Acrylic painting tutorials have become hugely popular on YouTube in recent years. With millions of views and subscribers, acrylic painting channels provide instructional videos to teach techniques and guide viewers to create their own acrylic artworks.
Popular Acrylic Painting YouTubers
Some of the most popular YouTube channels focused on acrylic painting include:
- TheArtSherpa – Run by artist Cheryl Yapkowitz, this channel has over 3 million subscribers. Videos range from beginner tutorials to advanced techniques.
- DrawMixPaint – Hosted by artist Lachri, focuses on fun, creative acrylic pours and fluid art.
- Clive5art – Clive shows how to paint bright, vibrant landscape scenery in acrylics.
- Art ala Carte – Artist Karen Offutt shares easy-to-follow acrylic painting tutorials.
- Ginger Cook – Provides a range of instruction from beginner lessons to painting animals and portraits.
These artists, and many others on YouTube, share useful tips and inspiration for aspiring acrylic painters. Their step-by-step guidance makes learning accessible.
What You Can Learn
YouTube acrylic painting channels cover a diverse range of topics and techniques. Some common themes include:
Painting Materials/Supplies
Introductory videos often focus on painting materials – which brushes to use, how to set up your palette, recommends paint brands, varnishes, canvases, etc. Understanding painting supplies helps beginners get started.
Mixing Colors
A key skill in acrylic painting is learning how to mix and blend colors. YouTube artists demonstrate color theory, mixing paints on a palette, and creating shades and textures.
Painting Techniques
From blending, glazing and texturing to using unique tools, acrylic painters share their techniques for applying paint in creative ways. This helps develop style and abilities.
Composition and Perspective
Arranging subject matter and using perspective are critical foundations for strong paintings. Channels provide tips for sketching, planning a piece, and developing good composition.
Landscapes, Portraits and More
YouTube artists share focused tutorials on painting popular subjects – from animals and flowers to buildings, people and scenery. Step-by-steps guide viewers through entire paintings.
Acrylic Pouring
Pouring acrylics creates colorful, fluid artwork. Channels demonstrate mixing paints and mediums for pouring, with guidance on techniques like dirty pours and swipes.
Acrylic Painting Ideas
Finding inspiration is easier with YouTube artists presenting quick-paint tutorials, timelapse videos, and fun ideas for beginners to try.
Benefits for New Painters
For budding acrylic painters, these YouTube channels provide valuable learning opportunities. Some key benefits include:
- Step-by-step guidance – Demonstrations allow painters to follow along and learn techniques in a clear sequence.
- Visible progress – Seeing each stage of a painting created on video helps learn techniques and see them applied.
- Instant feedback – Comments allow painters to ask questions on videos and get feedback.
- Inspiring results – Seeing finished paintings motivates beginners to develop their own skills.
- Range of topics – With varied content from many channels, painters can learn well-rounded skills.
- Self-paced learning – Videos can be watched repeatedly to cement abilities at your own speed.
YouTube’s acrylic painting channels allow artists to learn at their own pace. The videos make instruction accessible and convenient for painters of all levels.
Choosing a Channel for Your Needs
With so many acrylic painting YouTubers out there, it can help to consider your goals and interests when choosing which to follow. Think about what you want to get out of the videos.
For Beginners
As a new painter, choose channels focused on acrylic painting fundamentals. Look for:
- Basic introduction videos explaining fundamentals
- Simpler painting tutorials using minimal colors
- Technique demonstrations for blending, textures, etc.
- Study of color mixing, values, and layering paint
Beginner-friendly channels include TheArtSherpa, DrawMixPaint, and Clive5art.
For Intermediate/Advanced Painters
With some experience, focus on growing your skills and developing a style with channels that offer:
- Complex scene paintings breaking down advanced techniques
- Tips for creating realistic textures like stone, water, etc.
- challenged on values, perspective, lighting, and composition
- Demonstrations focused on unique tools or materials
Ginger Cook and Art ala Carte have great content for intermediate/advanced painters looking to expand their abilities.
For Inspiration
If you want inspiration for subjects, styles, and ideas, look for channels with:
- Quick painting tutorials showing full paintings made in timelapses
- Short videos on painting techniques for specific focal points like trees, clouds, etc.
- Simple project ideas for beginners to practice creativity
- Artist studio vlogs showing works in progress
TheArtSherpa, Clive5art, and Makoccino are great for getting inspired by finished acrylic paintings.
For Relaxation
Some channels provide a calming, therapeutic effect for viewers. For relaxation, choose acrylic painters offering:
- Bob Ross-style instructions with a calm tone
- Longer real-time videos showing the entire painting process
- Soothing music played lightly over the tutorials
- Focus on colorful abstract acrylic pours and fluid painting
Channels like DrawMixPaint, TheArtSherpa, and Sarah Cray provide relaxing content perfect to paint along with.
Topics to Learn as a Beginner
When starting out with acrylic painting, it helps to focus your learning. Some key topics beginners should study include:
| Topic | What to Learn |
|---|---|
| Color Mixing | Mixing primary colors to create all hues; Adjusting tones and shades; Mixing flesh colors; Using a color mixing chart |
| Color Harmony | Complementary, analogous, and triadic color schemes; Using the color wheel; Warm vs. cool colors |
| Brushes | Brush shapes and their uses; Proper brush care and cleaning |
| Acrylic Paint Properties | Thickness, drying time, blending, glazing, lifting; Developing texture; Sealing |
| Composition | Rule of thirds; Leading lines; Balancing elements; Planning thumbnails |
Gaining an understanding of these foundations will give beginners the tools to start painting successfully. The top channels break these topics down into clear, actionable guidance.
Growing Your Skills Over Time
One major benefit of acrylic painting YouTube channels is the ability to continue expanding your skills over months and years. Some tips for growing long-term include:
- Practice consistently – Paint regularly to cement techniques. Apply channel tips to many projects.
- Take notes – Jot down techniques, color mixes, and concepts to reference.
- Save videos – Curate a playlist of favorites to rewatch and reinforce learning.
- Increase difficulty – Try more complex tutorials as skills improve. Graduate to new challenges.
- Explore new channels – Add variety with new artists and approaches once fundamentals are learned.
- Paint along live – Interact in real-time lessons to share work and ask questions.
- Practice unique techniques – Move beyond basics to develop an advanced artistic style over time.
With consistent practice using YouTube’s free learning resources, acrylic painting skills can continuously improve over months and years.
Tips for Making Progress
Here are some top tips to help make steady progress as you develop acrylic painting skills using YouTube:
- Follow beginner tutorials start-to-finish before attempting your own work.
- Be patient with yourself as skills take time and practice to improve.
- Focus on mastering the fundamentals before trying advanced techniques.
- Work through tutorials multiple times to reinforce new techniques.
- Paint everyday objects like fruit or bottles to practice skills.
- Invest in quality brushes and paints so tools don’t limit you.
- Record your own timelapses to review and see improvement.
- Stay inspired by subscribing to new channels and saving favorite videos.
With dedication and focused practice using the wealth of acrylic painting content on YouTube, new artists can develop skills quickly and grow into accomplished painters.
Conclusion
YouTube provides an invaluable resource for self-taught acrylic painters with its wide range of instructional art channels. Step-by-step video lessons allow artists to build skills at their own pace for free. While practice is still essential, the detailed guidance and wealth of acrylic painting content on YouTube enables beginners to master techniques that historically could only be learned in art school. For inspiration, relaxation or developing artistic abilities, YouTube’s acrylic painting community is an engaging and effective way to grow.
