My fine art acrylic painting process:
Paints
I used Liquitex exclusively for a long time. In 2025, I started switching to Golden Open Acrylics. They stay wet longer and are easier to blend.
Acrlyc Varnish
Liquitex gloss varnish spray. This cannot be removed. Do not use this.
Windsor-Newton UV gloss Spray. This can be removed in the future. Paintings before 2025 didn't do it this way. Older paintings have a matte or gloss layer.
Clean dried acrylic paint from brushes
Put an inch of 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol in a red cup
Add the brushes. Mix the brushes in the alcohol.
Set five-minute timer.
When the timer goes off, remove brushes and rinse with warm water and soap.
Thoroughly rinse to remove any soap.
If the brushes are clean, then you are done. Otherwise repeat steps 2-5
Dispose of alcohol and throw out cup.
Use seven layer painting technique
Paint Colors
White use Golden Gesso because it is partially transparent
Neutral Black: (1) on a paper plate using a palette knife, mix neutral black: equal parts Golden Open burnt umber and Golden Open Ultramarine Blue with a dab of Liquitex dioxazine purple. (2) move neutral black to Sta-wet palette or store in a tin tube.
Payne's Gray: to neutral gray (2/3) add more Ultramarine Blue (1/3) and a touch of Golden gesso, which is aa transparent white. Compare to pre-mixed Payne's Gray
Palette: burnt umber, ultramarine blue, quanacrodone magenta, cobalt teal, pthalo green, caddmium yelllow deep,
Sta-wet palette