Among the most versatile painting mediums ever developed, acrylic colors offer artists an extraordinary variety of painting methods. Capable of achieving a wide range of technical effects, they are also durable, convenient, and safe to use. In this comprehensive, enthusiastic guide, a noted artist and teacher provides a wealth of useful suggestions and practical information about acrylic painting methods and materials. You'll learn about colors and their characteristics, painting surfaces, and how to prepare them, painting tools, and much more. Separate chapters, with easy-to-follow instructions and technical exercises, are devoted to each of the major acrylic painting methods: opaque, transparent (watercolor), underpainting and overpainting, tempera, textural painting with knife and brush, mixed-media techniques, and even varnishing and framing. Of special interest is a section in which leading artists reveal in useful step-by-step demonstrations how they paint various subjects, applying techniques described in the book. In addition, the book is richly illustrated with vibrant color and black-and-white reproductions of acrylic paintings by noted contemporary artists, with captions analyzing their methods. Inspiring and invaluable, this volume provides students and artists with a splendid introduction to painting with acrylics.