How to Varnish an Acrylic Painting in One Step

/ Backgrounds Blocking-In Glazing New Art Video Tutorial
/ By Matt Philleo
/ 11 COMMENTS

Discover the easy technique for how to varnish an acrylic painting in one step to enhance and preserve your artwork’s vibrancy

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding this topic, or at least, many different opinions on how to do it right.

Some say you need an isolation coat. But others say you should spray apply the varnish. And then there are some who pour it on or use a sponge!

I’m not here to dismiss any of those methods. If they work for that particular artist, more power to them.

Rather, I’d like to share with you the method I’ve been using for over 20 years as a portrait painter. And then it’s easy, and you can do it one step.

Let me break down this one-step acrylic varnishing method into how to actually do it…

Lay your canvas flat on a table, oriented horizontally, but at an angle.
Raise your canvas up, on four scraps of wood placed under each corner (make sure it’s level. 1″ x 2″s work well )
Get your 4″ varnishing brush (Liquitex Freestyle works well)
Pour matte varnish (Novacolor or Liquitex) into a clean yogurt container or any plastic container large enough to accommodate the width of the brush. Be sure to stir the varnish if it’s been sitting for a while! Over time the polymer resin can separate from the water in the mixture. If you don’t mix it, you may have streaks.
“Sweep” any dust or debris off of the canvas surface with a large brush before you begin.
Dip your brush into the varnish container, so the bristles are coated with varnish 1/3-1/2 of the way up from the tip.
Begin brushing the varnish on the surface, starting with the end farthest from you. Brush in the longest direction of the canvas.
Let your brush hit 1/3″ of the way from the left edge of the canvas. Apply even pressure and bring the brush all the way to the left edge.
Bring the brush all the way to the right edge.
Wipe any excess varnish that remains on your brush inside the top lip of your container.
Flip the brush over and smooth out the entire first application, overlapping the edge slightly with 1-2 strokes. Do not overbrush!
Dip your brush into the varnish container and repeat the process. Let your stroke slightly overlap the first (about 1/4″)
You will be working your way toward your body. This will keep you from accidentally dripping onto the finished varnished surface.
If you have any extra varnish that drips onto the side of the canvas, use a 3/4 flat brush to wipe it off. If the canvas will be framed, the side-drips are usually not a problem and can be left alone.
Let your canvas dry flat on a table. It might look milky white in areas. Resist the temptation to brush it! If you followed my method, the varnish should dry crystal clear. It should dry completely within 3-5 hours, depending on humidity.

Disclaimer: I have used this method with great results in over 20 years of portrait painting. Because your results are up to you, how you apply this method, and the humidity levels of your studio space. I cannot be held responsible for any painting that gets damaged during the varnishing process. Then it would be a good idea to varnish a test piece first. You can add another layer (after 3-5 hours of dry time) if you feel the first one didn’t cover as well as you’d like, but most of the time, you won’t need to.

Watch this video below to see the process in action…

If you’re looking for more instructional videos on how to improve your acrylic painting, visit www.realisticacrylic.com for more tutorials and check out my free courses here. .

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to teaching you more!

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3 Tips on How to Draw Better Pencil Portraits

/ Backgrounds Blocking-In Glazing New Art Video Tutorial
/ By Matt Philleo
/ 4 COMMENTS

Unlock the secrets to realistic portraits with these essential pencil drawing techniques

Drawing realistic pencil portraits can be a rewarding yet challenging experience. If you’re looking to improve your pencil drawing skills, it’s essential to focus on technique, control, and mastering shading. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artist, improving your pencil drawings can drastically boost your portrait painting skills, especially if you primarily work in acrylic. In this blog post, you’ll learn 3 valuable tips that will help you create lifelike pencil portraits.

1. Master Cross-Hatching for Realistic Shading

Cross-hatching is a time-tested technique that involves layering pencil strokes in a criss-cross pattern to build depth and texture in your drawings. In this method, parallel lines are drawn in one direction, and then a second set of lines is added at an angle across the first set. This overlapping of lines creates a rich texture and smooth tonal gradation.

