Acrylics are a good paint for beginners as well as experienced painters.
For a person who is new to painting, acrylics make an ideal medium for learning. Unlike oils, which are versatile but expensive and toxic, or watercolors, which are nontoxic and inexpensive but challenging, acrylics are cheap, nontoxic -- and forgiving for a beginner. There are many projects that help beginners learn about the medium and paint.
Materials
To paint with acrylics, you must purchase some materials, but learning to paint does not require a huge investment. Buy titanium white, ultramarine blue, turquoise green, yellow medium azo, cadmium red light hue, medium magenta, alizarine crimson and mars black. Nearly any color can be created by mixing these colors, though you may wish to purchase more later to save time on mixing. You can also buy browns and any color that is striking to you; if you really like a color, chances are good that you will use it often. You will also need brushes in several sizes; choose brushes marked "acrylics." You also need a palette and a palette knife. To save money, try using canvas paper for your beginning and practice projects rather than buying a full canvas.
Eggs
One of the notable aspects of acrylic paint is that it dries very quickly. You can create a basecoat, or a single field of color in the shape of the object that you want to paint, then shade it later. Try this with some eggs. Place an egg or two on a white tablecloth; this exercise is about value rather than color. Observe your still life, paint in the egg shape on your canvas with light grey paint, then shade it with mixtures of black and white from your palette.
Fruit
Acrylics come in bright colors, which adds to their appeal for many artists. Set out some colorful fruit, such as bananas and apples, on a table. Mix your paints, trying to imitate the color you see as accurately as you can, then try to paint the fruit. Look carefully. Fruits vary in color, and shadows are not always black or a darker shade of the main object. This exercise helps you learn to mix the colors you want and to observe the variety of colors on an object.
Other Subjects
Attempt painting a subject that interests you. Some subjects are very difficult, but attempt them regardless. Try using broad, general strokes and a simple set of values. For instance, paint your subject in black and white or in sepia tones. This helps you to focus on representing what you see rather than worrying about mixing and colors. As you become more confident, add colors to your painting. If you have acrylic mediums, these can be used to make it easier to add color to a black and white or sepia painting by making acrylic paint transparent.
