Now is the time to pursue creative fulfillment! Annie O'Brien Gonzales felt a passion for art from an early age. But not until 30 years later--after raising a family and working "a real job"--did she get serious about painting. Along the way, she experienced the pleasures and the pitfalls of learning to paint. In these pages, she channels it all to help others discover (or re-discover) The Joy of Acrylic Painting. This guide offers an engaging, streamlined approach for any beginner, but especially those who--due to life detours or lack of time--had previously postponed their artistic aspirations. In a fun, instantly gratifying style, Gonzales combines the forgiveness of acrylics with the approachability of expressive painting. With special emphasis on the elements of color, pattern and texture, these lessons give you a jump-start on painting with feeling. If now is your time to pursue creative fulfillment, then this is the book to ease your way. • Strategies for gathering resonant ideas and inspiration • Practical advice, such as when to splurge and where to save on painting supplies • Mixed-media techniques for creating character in your paintings • Inspiration from Expressionist masters, including ways to use their work as a jumping-off point for your own original paintings • PLUS 8 fabulous start-to-finish painting projects--landscapes, still life, figures and abstracts

Here's all the information you need to begin painting with acrylics--the most exciting, versatile medium available. The basic techniques are easy--stippling, blending, glazing, masking, and wet-in-wet. Over a dozen mini-demos illustrate how to paint flowers, clouds, shadows, water and more! You'll soon be creating some extraordinary paintings. Author Jacqueline Penney will show you how, with a relaxed, informative style that transports you from the shores of a dune-swept beach to a tropical lagoon. Try all five of her complete, step-by-step demonstrations, including a flower-covered mountainside, sand dunes and sailboats, a forest of spruce trees and ferns, a tranquil island hideaway and a mist-shrouded ocean. You'll find that painting with acrylics is easy--and extraordinary!

Unleash kids' creativity with easy acrylic tutorials and projects for ages 8 to 12 Painting is so much fun! Whether the child in your life wants to become a great painter someday or just express themselves artistically, this book will show them how to use acrylic paints to create artwork of their own. They'll find step-by-step lessons and projects that teach them everything from setting up their art station to painting light and texture like a pro. This standout among art books for kids age 8-12 includes: Acrylic painting 101—Kids will learn about the tools an artist uses, then dive into beginner-friendly lessons about colors, lines and shapes, positive and negative space, and more. Skill-building projects—Inspire kids to boost their acrylic skills with painting projects that start out simple and become more challenging. Tips and inspiration—This art book for kids helps them master basic painting techniques with pro tips and creative prompts that encourage them to express themselves in new ways. Introduce kids to the joy of painting with How to Paint with Acrylics.

Now is the time to pursue creative fulfillment! Annie O'Brien Gonzales felt a passion for art from an early age. But not until 30 years later--after raising a family and working "a real job"--did she get serious about painting. Along the way, she experienced the pleasures and the pitfalls of learning to paint. In these pages, she channels it all to help others discover (or re-discover) The Joy of Acrylic Painting. This guide offers an engaging, streamlined approach for any beginner, but especially those who--due to life detours or lack of time--had previously postponed their artistic aspirations. In a fun, instantly gratifying style, Gonzales combines the forgiveness of acrylics with the approachability of expressive painting. With special emphasis on the elements of color, pattern and texture, these lessons give you a jump-start on painting with feeling. If now is your time to pursue creative fulfillment, then this is the book to ease your way. • Strategies for gathering resonant ideas and inspiration • Practical advice, such as when to splurge and where to save on painting supplies • Mixed-media techniques for creating character in your paintings • Inspiration from Expressionist masters, including ways to use their work as a jumping-off point for your own original paintings • PLUS 8 fabulous start-to-finish painting projects--landscapes, still life, figures and abstracts

Discover abstract painting with acrylics! "If you approach your art with a playful attitude you will be more apt to keep making art, and the more art you make, the better your art will be." --pg. 10 Like a diving board for creativity, Abstract Explorations in Acrylic Painting will help you plunge joyfully into artmaking. With the belief that an attitude of playfulness is key to artistic growth, award-winning acrylic artist Jo Toye leads you on an engaging workshop-style adventure filled with innovative techniques, inventive approaches and breakthrough results. • Work Small. Start by discovering how working on a small canvas yields big payoffs. When you don't have anything to lose but a few minutes and a little piece of paper, you'll find that you paint more fearlessly, absorb new concepts faster and enjoy yourself more. • Step-by-Step Instruction. Learn what tools Toye finds most useful in making art, along with 17 step-by-step demonstrations showing how to use them to best effect. • Start-to-Finish Painting Projects. At the heart of the book, 8 start-to-finish painting projects put it all together. Discover fresh takes on stenciling, sponging, making and working with gesso. Use razor blades and applicator bottles to create distinctive linework. Achieve wonderfully original patterns using resist pens, mouth atomizers and India ink. Experiment with Clear Tar Gel, pour paint with pipettes, work over top a "failed" painting...all yielding brilliantly original results. Heavily illustrated and filled with exciting ideas you won't find anywhere else, Abstract Explorations in Acrylic Painting will inspire you to paint, experiment, play...and come away with some of your best work yet!