To start, use a soft pencil like a 4B, which produces dark, rich tones. You’ll want to keep your pencil strokes close together, allowing minimal gaps between them. This technique is perfect for areas that require detailed shadowing, such as the contours of a face or fur on an animal. Then the secret lies in maintaining consistent pressure and evenly spacing your strokes.

To take it a step further, try cross-hatching at a 45-degree angle. Because this adds an extra layer of dimension and allows you to control the light and dark values more effectively. When shading, remember to follow the natural form of the subject to make the drawing appear more realistic.

By mastering cross-hatching, then you’ll find that your pencil drawings will have smoother textures and enhanced depth, making your portraits stand out with their intricate details.

2. Protect Your Drawing from Smudges

One of the biggest challenges when drawing with pencils is avoiding smudges. Then as you work, your hand can easily smudge the graphite, causing unwanted marks and ruining the clean lines of your portrait.

A simple yet effective way to prevent smudging is to place a piece of scrap paper under your drawing hand. Because this will act as a barrier between your hand and the drawing, keeping the graphite from smearing as you work. Not only does this keep the drawing neat, but it also prevents the natural oils from your skin from warping the paper.

It’s also important to work from left to right if you’re right-handed, or right to left if you’re left-handed, to reduce the risk of accidentally smudging what you’ve already drawn. Working in layers, starting with the lighter areas first, and finishing with the darkest parts will also minimize smudging.

By taking care to protect your drawing, you ensure that your portrait remains sharp and polished, free from unnecessary smears.

3. Blend with Tissue for a Smooth Finish

Blending is a powerful technique for smoothing out pencil strokes and achieving a soft, even tone. Many artists use blending stumps or their fingers, but using a piece of tissue paper offers a superior finish without over-smearing the details.

When you blend effectively, gently rub the tissue across the shaded areas of your drawing in small, circular motions. Then be careful not to press too hard, as this can overly blend the graphite and flatten the texture. And of course the goal is to lightly blend the surface to achieve smooth gradation between shadows and highlights.

One benefit of using tissue is that it preserves the texture of the paper underneath while softening the shading. This keeps the drawing realistic without losing detail. Additionally, after blending with tissue, you can go back and add more layers of pencil to intensify the values. This layering process creates richer depth in the drawing, allowing you to achieve darker areas without overworking the graphite.

By combining the precision of cross-hatching with the gentle blending of tissue, your portraits will exhibit a refined, professional quality, with smooth transitions between light and dark areas.

Technique Recap:

Cross-Hatching: Start with closely-spaced, diagonal strokes at a 45-degree angle, layering them in opposite directions to create smooth, realistic shading.
Prevent Smudging: Use a piece of scrap paper under your hand to keep the graphite from smearing, and work from top to bottom to avoid unintentional marks.
Tissue Blending: Gently blend shaded areas with tissue for a polished look, allowing for added layers to deepen your values.

Conclusion:

Drawing better pencil portraits comes down to mastering basic techniques that bring out the realism in your work. With cross-hatching, careful blending, and preventing smudges, you can elevate your portrait skills and create lifelike, professional-quality art. Whether you’re sketching as a hobby or enhancing your painting skills, these pencil drawing tips will give you a solid foundation.

To keep improving, don’t forget to practice these techniques regularly. With time, you’ll see remarkable improvements in the depth, detail, and overall quality of your portraits.

Did you find these tips helpful? Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more art tutorials and visit my website, RealisticAcrylic.com, where you’ll find in-depth resources to help you create stunning portraits. Let’s bring your artwork to the next level!

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share this post with your friends!

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I’d love to hear your thoughts about this video. Please share it with your friends and family. Let me know if you have any further questions. I’ll greatly help you.

If you’d like to learn more, sign up for my free email tips and video class today.

Learn How to Paint Acrylic Portraits With My Free Mini-Video Course!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this tutorial and watch the video. That means a lot to me. I hope you find it very helpful in your portrait painting.

