Discover the Best Acrylic Painting Classes Near Me
Acrylic paints evolved from acrylic resin, which was developed in the 1930s by a German chemical company. The transition from acrylic resin to acrylic paint was a quick one, and by the 1940s acrylic emulsions were popular among home painters. The benefits of using acrylic paints were obvious among painters–they were less toxic and easier to use than many other paints, they were easier to clean, they were cheaper than other paints, and they dried quickly.
Acrylic paints were used primarily for painting homes until using them for art became popular in the 1960s. Artists noticed that acrylics were great at holding color, and also began to realize that they could use acrylics to mimic watercolor and oil paints. By diluting acrylics with watercolor, they could achieve the transparency characteristic of watercolor paints and they can be thickened like traditional oil paints by using various mediums. Well-known artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and José Clemente Orozco, have used acrylic paints in their pieces.
Why You Should Learn Acrylic Painting
The malleability, versatility, and accessibility of acrylic paints make acrylic painting a great gateway into painting. Acrylic paints are known for being inexpensive and can be used on a variety of materials, including paper, canvas, wood, and cloth. Knowing the basics of acrylic painting can provide you with a way to enhance other crafts. For example, if sewing is your hobby, you can use acrylic paints on garments you’ve created to add extra flair.
Acrylic painting provides you with many mental benefits. It promotes creative growth as you brainstorm a piece and plan it out. If you make a mistake or you’re unsure how to proceed with your piece, you’ll end up working on your problem-solving skills as you work toward a solution. Painting provides a source of emotional regulation. It has proven to reduce anxiety and stress in those who engage in it as a therapeutic hobby. Its creative aspect allows for emotional release as you focus your attention in one place.
Acrylic painting can be used to improve your fine motor skills. When you paint, you’re making precise movements using the muscles in your hands and wrists. This can strengthen muscles in adults that are crucial for everyday activities like cooking and typing.
Acrylic painting is a rewarding craft, whether you’re seriously looking to improve your skills or are taking it up as a fun hobby. It’s also a great activity to do with a group. You can organize a painting night with friends if you’re looking to socialize, with coworkers if you need a fun team-building activity, or with a partner if you need a date night idea.
5 Ways to Learn Acrylic Painting
Acrylic paints can be relatively inexpensive, making them accessible to beginner painters. In addition, they can be used on a variety of materials, like paper and fabric, which means you don’t need to worry about buying canvas right away.
If you’re just getting started using acrylic paints and are looking for some instruction, consider the following one of the following learning methods:
- Take an in-person acrylic painting class with an experienced instructor who can offer you direct feedback and provide in-depth demonstrations. In-person classes provide thorough instruction in acrylic painting and will oftentimes provide most if not all necessary materials.
- Sign up for a live online acrylic painting class taught remotely by an instructor. Live classes eliminate the commute required for in-person classes while still providing you with quality instruction.
- Find an on-demand, self-paced free online class. These videos are accessible to anyone with internet access. You can follow along at your own pace, which can be especially helpful if you have a busy schedule. Since these classes are posted online, keep in mind that you won’t have access to an instructor who can answer your questions.
- Find online guides to acrylic painting posted by painters. Artists will sometimes post learning guides or tutorials for free online to share tips and techniques with fellow artists. These are a great resource if you’re confident in your ability to self-learn.
- Check out your local library or bookstore for books on acrylic painting. Books can be a great resource for learning a new hobby, including popular techniques, and may include an explanation of materials.
In-Person Acrylic Painting Classes
In-person acrylic painting classes are available across the U.S. for new and experienced painters. These classes are taught by expert instructors who can guide you through the basics of acrylic painting and help you master more advanced techniques and styles.
If you’re looking to practice painting with acrylics in a social setting, the Painting Lounge hosts a painting workshop in both Williamsburg and Chelsea. You can relax at these workshops where an instructor will guide your class through creating the night’s featured painting. These workshops emphasize being creative with your own piece, as you have fun with a group or a team of coworkers. Both workshops are BYOB for participants over the age of 21 and food may also be brought into the studio.
