I remember the first time I entered an art store. I was eager to learn to paint but had no idea where to start. A man explained to the sales clerk that his daughter wanted to take up painting and he wondered what kind of paints to give her.

As the clerk explained the differences between mediums, I got to listen in without feeling the pressure of making a decision. He highlighted acrylics, saying they’re easy to work with and you can create the look of either watercolour or oil with this one type of paint. Intrigued, I flipped through a book on painting with acrylics and, longing to be able to create what I saw, I was sold. I bought my first set of acrylic paints, some of which I still have today.

When I made my purchase that day, I could never have envisioned myself like the dad in the store, buying acrylic paints for my daughter. That’s just what I did this Christmas, and we put them straight to work.

As well as our hearts, I used acrylic paint for my daughter’s invitations. Making those little fish was so much fun I couldn’t stop. I was amazed how much variety I could get, just making fish. I recommend trying this: pick one simple animal or object and sculpt several of them. See how creative you can get.

After all of her planning, my daughter’s party was amazing. I enjoyed seeing, not just how my daughter had changed over the past year, but how her friends have too. Being so far from our own family, my kids’ friends become “China nieces and nephews” to me. I have such a love for those girls and was glad to be able to give each one a gift: a fishy scene. 

Have you tried painting with acrylic? I’d love to hear what you’ve made. 

Join us in creating. Here are the paints we’re using, available from Amazon.ca. 

US customers, you can make any purchase through the links at the bottom of this post. (Sorry for the inconvenience, I’m having tech troubles;)

You don’t have to buy acrylic paints, you can support my site by making any purchase through these links. 

I’m participating in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for me to earn a small commission, by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.