Yours for Better Portraits,

P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!

How to Add Initial Highlights to Your Acrylic Portrait

/ Backgrounds Blocking-In Glazing New Art Video Tutorial
/ By Matt Philleo
/ 2 COMMENTS

Unlock the secrets of applying initial highlights to your acrylic portraits for added depth and realism.

Adding highlights is a crucial step in bringing your acrylic portraits to life because it adds depth, dimension, and a sense of realism to the painting. In this tutorial, we’ll explore how to add initial highlights to your acrylic portrait after laying down a toning layer, using titanium white mixed with Indian yellow for a warm, vibrant touch. Then these highlights will help define the light source, making your portrait stand out.

Add Initial Highlights to Your Acrylic Portrait

Materials You Will Need

Before we dive into the process, gather these materials:

Titanium White Paint: For a bright, opaque base.
Indian Yellow Paint: To warm up the white highlights.
Matte Medium: Thins the paint for smoother application.
Flat Size 14 Brush: Ideal for blocking in larger areas.
Smaller Detail Brushes: Useful for adding precise highlights.
Palette Knife (Optional): For mixing paint and mediums.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Initial Highlights

1. Mixing the Paint
The first step in adding highlights is preparing the right paint mixture. Because in this technique, we mix titanium white with a small amount of Indian yellow. Then the combination will create warm, natural highlights. So that the thin mixture with matte medium to around 50% opacity. This will also allow the highlights to blend seamlessly with the underlying layers without overpowering them.

Using matte medium ensures that the paint remains flexible and doesn’t dry too quickly, giving you ample time to work on the highlights.

2. Restoring Lost Highlights After Toning
After applying a toning layer, some highlights may have been muted or lost. Now it’s time to restore them. Start by focusing on the areas of your portrait where the light hits directly, such as the sky, the subject’s face, or their clothing. Then these areas need to stand out against the mid-tones and shadows.

Using the size 14 flat brush, gently block in the highlights. When you apply light, controlled strokes to ensure the paint doesn’t cover too much of the surrounding areas. Then keep your strokes smooth to avoid hard edges.

3. Adding Highlights to the Sky and Clouds
Begin with the sky and clouds, especially if you’re painting an outdoor portrait. Because when you apply the titanium white and Indian yellow mixture to the parts of the sky where the light source is strongest. This will create a glowing effect, giving the sky a more realistic appearance.

In this case, incorporating highlights into the clouds will help to define their shape and make them stand out from the background. Use soft brush strokes to add highlights along the edges, creating a gradual transition from light to shadow.

4. Highlighting Clothing
Next, move on to your subject’s clothing. Clothing often reflects light differently than skin, so it’s important to be mindful of texture. For smoother fabrics, such as silk or satin, use long, even brush strokes. Then for rougher fabrics like wool or cotton, stipple the highlights to mimic the texture of the material.

Start with broader highlights and then use a smaller brush to add more precise details, such as folds and creases. So remember that, these highlights should enhance the form of the clothing and help convey the fabric’s texture.

Techniques for Effective Highlighting

1. Build Gradually
When adding highlights, it’s essential to build up the light areas slowly. And then begin with lighter tones and gradually add more layers as needed. Because this ensures a more natural transition between highlights and shadows, enhancing the three-dimensional effect.

2. Focus on Light Source
Always keep the direction of the light source in mind. Highlights should reflect where the light is hitting the subject the most directly. In this tutorial, the highlights were added primarily to the face, clothing, and parts of the background, such as the sky and clouds.

3. Use Warm Colors for Depth
Instead of using pure white for highlights, adding a warm color like Indian yellow can create a more realistic effect. This warmth will help your highlights blend into the mid-tones and make the subject appear more vibrant.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overuse of Highlights
Too many highlights can make your portrait look flat and overexposed. Then focus on applying highlights sparingly in key areas where the light hits most directly. And less is often more when it comes to achieving a natural look.