If you’re new to acrylics and looking for a beginner class, Ako Eyong, in North Hollywood, California, offers a Beginner Acrylics class. This is a small group class, with an average of four participants per class. Although it’s a beginner-level class, anyone is welcome to join to brush up on their skills. An instructor will lead participants through their painting step-by-step while explaining the theories and principles behind each step. All materials are provided to you, but it’s recommended that you wear comfortable clothes for this two-hour class.
Art on 30th, located in San Diego, California, offers classes focused on abstract acrylic painting. In their introductory level class, you’ll learn about color and composition, texture with gels and pastes, glazing, and how to finish an acrylic painting. Your instructor will provide you with step-by-step guidance as you work on two to three personal projects over the duration of the class.
Their Intermediate Abstract Acrylics class builds off of the introductory class. After acquiring basic skills in the beginner class, you’ll learn about composition for abstract art, tools and mediums that can be incorporated into your artwork, and how to start a piece of abstract art from scratch. Over the course of this six-week class, participants will create one to two pieces. If you’d like to learn how to paint florals in an abstract style, this studio offers the class Abstract Blooms, which will have you using acrylic on canvas.
In addition to their abstract classes, Art on 30th offers a mixed media workshop, where you can practice incorporating a variety of mediums into your art like painting, stamping, and drawing. In this workshop, you’ll see demos, study other artists, and receive one-on-one guidance from your instructor. If you’re looking to try out acrylic on other surfaces, they also offer the class, Paint Your Own Artist Tote Bag. At the end of the class, you’ll walk away with your own hand-painted tote bag that you designed and painted after learning the technique of using acrylic on fabric.
At Water Media by Rea in Van Nuys, California, painters of all levels can take the Watercolor/Acrylic Painting class. Your art instructor will guide you through using watercolor and acrylic paint, or a combination of both if you so choose. More advanced students will be offered a critique of their current level as well as their goals for the class.
If you’re in the Chicago area and looking for an in-person acrylic painting class, Ingrid’s Originals Inc. offers Seductive Surfaces. This class is focused on using acrylics to build depth and texture in your paintings. You will learn how to build up surfaces within paintings or as a base for finished work. Abstract and representational artists are welcome.
Virtual Acrylic Painting Classes
In-person acrylic painting classes are a great way to receive hands-on instruction and socialize with others interested in acrylic painting, but these classes aren’t always accessible. Virtual classes can be taken remotely from anywhere, including your home, eliminating the need to commute. These classes are taught by a live instructor and survey a variety of acrylic painting techniques and principles.
Virtual classes will require you to supply your own materials. Your instructor will provide you with a supply list ahead of your class that you can fulfill at your local art or hobby shop, or online. Oftentimes, your instructor will give recommendations for suitable brands. There are online acrylic painting classes available on CourseHorse.
Paint Your Travels: Watercolor or Acrylic is offered by the Evanston Art Center. You and other remote learners will be painting from your own photos, with special attention given to composition, color, and line. First, you’ll begin creating a drawing and then you’ll work your way up to painting. The instructor has provided a supply list for this interactive class, but you’re also welcome to sign up and just watch, rather than participate.
If you’re interested in acrylic as a material, and not just paint, you can sign up for the Chicago Botanic Garden’s online class, A Starry Night in Glass Mosaics. Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting will be used as your template as you are instructed how to take broken and cut art glass and glue it to an acrylic panel to form a beautiful mosaic. This class is perfect for those looking to get an in-depth understanding of color, shape, and shading while working with an interesting medium like glass.
Private Group Acrylic Painting Classes
Are you looking to schedule an acrylic painting class as a team-building event for your business or organization? Or maybe you’re looking for a fun activity for you and a group of friends. CourseHorse offers private acrylic painting classes that they can deliver to you and your group.
In the virtual Acrylic Painting workshop, you and your group will create a painting together on canvas. Each of you will be working on your own version of the same painting. You can select from images provided by CourseHorse, or your group can provide your own photograph or artwork to work on recreating. If your group is interested in acrylic painting but doesn’t want to learn traditional painting methods, you can try out CourseHorse’s online Acrylic Pour Art class. This interactive class is led by a professional artist who will guide your team through the creation of their own unique pieces.
