Why Do Artists Use Acrylic?
Artist-grade acrylic paint became commercially available in the 1960s. In recent years, it has become a primary medium for several contemporary artists.
A relatively recent discovery in the art world, acrylic art paintings are unlike oil paints or watercolors. This versatile, vibrant, and stable medium is taking the art world by storm. As a result, there are more acrylic paint products on the market as artists take advantage of the variety of approaches that acrylic paint offers.
Are you curious about acrylic art paint? Here is our analysis of its advantages and disadvantages.
What Is Acrylic Paint?
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- The Versatility Of Acrylic Paint Makes It A Low Toxicity Medium.
- Acrylic Art Paint Dries Very Quickly, Which Is One Of Its Main Characteristics.
- A Variety Of Acrylic Paints Are Available
- Using Acrylic Paint Like Watercolor Requires Thinning It With Water Or Other Mediums.
- There Are Many Ways To Use Acrylic Paint As Opposed To Oil Paint.
What Is The Difference Between Acrylic Paint And Other Paints?
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Modern Acrylic Paint Vs. Traditional Acrylic Paint
Despite acrylic art paint being relatively new in the art world, there is still what’s referred to as ‘traditional’ acrylic paint and ‘modern’ acrylic paint. Acrylic paints from brands such as Golden and Chroma do not dry as quickly and can be reactivated after drying.
Traditional Acrylic Art Paint Pros And Cons
- Toxicity Levels
Advantages: Water-based acrylic art paint can be thinned with just water (toxic spirits are not required).
Disadvantages: Acrylic paints contain toxins similar to those found in oil paints. A ‘retarder’ used to speed up the drying process of acrylics can contain additional toxins.
- Time It Takes To Drying
Advantages:Â Layers don’t require drying between painting sessions since acrylic art paint dries quickly. A painting is safe to ship within one or two days of being dry.
Disadvantages:Â Acrylic paints cannot accomplish the wet-in-wet technique because they dry rapidly. Consequently, acrylic art paintings tend to look harsher than oil paintings.
- Reactivation
Advantages: Acrylics are permanent and cannot be removed once dry, unlike watercolors (water-based paints). It allows you to paint new layers on top of previous ones more easily.
Disadvantages: Paint is hard to alter or remove after it dries.
- Durability
Advantages: Acrylic art paints have demonstrated greater flexibility than oil paints. It is not necessary to follow fat over lean rules to prevent acrylics from cracking.
Disadvantages: We cannot comment on acrylic paint’s longevity since it has only been around for 50 years.
A Guide To Modern Acrylic Art Paint
- Toxicity Levels
Modern acrylic paints are water-based. So toxic spirits are not needed. In modern acrylic paint, there are still mild levels of toxins, but they don’t use retarders to slow down the drying process.
Advantages
- The product is versatile. Oil- and wax-free surfaces can be painted. Various materials are used, including canvas, wood, paper, rocks, glass, fabric, cardboard, metal, and plastic. A properly prepared surface can be painted with acrylic paint on almost anything.
- The paint dries quickly. Your project will be completed faster as a result.
- There is a water-soluble component to it. Paint thinners are unnecessary when washing brushes and hands with soap and water.
- Children and pets are safer around it because it is less toxic.
- The price is lower.
- The system is flexible. Various mediums can be mixed with acrylics for different textures, adhering properties, and drying times.
- It is a durable product. The acrylic material will not crack, peel, or turn yellow, as far as we know.
- The colors are vibrant.
- Drying it makes it water-repellent.
The Disadvantages
- The color you paint with will become darker when it dries, so the color you paint is not necessarily what you’ll get.
- The paint dries quickly, so it’s imperative that you work quickly.
- It is hard to remove if it dries on brushes, nails, or clothing. Keep a container of water near you while you paint so you can easily clean the brushes. Wearing protective clothing is also recommended.
- If it dries on nails or clothing, it is hard to remove.
- Compared with other paint mediums, some art galleries and collectors consider oil painting ‘less valuable.
A Final Note
Painting with acrylics has many advantages. Others may not have occurred to me, or I haven’t mentioned them here. There are some adaptations to be made if you come from oil, pastel, or watercolor since each works differently. However, some skills transfer from one to the other, so you don’t have to start from scratch.