2. Hard Edges
When applying highlights, avoid hard, defined edges unless you’re working on a very reflective surface like glass. Because most highlights, especially on skin and fabric, should have soft transitions to blend naturally with the rest of the painting.

Adding Final Details

As you finish applying the initial highlights, step back and observe your painting from a distance. This helps you see how the highlights interact with the rest of the painting and determine if they need any adjustments. If the highlights appear too bright or harsh, you can soften them by glazing over them with a thin layer of mid-tone color.

For areas like the face and hair, use a smaller brush to add subtle highlights that bring out the details. In the tutorial, highlights were applied to areas like the clothing, face, and even the sky to create depth and realism. For instance, on the subject’s face, highlights were applied to key areas such as the forehead and cheekbones, which receive the most light.

Conclusion

Adding initial highlights to your acrylic portrait is an essential step in creating depth and realism. By using a mixture of titanium white and Indian yellow, thinning it with matte medium, and applying it carefully to the key areas, you can restore lost highlights and breathe life into your portrait. As you continue to refine your highlights, remember to stay mindful of the light source, apply highlights gradually, and avoid overworking the painting.

Whether you’re painting a sky full of clouds or the fine details on a subject’s face, mastering the art of highlights will take your acrylic portraits to the next level.

For more tips and techniques on creating realistic portraits, visit www.realisticacrylic.com. Keep practicing, and you’ll soon be painting portraits you can be proud of!

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share this post with your friends!

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I’d love to hear your thoughts about this video. Please share it with your friends and family. Let me know if you have any further questions. I’ll greatly help you.

If you’d like to learn more, sign up for my free email tips and video class today.

Learn How to Paint Acrylic Portraits With My Free Mini-Video Course!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this tutorial and watch the video. That means a lot to me. I hope you find it very helpful in your portrait painting.

Yours for Better Portraits,

P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!

How to Blocking-in a 30″ x 40″ Acrylic Battle Scene Painting

/ Backgrounds Blocking-In Glazing New Art Video Tutorial
/ By Matt Philleo
/ 8 COMMENTS

Learn the technique of blocking-in a large 30″ x 40″ acrylic battle scene to establish strong foundations for your painting with depth and detail.

When tackling a large-scale project like blocking-in a 30″ x 40″ acrylic battle scene painting, the initial steps are crucial to setting the stage for a dynamic and cohesive composition. Because by using these combination of broad strokes and carefully placed color, this foundational layer helps you define the major forms, balance your composition, and create a sense of depth right from the start. Whether you’re an experienced artist or just starting out with larger works, mastering the blocking-in process will ensure your painting flows smoothly.

So in this demonstration, I am using a 30″ x 40″ acrylic painting I was commissioned to create, a battle scene between ancient Israel and the Amalekites. Then I asked my friends to come over to my home early in the morning, at sunrise, and model for the painting.

Yes, that’s me in the middle!

In this battle, when the Israelite leader Moses held up his staff, the power of God would flow. Then it caused the Israelite army to defeat their battlefield enemies. But, as the battle lasted for hours, Moses grew tired and couldn’t hold up his staff. Then the Amalekites got the advantage over the Israelites!

His assistants, Aaron and Hur came up with an idea. They had Moses sit on a rock. Then they held up his arms on either side, so once again, the Israelites could prevail.

This painting is meant to depict the struggle in praying, and how when others come alongside of us, they can ease the burden. And then their faith strengthens ours, and we can get the victory!

Here is my layout for the painting that I edited on Photoshop…

Reference image for acrylic painting of Moses, Aaron and Hur, Battle with the Amalekites, ©2021 Matt Philleo

Now for the blocking-in video…

We start with an accurate sketch. Then, my goal is to quickly identify the major areas of contrast within the reference photo.

