What supplies are needed to set up a beginner acrylic painting studio at home?

You will need acrylic paint, brushes, a palette, water containers, paper towels, and a paintable surface such as canvas, canvas paper, or an art panel.

How do you mix acrylic paint properly on a palette?

Place small amounts of paint on the palette and blend them gradually with a brush or palette knife until the color is even.

What acrylic painting techniques are taught for creating water, feathers, and texture?

The course teaches brushwork such as streaky reflections for water, layered strokes for feathers, and textured brush techniques for subjects like rocks and wood.

Free Course Image Beginner Acrylic Painting Course

Free online course Beginner Acrylic Painting Course

Duration of the online course: 18 hours and 4 minutes

New

Build acrylic painting skills fast with a free online course: set up your studio, master color mixing and brushwork, and finish beginner projects with confidence.

In this free course, learn about

Course goals and core beginner concepts in acrylic painting
How to set up a functional home painting studio and what tools are optional vs essential
Differences between craft acrylics and artist-grade paints (coverage, pigment load, consistency)
Brush types and care: uses of common shapes; avoid heat on synthetics to prevent melting
Choosing surfaces (canvas, paper, panels) and which are not ideal for beginner acrylic practice
Foundational acrylic techniques: loading, blending, layering, dry brushing, glazing, and texture building
Proper paint mixing on a palette to control value, opacity, and clean color
Brushstroke methods for texture (e.g., stippling/scumbling for rocks and wood grain effects)
Mixing from primaries; toning colors to adjust intensity/temperature and create harmonious palettes
Step-by-step project workflow: base coats/first layers, blocking-in shapes, then refining details
Detail hacks and tools: substitutes for tiny marks; tools for straight lines (e.g., ruler/edge)
Creating effects: feathers, waterfall flow (fan brush), cloud/sunset glow, and water reflections
Layering fur and building form in animals; using highlights/shadows to define volume
Depth and distance in landscapes using atmospheric perspective, value shifts, and scale

About the free online course

Want to paint with acrylics but feel stuck at the first step? This free online course is designed to help you move from unsure beginner to confident painter by making the essentials clear, practical, and easy to apply. You will learn how to start with what you have, choose supplies without overspending, and avoid common mistakes that can make early practice frustrating.

From setting up a simple home painting space to understanding how acrylic paint behaves, the course guides you through the foundations that make everything else easier. You will get comfortable with brushes, surfaces, and basic technique, so you can control your paint instead of fighting it. You will also develop the habits that help acrylics look cleaner and more intentional, like smarter mixing, consistent loading, and making purposeful marks.

As you progress, you will build real confidence by completing a series of beginner-friendly paintings. These guided projects help you practice the core skills you need in a way that feels creative and motivating. Along the way, you will train your eye to see value, color relationships, and simple ways to suggest texture, depth, and atmosphere. That means your paintings can start to look more dimensional even with a limited palette and straightforward steps.

Because the course blends clear explanations with hands-on practice, it suits anyone who prefers learning by doing. Whether your goal is a relaxing new hobby, a creative reset, or a stepping stone into more advanced drawing and painting studies, you will leave with stronger fundamentals, a better understanding of materials, and the momentum to keep painting on your own.

Course content

Video class: Beginners Acrylic Painting Course Syllabus INTRO to the course | The Art Sherpa 37m
Exercise: Which element is NOT a focus of the beginner acrylic painting course?
Video class: How to set up a Home Painting Studio Everything a Beginner Needs to Know #2 | The Art Sherpa 47m
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a necessary item to have in your acrylic painting home studio?

Video class: Acrylic Paint Everything a Beginner Needs to Know and nobody tells you #3 | The Art Sherpa 44m
Exercise: What is one characteristic of craft acrylic paint compared to artist-grade paint?
Video class: Acrylic Brushes Everything a Beginner Needs to Know and forgot to tell YOU #4 | The Art Sherpa 51m
Exercise: What should you avoid doing with synthetic filament brushes to prevent them from melting?
Video class: Canvas Paper Art Panels Everything a Beginner Needs to Know and nobody tells you #5 The Art Sherpa 54m
Exercise: Which of the following is NOT a recommended surface for beginner acrylic painters to paint on?

Video class: Acrylic Techniques Everything a Beginner Needs to Know and nobody tells you #6 | The Art Sherpa 1h54m
Exercise: What is the proper way to mix acrylic paint on a palette?
Video class: Brush Stroke Techniques Everything a Beginner Needs to Know and nobody tells you #7 The Art Sherpa 1h05m
Exercise: What technique is essential for creating texture when painting wood or rocks?
Video class: Mixing Primary Colors for Beginners The basics #8 The Art Sherpa 1h30m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of toning a color in painting?

Video class: Two Funny Cats | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #1 | Primary colors | The Art Sherpa 56m
Exercise: What can you use if you don't have a fine-tip brush to create very small details like the center dots of the bug's eyes?
Video class: 2 Red Cute Birds | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #2 | Primary colors | The Art Sherpa 1h07m
Exercise: What technique is used to help create the appearance of feathers on the birds in the painting?
Video class: Mason JAR Flowers | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #3 | Primary colors | The Art Sherpa 53m
Exercise: In the Beginner Acrylic Painting Course by The Art Sherpa, what is the first layer applied to the canvas during the project involving painting flowers and a mason jar?
Video class: Dragonfly Pond | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #4 | Primary colors | The Art Sherpa 54m
Exercise: In the Beginner Acrylic Painting Course, which tool is mentioned as helpful for drawing straight lines, especially when depicting water in a painting?
Video class: Peacock Feather | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #5 | The Art Sherpa 44m
Exercise: What technique does the instructor recommend for applying deep blue in the center of the peacock's eye?
Video class: Hot Air Balloon Sunset | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #6 | The Art Sherpa 1h04m
Exercise: In the acrylic painting of a hot air balloon featured in the lesson, what technique is used to create the appearance of the sunset's light on the clouds and balloon?
Video class: EASY Fan Brush Waterfall | Beginner Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #7 | The Art Sherpa 35m
Exercise: Which type of brush is recommended for painting the waterfall in the Beginner Acrylic Painting Course by The Art Sherpa?
Video class: Rainbow Trees Lake and Pier | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #8 | The Art Sherpa 28m
Exercise: In the Beginner Acrylic Painting Course by The Art Sherpa, what is the purpose of creating streaky light reflections when painting the sky and lake?
Video class: Zen Stacked Stones and Lotus | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #9 | The Art Sherpa 34m
Exercise: Which of the following steps is NOT part of the process for painting the Zen stack stones and lotus in the 'Beginner Acrylic Painting Course'?
Video class: Corgi Bum Bum | Easy Acrylic Painting STEP BY STEP #10 | The Art Sherpa 51m
Exercise: In the video tutorial for painting a corgi, what is the primary goal when applying the second layer of the fur color?

Video class: Congrats you Did it | You are a 1 hoot Painter Party | The Art Sherpa 1h27m
Exercise: What concept is vital for creating a sense of depth and distance in a landscape painting?

Learn aboutPainting

Explore free online painting courses and learn essential techniques in watercolor, acrylic, oil, color theory, composition, and more. Study at your own pace with beginner-friendly lessons, build practical creative skills, and earn a certificate upon completion. Start learning painting online for free today and grow your artistic confidence.