First acrylic painting

[Anonymous]

Actually canvas is one of the easiest surfaces to work with acrylics... wood on the other hand (though can do awsome stuff with) will completely drain color. You really have to lay the paint on thick for that...
anyway...
First thing you didn't do is a wash because I see your white canvas.
Secondly, you should work basically dark to light with acrylic (opposite of watercolor). So put down darkest colors first, then add lights on top of that. Be sure to use enough paint.
Also, your edges are rough which means either of 2 things... you didn't use enough paint, or you weren't using enough water to smooth it out.
Lastly it's good to cover everything with some kind of glaze (lightly mix a transparent color like a gold with a glossy or matte medium) because otherwise your colors will look chalky.

Cell animation artists painted on acetate which is like a clear plastic, not canvas. I think they used gouache and inks often, and as for the acrylic.. I don't think it was a run-of-the-mill type., it was a special kind. If you are trying to do that flat smooth color type of look you want to use ink or gouache on a board.. like a specially prepared board (smooth)