Moses-Aaron-Hur-Painting — 30 x 40 Acrylic on Canvas painting of Moses, Aaron and Hur in the Amalekite battle. Shown in the sketch stage. ©2021 Matt Philleo

Then we apply a layer of raw umber dark, ultramarine blue and matte medium to the shadow areas designated on the sketch…

Tips and Techniques

Start with Prayer & Purpose: Before beginning your painting, consider focusing on the purpose behind it. In this case, the painting represents a moment of intercessory prayer, symbolizing perseverance and spiritual victory. This mindfulness sets the tone for intentionality in your artwork.
Use Matte Medium for Glazing: Apply matte medium to your palette before mixing in your colors. For blocking-in, ensure that your paint is heavily diluted with matte medium, aiming for a mixture that’s about 90-95% medium to 5-10% paint. This creates translucent layers, allowing for smooth blending and luminosity in the final work.
Choose Your Colors: Use a traditional palette with earthy tones like raw umber, burnt sienna, and ultramarine blue, mixed with other colors such as titanium white for highlights. These colors create a natural, muted foundation for blocking-in shadows and light.
Block-in Major Values: Start by blocking-in large value structures, such as the shadows on the figures and the surrounding landscape. Keep the application light to allow for adjustments later. Work across the whole canvas, focusing on dominant shapes and transitions between light and dark areas.
Work with Large Brushes: Use larger, flat brushes, such as a three-quarter inch, to block-in broad areas quickly and efficiently. This prevents getting stuck in details too early, allowing you to build up the entire scene cohesively.
Blend with Confidence: As you block-in, keep your brushstrokes fluid and in multiple directions to ensure smooth blending. Make sure to maintain a wet edge to avoid streaks and allow for easy adjustments.
Don’t Fear Corrections: Because the paint is thin, any mistakes in the blocking-in phase can be easily corrected. You can always layer additional glazes or shift values as the painting progresses.

By focusing on blocking-in the large value structures early in the process, you create a solid foundation for your 30″ x 40″ acrylic battle scene, allowing the details to emerge naturally as you build layers.

If you’re interested in learning more about acrylic glazing or portrait painting techniques, be sure to explore the resources available at realisticacrylic.com. and download my free gift for you here.

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share this post with your friends!

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I’d love to hear your thoughts about this video. Please share it with your friends and family. Let me know if you have any further questions. I’ll greatly help you.

If you’d like to learn more, sign up for my free email tips and video class today.

Learn How to Paint Acrylic Portraits With My Free Mini-Video Course!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this tutorial and watch the video. That means a lot to me. I hope you find it very helpful in your portrait painting.

Yours for Better Portraits,

P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!

How to Paint Realistic Reflections on Eyes in Your Acrylic Portrait

Eyes are the most important feature of an acrylic portrait. When you paint the eyes correctly, everything else seems to fall into place so much easier.

In this video, I’ll show you how to paint realistic reflections, using two complementary colors in addition to white, and getting the shape of the reflection just right. Then this originally was a BONUS video in the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge Master Class, now available in the All-Access Membership at Realistic Acrylic Portrait School.

Even though it is technically over, you can take the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge (it’s FREE!) and paint along with us! 8 master class lessons are posted to help you paint a portrait you can be proud of!

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter! After you join, I’ll send you the supplies list and reference photos to paint from.

Register for the Challenge!

WATCH NOW…

Lesson #8: How to Paint Realistic Reflections on Eyes in Acrylic

Paint realistic reflections on eyes in your acrylic portrait

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share your sketches in our Facebook group and share this post with your friends!

LEARN MORE

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this video. Please share it with your friends and family. Let me know if you have any further questions. I’ll greatly help you.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this tutorial and watch the video. That means a lot to me. I hope you find it very helpful in your portrait painting.

P.S. Did you find this post helpful or encouraging? If so, send it on ahead! Let others know with the share buttons below. I’d love to hear your comments. Thank you so much! Also, do you have a question on acrylic portrait painting you’d like answered? Let me know, and I’d be happy to help!

paint realistic acrylic portrait step by step

Spring 2021 Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge: Finishing Your Portrait With Confidence

Let’s help you finish your painting!

