How to choose your medium
Choosing between acrylic and oil paints is more than a preference—it defines how you work. Both have their strengths. The best choice depends on how you like to create.
Acrylics dry fast, usually within minutes to an hour. This makes them ideal for artists who work quickly, layer frequently, or prefer a more immediate process.
Oil paints take longer to dry—anywhere from days to weeks. This gives more time for blending and gradual adjustments, making them a good choice for those who enjoy working at a slower, more deliberate pace.
First, to get started, ask yourself:
- What kind of painter are you? Do you enjoy taking your time, working with patience and precision, refining details as you go? Then oil painting might suit you. Or are you more spontaneous, eager to get your ideas onto the canvas and move on to the next? If so, acrylics could be the better choice.
- What kind of surface and finish do you prefer? Acrylics can be thinned for a watercolor-like effect or applied thickly for texture. Oils, on the other hand, have a rich, buttery consistency that creates depth and a smooth blend.
- Which workplace do you have? Acrylics are water-soluble, easy to clean, and require little ventilation—perfect for smaller indoor spaces. Oils, however, often require solvents for thinning and cleaning, meaning a well-ventilated workspace is essential.
I recommend starting with small projects in each medium to understand their unique characteristics and how they align with your artistic style.
What Is Acrylic Paint?
What Is So Special About Acrylic Paint?
It’s water-based, which means it’s super versatile. The paint itself is like colored particles mixed into the acrylic polymer emulsion. Depending on the thickness of paint, acrylics can act like watercolors or oil paints.
Acrylics change when the temperature changes. When they dry, they go through this thing called ‘glass transition.’ It’s the point where the paint goes from being liquid to solid. And once they’re dry, they become this water-resistant and flexible layer, so you can use them on all kinds of surfaces, like canvas and wood.
Pros and Cons of Acrylics
THE SPEED OF CREATING ART: Ideal for time-sensitive projects or rapid layering. Challenging for slow blending and modifications.
BLENDING: Blending acrylics may seem difficult at first for beginners, especially if compared to watercolor and oil painting. Retarders or mediums can increase flexibility. Learn more and get other tips for blending with acrylics.
KEEPING IT CLEAN: Cleanup is simple with soap and water, ideal for classrooms or home studios. Get more tips for cleaning acrylic brushes. However, brushes need prompt cleaning to prevent damage from hardened acrylic.
VERSATILITY IN APPLICATION: Suitable for various surfaces and techniques, including canvas, paper, wood, glass, and even fabric. They also lend themselves to various techniques, from thin washes similar to watercolor to thick, textured applications akin to oil paints.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH SAFETY: Generally safer and more environmentally friendly than oil paints.
DURABILITY: Resistant to aging and doesn’t yellow over time. Prone to cracking in thick applications.
EASINESS OF MIXING COLORS: Simple to mix when wet, offering a wide range of hues. Rapid drying can make extensive color mixing challenging.
COST: Often more affordable than oil paints.
What Is Oil Paint?
What Is So Special About Oil Paint
Oil paint, traditionally made by mixing pigments with drying oils like linseed, walnut, or poppyseed oil, is renowned for its rich, buttery texture and vibrant color depth.
One fascinating aspect of oil paint is its ability to stay wet for extended periods, ranging from a few days to even weeks, depending on the thickness and oil content. This unique feature allows for intricate blending and layering, making oil paint a favorite for realism and depth in artworks.
Pros And Cons of oil Paint
Working Time: Extended working time allows for detailed and meticulous artistry. Requires patience, which can be challenging for fast-paced projects.
Texture and Consistency: Rich texture enables a range of artistic effects and expressions, from smooth, finely detailed brushwork to heavy, impasto techniques where the paint stands out from the canvas.
Color Depth and Brilliance: Offers depth and luminosity. The natural gloss of oils enhances the richness and vibrancy of colors.
Some colors may alter over time, yellowing or darkening. Specifically, lighter and more transparent oil colors, such as certain yellows and whites, are prone to yellowing over time.
Health and Safety: Use of solvents for cleanup poses health and environmental risks.
Layering and Depth: Allows for intricate layering, adding a dimensional quality to paintings.
Space Requirements: Requires more dedicated space for safe practice due to fumes and ventilation needs.
Oil Paint vs Acrylic: 9 Important Differences Summarized
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between acrylics and oil paints.
