The Acrylics Companion

Your pocket-sized, one-stop guide to contemporary acrylics inspiration, practical exercises and exciting ideas for acrylic artists.

In this innovative, ideas-led mini guide, master artist and best-selling author Hashim Akib showcases the versatility and vibrancy of acrylic painting. Featuring 64 practical exercises and inspiring insights, on a wide range of subjects, from portraiture to the urban landscape and using a variety of approaches, from colour dabbing, working on a base colour and refining chaos into order, this book is ideal for beginner to intermediate artists; it will inspire you with new ideas, push you creatively and encourage you to develop your own artistic style.

• Loosen up with a range of fun, inspiring exercises to get you started
• Discover luscious impasto, versatile washes and experimental pouring
• Experiment with different applicators: brushes, knives, and more
• Cut to the chase with visual, easy-to-follow guides to composition, colour theory and using different types of acrylics, including soft, heavy body and more
• Acrylics 101: from choosing and handling your brushes to mounting your finished piece on the wall
• Troubleshoot any concerns or issues
• Take inspiration from dozens of inspirational examples of Hash’s work.

Also available in the series: The Watercolour Companion by Matthew Palmer.

Book Contents

Getting started

Acrylics what’s the fuss? 8

Your paint palette 10

Acrylics in a nutshell 12

Brush up on the basics 14

What brush? 16

Warm ups 18

Preparing your paints 20

Glazing 22

Neat paint 24

Following a drawing 26

Adding a twist

Linework with a card 28

Spray! 30

Mediums: flow improver 32

Slow things down 34

Modelling paste 36

Dry mediums 38

Colour pouring 40

Brushwork

Pressure 42

Beyond pressure 44

Make every mark count 46

Drawing with a rigger 48

Outlines the drawing lasso 50

One hit wonder 52

Negative shape painting 54

Colour theory

Colours schemes 56

Notan 58

Colour mixing 60

Mixing marvellous mud 62

Dominant black 64

Break the harmony 66

Base colour 68

Colourful snow 70

Optical colour mixing 72

Planning and playing

Work quicker, work brighter 60

Edit your shots 76

Chaos into order 78

Black and white into colour 80

Flat areas 82

Glitching out 84

Playing with size 86

One-session painting 88

Taking your time 90

What to paint

Painting the everyday 92

Café scenes 94

Animals 96

Night scenes 98

Busy streets 100

Buildings with character 102

Composing portraits 104

Portraits on commission 106

Painting water 108

Painting a series 110

Professional tips

Using found images 112

Unhappy accidents 114

Finishing off 116

Floating frames 118

Canvas wedges 120

Packaging artwork 122

Being arty 124

Staying inspired 126

Glossary 128