YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL IS ABOUT TO SKYROCKET!

Welcome to The Sketching Pad's Acrylic Basics Guide, a series of tips and videos created exclusively for our email list subscribers and those who have purchased our painting kits!  We have spent years listening carefully to what trips people up when they are new to painting, and these tips and videos were created to be a quick and simple answer to those early questions. We're so delighted that you're here!

​Here at The Sketching Pad, we believe that when people are given the right materials and a few very simple techniques, they can create a beautiful work of art, regardless of their previous experience. Here are just a few things that are true of just about every painting!

START WITH YOUR BACKGROUND!

It can be so tempting to jump into the part of your painting that feels the most exciting. However, your painting experience will go most smoothly if you do your background first, and then work your way to your main subject of your painting, and then put the smallest details on top!

SOME COLORS WILL NEED TWO COATS

If your canvas is showing through your paint or your colors are looking streakier than you'd like, just let your painting dry, and add another coat! This is especially helpful with skintones. They almost always need two coats of paint to appear smooth.

EVERY PAINTING
​HAS AN AWKWARD STAGE

Don't panic if your painting is looking strange halfway through. This is so normal! Just like people, paintings have awkward stages. Don't give up - you just aren't finished yet!

Here are just a few more things to help throughout your painting process!

• Keep in mind that acrylic paint does not come out of clothes very well, so wear an apron or clothes that can get messy! 
• If you make a mistake, just let your painting fully dry (or dry it with a hair dryer) and paint right over it! If your mistake isn't covering well, put a layer of white paint between your mistake and your final layer of paint!
• When you're done painting, rinse your brushes thoroughly with soap and water so you can use them again for your next painting experience! If you let the paint dry in your brushes, you will not be able to salvage them later.
• If you have any questions along the way, just shoot us a text with a photo of your painting and your question to 678-787-2552. We're here to help!

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LET'S DO THIS!

Mixing the perfect color can seem daunting at first. In this tutorial, Laura shows you the basics of how to take any color and mix it lighter!

You want the perfect color for your masterpiece, but you don't always know the best way to make colors darker. In this tutorial, Laura shows us how make adjustments to our colors to make it perfect for our paintings!

Mixing skintones is seen as a challenge, but it's simpler than you might think! In this video, Laura shows you how to mix three different colors, so you can make a wide range of skin tones for your masterpieces!

Everyone loves a gorgeous ombré effect, and in this video, Laura shows us how to blend from one color to another! A lovely gradient adds beauty to any masterpiece, whether you're painting on canvas, pottery, or a sign.

Grass is one of the most common textures found in any landscape. In this tutorial Laura demonstrates how to use your brush to make delicate and natural strokes to look just like blades of grass.

If you're painting stars, painting snow, or just want to add some excitement and life to your painting, splatter painting is a great way to do it! Don't just start throwing paint around - use our techniques to get perfect splatters every time!

With so many leaves to paint, foliage can seem overwhelming at first. But with a little practice, it's really quite simple! Stippling is a fantastic way to add texture to your landscapes and flower paintings. In this video, Laura demonstrates the ins and outs of stippling!

A skill every artist should know is how to paint a beautiful sky! In this tutorial Laura demonstrates 2 simple techniques on how to add big fluffy clouds to a landscape.

Painting accent lines is one of our favorite ways to add character and life to any painting! With a few quick light and dark accents, your painting will go from flat and dull to an eye-catching masterpiece!

When painting signs, the most popular way to create a nice background is by adding a wash. It looks like a stain and preserves your wood grain while adding a nice color to your piece.