Acrylic Syllabus

1: Introduction & Materials

Overview of watercolor materials (papers, brushes, paints), water control, palettes. Importance of value vs color.

Suggested Materials:

https://www.dickblick.com/lists/blicku/JU4XBDG1CTAKP

Exercises:
– Swatch every pigment.
– Create a 5–step value scale with one pigment.

 Acrylic Painting Crash Course – Learn the Basics in 14 Minutes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwg5RTnm-gA

 

Value Scale:

Acrylic Painting: Value Scales

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCJ6asiP0_s

 

How to Create a Value Scale with Acrylic Paint

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAW-HF1Ygmo

 

Charting a color study using limited watercolor colors – the how and why

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yJioQF9Zyc

2: Basic Acrylic Techniques

3: Color Mixing & Theory

Warm vs cool primaries, complementary contrast, optical mixing, limited palette.

Exercises:
– Create color wheel from primaries.
– Mix neutrals using complementary colors.

Assignment: Still life with 3–color limited palette.

Color mixing lesson for beginners – the Watercolor Color Wheel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI2OYh9cn3Q

 

The only 3 tips you need for mastering color theory in watercolor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZO8SjUn2tA

4: Value & Light/Shadow

Light logic, highlights, cast shadows, reflected light.

Exercises:
– Paint sphere or cube using one color.

Assignment: Monochrome still life study.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3cH3DjlH9k

 

5: Glazing

Transparent glazes with acrylics:

 

How Acrylic Glazing Creates Depth in Your Artwork

6: Still Life Painting

Lecture Notes: Observing form, light on objects, reflective surfaces.

Exercises: Paint a simple still life

Still Life Painting Lesson with Acrylics – Orange Slices

7: Still Life Painting 2

Lecture Notes: Painting transparent objects

Exercises:
– Transparency practice (glass, fruit, jars).

Assignment: Still life painting from direct observation.

Video: Easy Acrylic Painting Still Life Glass

8: Landscape Painting

Aerial perspective, layering distance, skies & foreground.

Exercises:
– Paint a sky with cloud variations.
– Layer background, middleground, foreground.

Assignment: Full landscape study.

Video: 

 

The One Landscape Painting Tip You Really Need

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGc8RhP-OZc

 

8 Tips for More SPACE and Depth in You Paintings (Linear and Aerial Perspective)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nysd3Z1z8Vs

9: Composition & Design

Rule of thirds, balance, focal point, negative space.

Exercises:
– 3 thumbnail sketches from reference photo.

Assignment: Paint one thumbnail as a finished study.

Videos:

6 EASY Rules for Better Composition and Better Art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQrEpYBg0c4

 

Watercolor Composition – Simple Tactic that Makes A HUGE Difference – Matthew White

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0b9xmfbbik

 

How to Compose a Painting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56cfos7Tmrg

10: More Color

Split Primary colors

Color Bias

Create Split primary color wheel

Identify colors in a painting

Videos:

Colour Mixing Basics with Gouache

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lohqXkLRW3E

Color Theory Ep. 2 | Split Primary Palette | What Is It? & How To Make One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjGvtp0lOtw

11: Florals & Organic Forms

Lecture Notes: Petal structure, color transitions, negative painting.

Exercises:
– Petal and leaf studies.

Assignment: Floral composition.

Video:

 

12: Expressive Techniques

 

Video:

Expressive Brushstrokes with Acrylics – Painting Loosely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n8nmkbykBc

13: Master Study

Do a study of a master painting

Confer with me about the painting you want to study

14: Abstraction

Abstracting from a source

 

Frank O’Cain’s insightful demo, Color in Acrylic, May 12, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJNaaTjj93o