Making the Right Choice – Acrylic vs Oil Paint Comparison
| Category | Acrylic Paint | Oil Paint |
|---|
1. Working Time
ACRYLIC: Quick-drying, ideal for fast work
OIL: Slow-drying, allows detailed work
2. Versatility in Application
ACRYLIC: High, suitable for various surfaces and methods
OIL: Moderate, best for traditional canvas painting
3. Blending and Color Mixing
ACRYLIC: Challenging, requires fast techniques or retarders
OIL: Easier, excellent for smooth transitions
4. Texture and Consistency
ACRYLIC: Varies from thin washes to thick textures. Transparency and opacity control adjustable with mediums.
OIL: Rich, buttery, offers a wide range of textures. Natural depth, but less adjustable transparency / opacity.
5. Layering and Color Depth
ACRYLIC: Possible but may crack in thick layers. Bright colors but may lack oils’ depth.
OIL: Excellent for intricate layering, less prone to cracking. Deep, luminous colors, ideal for realism.
6. Environmental and Health Safety
ACRYLIC: Non-toxic, eco-friendly, fewer fumes, suitable for small spaces.
OIL: Potentially toxic, requires good ventilation
7. Cleaning Brushes
ACRYLIC: Easy with water and soap
OIL: Requires solvents like turpentine
8. Learning and Technique Easiness
ACRYLIC: Easier to learn, more forgiving
OIL: Steeper learning curve
9. Cost and Accessibility
ACRYLIC: Generally more affordable
OIL: Higher initial investment
Cost Implications
When choosing between acrylic and oil paint, considering the cost implications is important: it allows you to make a decision that aligns with your budget and ensures that you can pursue your artistic goals without financial constraints. So, is there a price difference in these two painting methods?
How Much Does Starting with Acrylic Paint cost?
Let’s get to the numbers now. When it comes to acrylic paints, their prices vary significantly based on the quality grade – from student to professional levels.
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- Student-Grade Acrylics: These paints are more affordable and a great choice for beginners. Prices typically range **from $1 to $5 per tube (**2 oz or 60 ml). Student-grade paints have a lower concentration of pigments and may use synthetic alternatives to costly natural pigments. They offer a good spectrum of colors and are suitable for basic learning and practice.
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- Professional-Grade Acrylics: These are priced higher due to their higher pigment load and finer quality ingredients. Prices can range from $5 to $25 or more for a similar size tube (2 oz or 60 ml). Professional-grade acrylics provide a wider range of vibrant colors, better opacity, and increased durability. They are designed for artists seeking high-quality results and a wider palette for color mixing.
- Brushes: A basic set of acrylic paint brushes can range from $5 to $20. These typically include a variety of shapes and sizes. Higher-end brushes can cost significantly more, but for beginners, a mid-range set is usually sufficient.
- Palettes: A simple plastic palette for mixing colors can cost as little as $2 to $5. If you prefer a glass or wooden palette, the price might increase to $10 to $25. Disposable palette pads are another convenient option, typically ranging from $5 to $10.
- Mediums: Acrylic mediums, used to alter the paint’s texture and drying time, vary in price. A basic 250 ml bottle of medium like gloss or matte medium can range from $8 to $15. Specialty mediums like texture pastes or retarders might be more expensive.
- Canvas: Pre-stretched canvases can start from $3 to $5 for small sizes (e.g., 8×10 inches) and can go up to $20 or more for larger sizes (e.g., 18×24 inches). Canvas pads or rolls, which are more economical, vary in price based on size and quantity.
- Miscellaneous Supplies: Easels, varnishes, cleaners, and protective gear (aprons, gloves) also add to the cost. An entry-level easel can be around $15 to $30, while varnishes and cleaners might be about $5 to $10 each.
How Much Does Starting With Oil Paint Cost?
Prices can vary significantly in the price spectrum of oil paints, being particularly influenced by the quality of pigments used in paint.
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- Student-Grade Oil Paints: More affordable, ranging from $3 to $10 per tube (37 ml). These contain lower concentrations of pigments and often use synthetic alternatives, suitable for beginners or practice.
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- Professional-Grade Oil Paints: Priced higher, often between $10 to $40 or more per tube (37 ml), due to the use of high-quality, finely ground pigments that offer rich color and consistency.
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- Specialized Brushes: Oil painting requires specific brushes that can range from $5 to $30 or more, depending on quality and size. Natural bristle brushes are preferred for their ability to hold and apply the thicker oil paint.
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- Mediums: Mediums like linseed oil, which can cost between $5 to $15 per bottle, are used to alter the paint’s consistency and drying time. Solvents for thinning paint and cleaning brushes, such as odorless mineral spirits, are similarly priced.
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- Primed Canvases: Prices vary based on size and quality, starting from around $5 for small, pre-primed canvases to $50 or more for larger, high-quality ones. Canvas rolls or panels can be a more economical choice but may require additional preparation.