In this lesson, we will be wrapping up the Masterclass series for the challenge! I’ll show you how to add some more nuances and details to the portrait of “Cora.” First, we’ll add a glaze to her hair to enrich the overall color. Next, we will enhance some nuances on her eyebrows, dial in the color of the eyes, and paint in the reflections. Finally, we’ll add in the skin tone for her arm in the lower corner and follow up with some work on her lace.

But even though we are nearly done with this portrait painting, it’s not too late to join in the fun!

YOU, too, can paint a portrait!

Take the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge (it’s FREE!) and paint along with us!

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter! After you join, I’ll send you the supplies list and reference photos to paint from.

Register for the Challenge!

WATCH NOW…

Lesson #8: Finishing Your Portrait Confidently

Professional artist and instructor Matt Philleo will teach you how to paint an acrylic portrait you can be proud of with this Portrait Painting Challenge!

Would like to paint this portrait with me and hundreds of other artists?

Take the 2021 Spring Portrait Painting Challenge!

You can register below and get started. It is completely FREE to join the challenge and participate. When you join, I’ll send you the “Welcome Kit” which includes:

The Supplies List (so you know what you need to paint with us, your shopping list. 🙂 )
The Reference Photo with and without the grid, high resolution, that you can download ready to print out or display on your tablet. You’ll be able to create an accurate portrait this way.
The Palette Layout Guide showing you how to arrange your colors so they don’t get muddy on your palette
The Master Class Lesson Schedule
the Lessons emailed to you
A private Facebook group to cheer you and help answer your questions
And a few “bonuses” like opportunities to win my paid online classes

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter!

Register for the Challenge!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to teaching you more!

—Matt

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share your sketches in our Facebook group and share this post with your friends!

acrylic portrait painting with glazing technique

Spring 2021 Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge: Painting Delicate Details and Nuances

After building the foundation with several layers of value, form, and color, we can then start to “dial in” the detail and nuances.

In this master class lesson (7 of 8), I’ll demonstrate how to add specific detail shapes to “Cora’s” hair. I’ll also add some additional shading to her forehead with a very translucent glaze. Next, I darken the left side of her face while smoothing out some of the rough application of previous glazes with a semi-opaque layer that’s cooler in tone. Finally, I add nuances to her eyes, lips and chin.

But even though we are well along in this portrait painting, it’s not too late to join in the fun!

YOU, too, can paint a portrait!

Take the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge (it’s FREE!) and paint along with us!

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter! After you join, I’ll send you the supplies list and reference photos to paint from.

Register for the Challenge!

WATCH NOW…

Lesson #7: Painting Delicate Details and Nuances

Learn how to do smooth shading, skin tones, details, and nuances in this FREE online portrait painting class by Matt Philleo at Realistic Acrylic Portrait School

Would like to paint this portrait with me and hundreds of other artists?

Take the 2021 Spring Portrait Painting Challenge!

You can register below and get started. It is completely FREE to join the challenge and participate. When you join, I’ll send you the “Welcome Kit” which includes:

The Supplies List (so you know what you need to paint with us, your shopping list. 🙂 )
The Reference Photo with and without the grid, high resolution, that you can download ready to print out or display on your tablet. You’ll be able to create an accurate portrait this way.
The Palette Layout Guide showing you how to arrange your colors so they don’t get muddy on your palette
The Master Class Lesson Schedule
the Lessons emailed to you
A private Facebook group to cheer you and help answer your questions
And a few “bonuses” like opportunities to win my paid online classes

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter!

Register for the Challenge!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to teaching you more!

—Matt

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share your sketches in our Facebook group and share this post with your friends!

Spring 2021 Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge: Building Up Richness, Depth and Luminosity

Acrylic is a fantastic medium for portrait painting, but it can be so challenging to use! That is why I am teaching you the glazing technique to open a lot of possibilities and ease your frustration.

Historically, the Old Masters used small amounts of pigment dispersed in larger amounts of linseed oil or mineral spirits to create a sense of volume and depth in their paintings. Light shines through and you can see a bit of each layer beneath the ones on top.

