. (Even though the Galleria Paints are labeled as a “flow” formula, they are still quite heavy.)

  2. Been waiting for this one! I am very happy to start with this. I have been doing acrylic painting on my own since October – self taught – I look forward to increasing my skills. 🙂

    • Hi Ramona,

      Absolutely! I love the open acrylics! You will see similar results, but you’ll have more time to work before the paint dries completely.

  4. The materials lists has listed viridian green, prussian blue and raw umber, but the course module descriptions do not list those colors. Please advise if these colors are needed in this course. The module descriptions do list cerulean blue and sap green so maybe they are the same? thanks

    • Hi Wayne,

      This list is the list of colors included in the set that I use. I may not have used every color in the set throughout the course. Cerulean Blue and Sap Green are different colors. Cerulean Blue is a light blue, almost “Sky Blue” and Sap Green is a deep yellow-green.

  5. Great intro and I also love the graphics of this course material.
    Many thanks for creating this, superhelpful to get knowledge about basics and the technics.

    Taa, from London

  7. I am so excited about painting lessons. I’ve wanted to take this journey most of my life, but always let adulthood get in the way. The Acrylic Painting Academy is for me, It is my time to live now! Just cannot wait!

  8. I am so happy that I came across this tutorial and joined. This is how I learn best by taking baby steps and “seeing” it done. I do not learn by reading a book as well. Thank you and I look forward to working on the projects.

  9. Just started using this course. Starting with Acrylics. I just started using acrylics a month ago and have been stumbling through, trying the ‘trial and error at home’ method …. which I have discovered is rather frustrating! So happy to have found your course. It is affordable and, so far, appears to be very thorough and easy to follow. I’m really excited. Thanks for offering so much at such an affordable price!!!!
    Kat – age 60 and just getting started.

    • Hi Matt,

      Brush sizes vary by manufacturers. A number 4 brush made by one company will be different than a number 4 brush made by another. I would suggest brush shopping based on what feels best for you. If your paintings are to be small, invest in smaller brushers. If they are to be large, then larger brushes are the smarter choice. All of the paintings in the course are small which is usually how I work.

    • HI Ifeanyi,

      Yes, you can paint on paper but it will likely wrinkle and may affect the end result. It’s best to work on a heavier surface like canvas paper, multimedia board or paper, panel, or stretched canvas.

  14. Hi Matt.
    All my life I have wanted to paint but was too afraid to try. By chance I was invited to a painting get together and lo and behold it seems I have some natural talent. I have signed up for your courses with the hope of developing my skills. I currently am using acrylics but hope to move on to other mediums. How do I post what I have done for critique?

  15. For the past year and a half I have been taking drawing lessons, some charcoal, and pastels. I did not like pastels so I think acrylic is next to try. I do not have any instruction this summer so I am so glad you have this course. I have used you for many other subjects and ideas. Thanks for this course.

    Do we have to stretch canvases? Can’t we just buy? Why make our own?

    • Hi Carolyn,
      Absolutely, thank you! You don’t have to stretch your canvases. In fact, I mostly buy my own. But sometimes, you may want to create a composition that doesn’t fall within the standard canvas sizes, so it’s helpful to know how to make your own.

    • Hi Bonnie,

      Brush sizes are relative to the company that manufacturers them. Generally speaking, a 1/2″ flat, 1/4″ flat, and a couple of round brushes (one medium and one small) should be fine. Most of the paintings in this course are very small. The exception being the abstract/Non-Objective work.

  18. Hi Matt – looks a great course. I am a beginner. I am having some difficulty choosing which acrylic paint set and brushes and mediums I should buy. You do of course provide guidance in the course, but it would help if you could please provide some links to Amazon website (amazon.co.uk) for the specific materials (paint set, brushes and mediums) you recommend for the purpose of this course. Faheem

  20. Hello, I’m self taught in acrylics myself but I used some cheaper paint than is in this course. I also need to know where to buy my paints, brushes and canvases at a reasonable price but also good quality. I’m looking forward to learning everything I can in this course to help me become the painter I want to be! Thank you for all your help in advance!🙂

  22. Acrylic painting has always been very confusing to me. I’m glad I found this course. Look forward to learning everything you have to teach. Just starting today. Found you on youtube. Thanks again.

    • Hi Adam,

      The number designation for each brush manufacturer id different. This means that a “2” brush for one manufacturer may be a different size for a “2” with a different manufacturer. So, it’s really not helpful to go by the numbers. I typically don’t ever look at the numbers but instead choose a brush size based on what is needed for the specific painting.

  25. Hi Matt,
    I was looking at Golden’s Phthalo Blue options. I see both a red shade and a green shade of that hue. Which one should be get for the course?
    Thanks!

  26. I’ve been doing my own thing with acrylics for a couple of months (mostly abstracts on water color paper) So I’m ready to find out the right way to do it. Although I’d have to say I have loved what I created. LOL

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