All materials are provided by CourseHorse before your class date. This includes acrylic paints, brushes, and an easel. If your participants are over the age of 21, a bottle of wine can be shipped to them for an additional $30.
If these workshops don’t interest you or meet your group’s needs, feel free to reach out to CourseHorse through the contact form on their website. They will help you pick the best class for your group’s interests and work with your group’s needs, like group size. CourseHorse can accommodate a range of group sizes, but if you’re unsure of the size of your group upon sign-up, you can give a headcount and then update it before your class.
There are no booking fees when signing up for a class with CourseHorse, and cancellations are free up to two weeks before the class. Zoom is the recommended video platform for their classes, but they can accommodate other platforms like Google Meets and Microsoft Teams.
What Will I Need to Learn Acrylic Painting?
Acrylic paints are considered a low-maintenance medium. You can begin acrylic painting with just four basic tools. Most of these supplies can be found at your local art or hobby store. If you have trouble finding them, check out a specialty store or online shop. Keep in mind that if you’re taking an in-person acrylic painting class, most of these materials will be provided to you unless stated otherwise.
Acrylic Paint
There are many acrylic paints available to purchase, and some are more popular than others. The higher the grade of the acrylics, the more pigment they’ll contain. It’s recommended that you avoid student-quality acrylic paints and look for artist-quality acrylics instead. Although student-quality acrylics are less expensive than artist-quality acrylics, they typically contain more filler and less pigment, which will reflect in your piece.
Acrylic paints are sold in bottles, tubes, and jars which come in a range of sizes. Consider buying small tubes or jars if you’re looking to try out different brands. Acrylic paint also comes in sets that are ideal for beginners who’re starting a paint collection from scratch. Some basic colors recommended for beginners are titanium white, cadmium yellow, cadmium red, and phthalo blue.
Paint Brushes
There are two types of brushes recommended for acrylic painting: natural bristle brushes and synthetic bristle brushes. Natural bristles do well at handling heavy paint and still maintain their shape after many uses. They will, however, wear out. Synthetic bristles (like nylon and polyester) are more durable and typically less expensive than natural bristles. These brushes are great for beginners because they can handle constant moisture and cleaning, but they don’t hold their shape very well.
When choosing brush type, you should also consider handle size, brush shape, and brush size. A long handle will allow you to paint further away from the painting surface, while a short brush will be lighter and possibly easier to control. Certain brush shapes can help you paint specific details in different ways. It’s recommended that you have a wash brush, bright brush, angle brush, and round brush when you begin working with acrylic painting.
In addition to brushes, a palette knife is also recommended for acrylic painting. This tool is useful for mixing paint on your palette and for impasto painting, a technique common in oil painting where paint is added to the surface in thick layers to add texture.
Cup of Water
Water acts as a solvent for acrylic paint, helping to break it down. Water essentially changes the consistency of the paint, thinning it. Water is not necessary for acrylic paint but is recommended if you wish to alter the characteristics of the paint as you work. Acrylic paint without water will be glossy in appearance. Keep a cup of water nearby in case you wish to add it to your paint to achieve a diluted wash.
Painting Surface
Acrylic paints are typically used on canvas, wood, and paper, but they can be used on just about any surface, including silk, metal, and glass. Paper and cardboard are great surfaces for beginners because they are affordable, easy to find, and absorbent. Canvas is the most commonly used painting surface for acrylics because it’s absorbent, lightweight, and portable. Although paper might be the easiest for a beginner to use, you should consider the needs of your piece when determining what surface to use.
Is it Difficult to Learn Acrylic Painting?
Acrylic paints are one of the best mediums for beginning painters. They are easy to use, dry quickly, and are less expensive than other paints like watercolors and oils. Acrylic paint is also easy to clean off your brushes and other painting tools and has an undetectable odor. You may be nervous to get started painting or to try out a new medium, but with enough practice and dedication, you’ll master the basics in no time.