We can use that technique to our advantage with acrylic. By applying several translucent layers, there is an increased sense of depth, shading, contrast and color saturation and luminosity.

In this particular lesson, I’ll demonstrate how to add richness to the mid-tones of the girl’s face and hair. We will also add more contrast to the image with a couple of layers to the background, and turn the form of her figure with a precisely placed glaze on her clothing.

But even though we are well along in this portrait painting, it’s not too late to join in the fun!

Take the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge (it’s FREE!) and paint along with us!

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter! After you join, I’ll send you the supplies list and reference photos to paint from.

Register for the Challenge!

WATCH NOW…

Lesson #6: Building Up Richness, Depth, and Luminosity

Learn how to create a vibrant acrylic portrait where the colors are not flat or muddy. In this FREE step by step master class, I’ll show you how!

Would like to paint this portrait with me and hundreds of other artists?

Take the 2021 Spring Portrait Painting Challenge!

You can register below and get started. It is completely FREE to join the challenge and participate. When you join, I’ll send you the “Welcome Kit” which includes:

The Supplies List (so you know what you need to paint with us, your shopping list. 🙂 )
The Reference Photo with and without the grid, high resolution, that you can download ready to print out or display on your tablet. You’ll be able to create an accurate portrait this way.
The Palette Layout Guide showing you how to arrange your colors so they don’t get muddy on your palette
The Master Class Lesson Schedule
the Lessons emailed to you
A private Facebook group to cheer you and help answer your questions
And a few “bonuses” like opportunities to win my paid online classes

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter!

Register for the Challenge!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to teaching you more!

—Matt

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share your sketches in our Facebook group and share this post with your friends!

paint shading skin tones acrylic portrait

Spring 2021 Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge: Sculpting Shading and Skin Tones in Your Acrylic Portrait

Acrylic portrait painting, in many ways, is like creating a sculpture. We want to truly make our faces look realistic and three-dimensional. In this master class video lesson, I show you how to do exactly that.

We’re breaking a fine art portrait painting down into bite-size steps that YOU can do.

Specifically, in this video lesson, I demonstrate how darkening your background can really make the face stand out in a lifelike way.

What colors should we use for the shadows? I’ll show you how to mix them, what brushes to use to apply them, and HOW to do it. Get the shadows right, and 80% of the battle is won, so to speak in your portrait.

What colors for the skin tones?

In this video, you’ll learn the correct color to mix, how to create glazes with matte medium and apply it to the face smoothly.

This is still very much the beginning. More lessons to come.

Take the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge (it’s FREE!) and paint along with us!

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter! After you join, I’ll send you the supplies list and reference photos to paint from.

Register for the Challenge!

WATCH NOW…

Lesson #5: Sculpting Shading and Skin Tones in Your Acrylic Portrait

Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge Lesson #5: Sculpting Shading and Skin Tones in Your Acrylic Portrait

Would like to paint this portrait with me and hundreds of other artists?

Take the 2021 Spring Portrait Painting Challenge!

You can register below and get started. It is completely FREE to join the challenge and participate. When you join, I’ll send you the “Welcome Kit” which includes:

The Supplies List (so you know what you need to paint with us, your shopping list. 🙂 )
The Reference Photo with and without the grid, high resolution, that you can download ready to print out or display on your tablet. You’ll be able to create an accurate portrait this way.
The Palette Layout Guide showing you how to arrange your colors so they don’t get muddy on your palette
The Master Class Lesson Schedule
the Lessons emailed to you
A private Facebook group to cheer you and help answer your questions
And a few “bonuses” like opportunities to win my paid online classes

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter!

Register for the Challenge!

What’s coming up in the next lesson? More shading, more skin tones, and the start of some detail work. Follow the lessons and you will be able to create a portrait you can be proud of…even if you’re a complete beginner!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to teaching you more!

—Matt

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share your sketches in our Facebook group and share this post with your friends!

