acrylic paints - Synthetic
paints, with pigments
dispersed in a synthetic vehicle
made from polymerized acrylic acid esters, the most important
of which is polymethyl methacrylate. First used by artists in
the late 1940s, their use has come to rival that of oil
paints because of their versatility. They can be used on nearly
any surface, in transparent
washes or heavy impasto,
with matte, semi-gloss,
or glossy finishes.
Acrylic paints dry quickly, do not yellow, are easily removed
with mineral spirits or
turpentine (use acetone
if those don't remove enough), and can clean
up with soap and water.
Examples:
Schomer Lichtner (American, 1905-), Ballerina on a Cushion, 2001, acrylic on paper. Living in Wisconsin, Lichtner is reknowned for paintings of ballerinas and dairy cows and his regionalist murals. See capital letters, negative space, and New Deal art.
Morris Louis (American, 1912-1962), VAV, 1960, acrylic
on unprimed canvas,
260.3 x 359.4 cm, Tate Gallery, London. See stain.
Morris Louis, Alpha-Phi, 1961, acrylic
on unprimed canvas,
259.1 x 459.7 cm, Tate Gallery, London.
Jules Olitski (American, 1922-), Instant Loveland, 1968, acrylic
on canvas, 294.6 x 645.7
cm, Tate Gallery, London.
Kenneth Noland (American, 1924-), Gift, 1961-2, acrylic
on canvas, 182.9 x 182.9
cm, Tate Gallery, London.
Kenneth Noland, Drought, 1962, acrylic
on canvas, 176.5 x 176.5
cm, Tate Gallery, London.
Frank Stella (American, 1936-), Tahkt-I-Sulayman Variation II, 1969,
acrylic on canvas, 120
x 240 inches, Minneapolis Institute of Arts. See Minimalism.
Ed Ruscha (American, 1937-), Scratches on the Film, 1993, acrylic on canvas, 36 1/16 x 72 inches (91.6 x 182.9 cm), North Carolina Art Museum, Raleigh. See text.
Chuck Close (American, 1940-), Frank, 1969, acrylic
on canvas, 108 x 84 inches,
Minneapolis Institute of Arts. See grisaille
and Photo-Realism.
Also see American Watercolor Society (AWS), polymer, stain, and stain removal.
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