Artists' Acrylic Paint

Artists' Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paints are an art supply commonly found in the toolkits of painters and crafters of all skill levels and abilities. Acrylics are user-friendly and have a number of advantages, including fast drying times, the ability to be used on multiple mediums, and durability once they are dried.

Acrylics are versatile paints that can be manipulated in ways that make them similar to either an oil-based paint or a watercolor, depending on what it is being used for. Some of the projects that acrylics can be used for include:

• Airbrushing
• Fabric painting
• Mixed media
• Face painting

You can find almost any color of acrylic paint that you are looking for. There are, however, certain colors that provide a good base for an artist's palette. In addition to creating good foundation colors for backgrounds and landscapes, these colors can be mixed to create almost any other color you may need.

• Raw umber
• Yellow ochre
• Cadmium red
• Ivory black
• Pthalo blue

Brushes with natural hair are not typically recommended for use with acrylics as acrylic will damage the bristles when used over time. Because of this, synthetic brushes are typically recommended. A variety of lengths and shapes is recommended for any artist to keep on hand along with both stiffer brushes and more flexible ones.

Unused artist's acrylic paint, when stored properly, can last for years. If a stored acrylic paint separates, you can shake or squeeze it if it is in a tube. If it is in a bottle, simply add a little water or artist's medium to the bottle and then shake.

Acrylic paints come in a number of varieties for different skill levels and uses.

• Craft paint: Since it will apply to almost any surface, craft paint is an option for a variety of projects.
• Student-grade paint: This paint is intended for fine art paintings. The pigment load is higher than craft paints, making the colors richer and more vibrant.
• Artist's quality: These top-of-the-line paints come available in two different thicknesses, heavy body and thick body. Heavy body has the consistency of butter and is the most commonly used, and soft body has a consistency like that of heavy cream. Which you choose will depend on personal preferences.