Spring 2021 Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge: The Slow and Steady Way to Paint an Acrylic Portrait

If you remember the childhood story, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” you recall that the hare started out really fast and put the tortoise to shame. But then the rabbit took a nap, while the slow, while the turtle, with his slow methodical steps, passed him up and won the race!

Sometimes slow is better for painting an acrylic portrait.

Likewise, in an acrylic portrait, we often want to see quick results. But if we take our time, and just add one layer on top of another, even though it looks like hardly anything is happening, eventually, we will end up with a great painting!

I’d like to show you how to slow down a bit, take your time, and paint your acrylic portrait layer by layer, using the acrylic glazing technique.

Take the Acrylic Portrait Painting Challenge (it’s FREE!) and paint along with us!

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter! After you join, I’ll send you the supplies list and reference photos to paint from.

Register for the Challenge!

WATCH NOW…

Lesson #4: The Slow and Steady Way to Paint an Acrylic Portrait

In this master class lesson #4, I demonstrate how to continue darkening your darkest values on the face and background, and then work in some warmer glazes to set up the skin tones on her face. We’re going very light, using a large amount of matte medium (95%) to a small amount of paint (5%)

Watch how to do it here…

Learn how to paint an acrylic portrait slowly and correctly, step-by-step in this FREE master class lesson by Matt Philleo at Realistic Acrylic Portrait School!

Would like to paint this portrait with me and hundreds of other artists?

Take the 2021 Spring Portrait Painting Challenge!

You can register below and get started. It is completely FREE to join the challenge and participate. When you join, I’ll send you the “Welcome Kit” which includes:

The Supplies List (so you know what you need to paint with us, your shopping list. 🙂 )
The Reference Photo with and without the grid, high resolution, that you can download ready to print out or display on your tablet. You’ll be able to create an accurate portrait this way.
The Palette Layout Guide showing you how to arrange your colors so they don’t get muddy on your palette
The Master Class Lesson Schedule
the Lessons emailed to you
A private Facebook group to cheer you and help answer your questions
And a few “bonuses” like opportunities to win my paid online classes

REGISTER TODAY. The challenge is ongoing, something you can do at your own pace. It’s not too late to enter!

Register for the Challenge!

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to teaching you more!

—Matt

Questions? Suggestions? Thoughts? Let me know, below in the comments. Please share your sketches in our Facebook group and share this post with your friends!

Discover the easy technique for how to varnish an acrylic painting in one step to enhance and preserve your artwork’s vibrancy

Read more about how to paint a portrait that you can surely be proud of!

Unlock the secrets to realistic portraits with these essential pencil drawing techniques

1. Master Cross-Hatching for Realistic Shading

2. Protect Your Drawing from Smudges

3. Blend with Tissue for a Smooth Finish

Technique Recap:

Conclusion:

Unlock the secrets of applying initial highlights to your acrylic portraits for added depth and realism.

Materials You Will Need

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Initial Highlights

Techniques for Effective Highlighting

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Adding Final Details

Conclusion

Learn the technique of blocking-in a large 30″ x 40″ acrylic battle scene to establish strong foundations for your painting with depth and detail.

Tips and Techniques

Eyes are the most important feature of an acrylic portrait. When you paint the eyes correctly, everything else seems to fall into place so much easier.

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Let’s help you finish your painting!

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After building the foundation with several layers of value, form, and color, we can then start to “dial in” the detail and nuances.

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Acrylic is a fantastic medium for portrait painting, but it can be so challenging to use! That is why I am teaching you the glazing technique to open a lot of possibilities and ease your frustration.

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Acrylic portrait painting, in many ways, is like creating a sculpture. We want to truly make our faces look realistic and three-dimensional. In this master class video lesson, I show you how to do exactly that.

WATCH NOW…

If you remember the childhood story, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” you recall that the hare started out really fast and put the tortoise to shame. But then the rabbit took a nap, while the slow, while the turtle, with his slow methodical steps, passed him up and won the race!

WATCH NOW…