Top 7 Mistakes Beginners Make in Acrylic Painting & How to Avoid Them

Acrylic painting is one of the best ways to start exploring your creativity. The colors are bright, the supplies are affordable, and mistakes are easy to fix — you can just paint over them! Still, if you’re just starting out, it’s common to hit a few roadblocks.

This guide breaks down the top seven mistakes beginners make with acrylic painting and gives you practical tips to avoid them. Consider it part of your acrylic painting for beginners step by step journey.

1. Using Too Much Paint on the Brush

Many beginners overload their brushes, thinking it will speed things up. Instead, it makes your strokes messy and hard to control.

How to avoid it:
Dip your brush lightly, then tap off excess paint. Work in light layers rather than trying to cover everything at once.

2. Not Keeping Paint Wet on the Palette

Acrylics dry fast — sometimes faster than you want. Leaving big blobs of paint out means wasting color before you even use it.

How to avoid it:

• Mist your palette with water using a spray bottle.

• Work with small amounts of paint at a time.

• Try a stay-wet palette if you paint slowly.

3. Skipping the Underpainting or Base Layer

Jumping straight into details without laying down a base color often leaves the canvas looking patchy or unfinished.

How to avoid it:
Apply a thin base coat (called an “underpainting”) in a neutral tone. This helps colors sit evenly and adds depth to your final piece.

4. Overblending the Paint

It’s tempting to keep blending until colors are perfectly smooth — but acrylics dry quickly, and overworking them can turn your colors muddy.

How to avoid it:
Blend only where you need to, and stop once it looks good. If you miss a spot, let it dry and add another layer instead of scrubbing it endlessly.

5. Neglecting Brush Care

Leaving brushes in water or letting paint dry on them ruins bristles fast. This makes it harder to get clean lines or smooth coverage.

How to avoid it:
Rinse brushes often while painting and wash them thoroughly afterward with mild soap and water. Store them flat or bristles-up so they keep their shape.

6. Ignoring Light and Shadow

Flat colors without highlights or shadows make paintings look dull, even if the shapes are correct.

How to avoid it:
Practice adding lighter tints and darker shades to your base colors. Even simple gradients can make your artwork pop.

7. Expecting Perfection on the First Try

A big mistake is thinking every painting has to turn out like a masterpiece. Acrylic painting is a skill — and skills take practice.

How to avoid it:
Treat each painting as a learning experience. Don’t be afraid to experiment with techniques, colors, and textures. The more you paint, the more confident you’ll become.

Final Thoughts

Acrylic painting is incredibly beginner-friendly, but knowing these common mistakes helps you progress faster. By taking an Beginner acrylic painting step by step approach, you’ll build strong habits — from brush care to layering techniques — that make painting more enjoyable.

Want to make the learning process even easier (and more fun)? Join Artväna | Acrylic Paint & Sip Events. Their relaxed classes walk you through every step, so you can skip the frustration and jump straight into creating art you’ll love.