Blending with acrylics can be tricky, especially soft transitions from one color to another.  There are several reasons acrylics can be harder to blend with so, in this lesson I'm going to teach you how to overcome each blending obstacle and share with you several blending secrets. It isn't necessary to use every technique to blend. Try some of the different ways and use what works for you. 

Problem #1 - Acrylics dry fast, so there is less time to blend. Acrylics will go into a sticky stage quickly and once the paint becomes tacky, trying to blend is impossible. 

Solution: Make your acrylics "open time" or blending time longer. There are several ways you can do this...

1. The Sta-wet Palette: This palette keeps your paints wet on the palette without having to use sprays. Paints are already beginning to dry before you even get it on your canvas, decreasing the blending time. But on the sta-wet, your paints are wet from the beginning increasing their "open time."

Tip:  If you don't have a sta-wet palette and want to see how it works, use a Tupperware container instead. In a square Tupperware container add wet paper towels on the bottom (not dripping wet). Then add wet copy paper cut to the container size on top of the towels. Add your paints on top of the paper. It is not as great as buying the sta-wet palette, but it is similar enough to see how it works. Then just add the lid when you store it and your paints stay wet for days.

​2. Add mediums that keep acrylics from drying too fast. Acrylics have several mediums that can be added to the paint that slow down drying time. I have this lesson here if you want to learn more about them. Adding slow-dri medium is a great option, as it reduces the drying time by 40%. ​

Problem #4 - I see streaks and lines.

Paint over an area more. Blending takes time and the more you work over an area the more it blends. You will often see me go over an area several times just to get it to blend. I also work side-to-side for skies and in circles for round objects. The more I work side-to-side or round and round the more the colors are mixing which is what creates soft blends.
That being said, new artists can easily over-blend an area making a muddy mess. Don't overdo it. Once it looks good, leave it alone.  Just remember, blending needs more working over but everything else needs less.

I have several tutorials that you can practice blending with me. The tutorial below is a favorite! In the tutorials that demonstrate blending and glazing. Come paint along! As a Createful Art Member you can get the reference photos to help you paint along with me. If you haven't already signed up, it's an incredible deal for all the perks (weekly art lessons, ref. photos, color mixing videos, bonus content and more!). 

Fall is in the air and I feel like celebrating by showing you how to make some pretty autumn home decor. Learn how to paint this autumn red maple leaf in this, step by step, acrylic painting tutorial. This lesson is easy enough for beginner artists. See what you need to paint this with me below. 

​Learn how to paint a realistic sunflower in this, step by step, acrylic painting tutorial. This lesson is easy enough for beginner artists.