Guide to Oil Paint vs Acrylic
What are the pros and cons of acrylic and oil painting? What techniques work in one medium but not in another? We'll discuss these questions and more. Read on.
PROS: Due to the fast drying times, it's ideal as a base color for oil painting.
PROS: Student grade oil paints can be obtained at very low prices.
CON: Due to the quick drying time, more modern painting techniques like Wet On Wet (created by William "Bill" Alexander) will be difficult to take advantage of.
CON: Although oil paint can be applied over acrylic paints, acrylic paints should never be applied on top of oils.
CON: Almost all acrylic paints are thin and soupy, limiting the techniques the artist can use.
The pros and cons of oil painting:
PRO: Many student and professional grades are available.
PRO: Modern painting techniques such as those used in Wet On Wet can be used with the right oil paints.
CON: Very slow drying time. Some paintings can take months to fully dry, although most paintings are dry to the touch in a few weeks.
PRO: Slow drying time can be helpful for many people. When using Wet On Wet painting techniques, slow drying time is preferred and actually aids the artist, allowing new layers to be applied on top of wet layers and also allows the artist to correct any mistakes during painting.
PRO: Most oil paints are thin and soupy and geared towards traditional oil painting methods, but some oil paint producers have reformulated their oil colors making them very thick and rich, expanding the possibilities for artists. Companies such as Alexander Art and Winsor Newton carry very thick oil paints that are ideal for a variety of oil painting techniques.
The pros and cons of acrylic painting
PROS: Fast drying time. When layering paints, acrylics will dry in as little as 15 to 30 minutes.PROS: Due to the fast drying times, it's ideal as a base color for oil painting.
PROS: Student grade oil paints can be obtained at very low prices.
CON: Due to the quick drying time, more modern painting techniques like Wet On Wet (created by William "Bill" Alexander) will be difficult to take advantage of.
CON: Although oil paint can be applied over acrylic paints, acrylic paints should never be applied on top of oils.
CON: Almost all acrylic paints are thin and soupy, limiting the techniques the artist can use.
The pros and cons of oil painting:
PRO: Many student and professional grades are available.
PRO: Modern painting techniques such as those used in Wet On Wet can be used with the right oil paints.
CON: Very slow drying time. Some paintings can take months to fully dry, although most paintings are dry to the touch in a few weeks.
PRO: Slow drying time can be helpful for many people. When using Wet On Wet painting techniques, slow drying time is preferred and actually aids the artist, allowing new layers to be applied on top of wet layers and also allows the artist to correct any mistakes during painting.
PRO: Most oil paints are thin and soupy and geared towards traditional oil painting methods, but some oil paint producers have reformulated their oil colors making them very thick and rich, expanding the possibilities for artists. Companies such as Alexander Art and Winsor Newton carry very thick oil paints that are ideal for a variety of oil painting techniques.
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