- Cleaning Supplies: Items like brush cleaners, jars, and rags add to the costs. A good quality brush cleaner can be around $10 to $15.
- Primed Canvases: Prices vary based on size and quality, starting from around $5 for small, pre-primed canvases to $50 or more for larger, high-quality ones. Canvas rolls or panels can be a more economical choice but may require additional preparation.
By Vincent van Gogh, Public Domain
Take a look at my blog post about tips and tricks how to save money as acrylic and oil painter.
FAQ
Here are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions: Choosing Between Acrylic and Oil Paint.
What are the key differences between acrylic and oil paint?
Acrylic paints are water-based, dry quickly, and are easy to clean up with soap and water. Oil paints are oil-based, dry slowly, allowing for more blending time, and require solvents for cleanup.
Is acrylic or oil paint better for beginners?
Acrylics are often recommended for beginners due to their quick drying time and ease of use.
Can I mix acrylic and oil paint together?
No, acrylic and oil paints have different bases and should not be mixed.
What should I consider when choosing between acrylic and oil paints?
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- Drying Time: Acrylics dry quickly; oils dry slowly.
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- Blending: Oils allow extended blending; acrylics dry faster, requiring quicker techniques.
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- Texture: Acrylics vary from thin to thick; oils have a rich texture.
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- Cleanup: Acrylics use water; oils need solvents.
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- Environment: Acrylics are low odor for small spaces; oils require ventilation.
Are oil paints more expensive than acrylics?
Yes, generally, oil paints can be more expensive due to the cost of additional supplies like mediums and solvents.
Do acrylic and oil paints have different environmental impacts?
Yes, oil paints typically have a greater environmental impact due to the solvents used, whereas acrylics are more eco-friendly.
Can I achieve the same color vibrancy with acrylics as with oils?
Yes, both acrylics and oils can achieve vibrant colors, but their differing compositions, especially in terms of pigment and binding agents, maylead to slightly different visual effects. Acrylics, with their distinct pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer, can offer bright and bold colors. However, the depth and luminosity of color in oil paints can give a different kind of richness and vibrancy to the artwork.
Which paint dries faster, acrylic or oil paint?
Acrylic paint. It dries much faster than oil paint. Acrylics typically dry within minutes to hours, while oil paints can take days or even weeks to fully dry.
Can I paint over acrylic with oil paint, or vice versa?
You can, BUT it’s generally recommended to avoid painting oil over acrylic directly. Acrylic paint has a flexible and fast-drying nature, while oil paint takes longer to dry and can have different properties. However, you can paint acrylic over dried oil paint.
Which paint is more suitable for outdoor painting, acrylic or oil paint?
Acrylic paint. Acrylic paint is more suitable for outdoor painting due to its fast drying time and ability to withstand various weather conditions. Oil paint, on the other hand, requires a longer drying time and is more prone to damage from exposure to elements.
Which paint is more suitable for large-scale artworks, acrylic or oil paint?
Both acrylic and oil paints can be used for large-scale artworks. Acrylic paint’s fast drying time can be advantageous for creating multiple layers quickly, while oil paint’s longer drying time allows for more blending and manipulation on a larger scale.
Do acrylic and oil paints have different color ranges available?
Both acrylic and oil paints offer a wide range of colors, including various shades, hues, and tones. The color range available may vary between different brands and quality grades of paint.
Which paint is more suitable for impasto techniques, acrylic or oil paint?
Oil paint. Oil paint is often preferred for impasto techniques due to its thicker consistency and longer drying time, allowing for more sculptural and textural effects. Acrylic paint can also be used for impasto, but it may require the addition of mediums to achieve a similar thickness.
Which paint is more suitable for detailed work, acrylic or oil paint?
Acrylic paint. Acrylic paint is generally more suitable for detailed work due to its ability to hold fine details and its fast drying time, which allows for layering and additional details to be added quickly. Oil paint’s longer drying time can make it more challenging for intricate and precise work.
Can I use acrylic and oil paint interchangeably in my artwork?
Yes, you can – some artists choose to do it to achieve specific effects or experiment with different techniques. However, it is important to understand the characteristics of each paint and how they may affect the overall outcome of the artwork.
Conclusion
Thank you for following this overview. This guide covered the nine key differences between acrylic and oil paints, focusing on essential factors like drying time, blending, texture, cleanup, and cost.
- Acrylics dry quickly, are affordable, and require minimal maintenance.
- Oils allow extended blending, offer rich textures, and require more time and care.
- Cost: Acrylics range from $59 to $150, oils from $85 to $205, with additional long-term costs for framing and preservation.
Choosing between the two depends on your working style, preferences, and the results you want to achieve.
