Painting a 24 x 30 acrylic with 30 people

How do I apply the first skin tone layer using acrylic glazing?

In this video real-time portrait painting demonstration, I begin a 24″ x 30″ acrylic portrait with 30 people in it! This is a commission, and it features full-length figures with an immense amount of detail to capture. I am painting this on hardboard so I can get in the fine shading and nuances, especially on the faces. I use a modified version of the classical glazing technique. It allows you to capture a lot of detail and blend smoothly, with precision. Watch over my shoulder as I paint! I hope this helps you learn new techniques you can apply to your portrait. Be blessed!

Portrait painters know that it’s not easy to paint realistic skin tones. In acrylic, this is especially true. But what if there was a way where you didn’t have to have a perfect recipe or make it all happen in one shot? What if you could slowly, but predictably build up skin tones one layer at a time? And what if you could do it without losing your likeness in the sketch? That’s what I am going to show you today.

Now, this is just the start. But it’s a very good start. I’ll demonstate, real-time, in this 24 x 30 acrylic portrait of 30 people, how I am putting in the FIRST layer of skin tone color, using the acrylic glazing technique. What is the acrylic glazing technique? Watch over my shoulder in this video tutorial, and I’ll show you.

Back to that 24 x 30 acrylic portrait again! This time, I’m showing you how to block in the color for the hair. We’re using the acrylic glazing technique, where we mix a little bit of paint into a large amount of clear acrylic matte medium, and create blending with many faint layers.

LEARN MORE

• Adding highlights to your acrylic painting
• 5 Excellent Reasons to Use Aluminum Foil
• Paint Realistic Wrinkles in Acrylic
• Painting Clothing in an Acrylic Portrait
• Paint a Cloudy Sky Acrylic  
•  How to add Semi-Opaque Highlights
• How to Enhance the Contrast in Your Acrylic
• How to Add Glaze to Your Acrylic Painting
• Paint Realistic Reflections on Eyeglasses in an Acrylic Portrait
• Build Up Depth on Your Acrylic Portrait Backgrounds
• How Do You Do Layers With the Glazing Technique?
• Learn How to Paint Wrinkles in Acrylic

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

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

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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!