13 Quick Tips For Mixing Acrylic Paint That Will Make Your Life Easier

By Nicole Tinkham

When getting started with acrylic paint, the best way to learn how to mix colors is just by doing it. It does take some time with experimenting but getting hands on with it will really help you improve over time. Remember that you can always paint over any acrylic painting you create that you don’t like. This always takes the pressure off a little. Also, a canvas with paint on it is a step above a blank canvas. Just go for it! Don’t become discouraged if your first painting doesn’t come out as planned. Keep on practicing and you will get there. Don’t worry we won’t leave ya hanging though. Here are 13 quick tips for mixing acrylic paint that will make your life easier. Let’s get started!

1.    Paint from the tube can look flat. Mix in some white for dimension. 2.    Get a unique look by not mixing colors all the way on your palette. 3.    Try mixing paint directly on your canvas (wet on wet). 4.    Tone down black shadows by adding some raw umber. 5.    Darken colors with brown instead of black for a richer more vibrant color. 6.    To create skin tones, mix all primary colors together. 7.    Add red paint to blue for a deeper blue. 8.    Acrylic paint dries a little darker so mix paint accordingly (just a little lighter than you want it). 9.    Once you mix a color you like, create different tones of the same color to work with. 10.    Your mixed colors don’t have to go to waste if you don’t use it all! Store them in air tight containers so you can use them later. 11.    Equal amounts of two complementary colors = brown 12.    Apply glazes on top of a base color to create new colors without mixing them on your palette. 13.    You can mix MILLIONS of different colors with just 3 tubes of paint. Click here to learn how.

You may be wondering why you should even bother mixing your own paint when you can just use the colors right from the tube. First off, mixing your own can create more vibrant eye catching colors that really make your painting stand out. Also, experimenting with mixing your own colors teaches you and helps you become a better artist. Don’t stress out over this. It should be fun and relaxing. Just play around with mixing colors before you start any big project so you have a better understanding before really getting into it.

Tell us, what are your best tips for mixing acrylic paint? Comment below and we’ll add it to this list.

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