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| Acrylic Paints |
Acrylic paints have become one of the most popular mediums for artists in the
past few decades. Their versatility, flexibility, and ease of use make them
accessible for both professional and hobbyist painters alike.
What are Acrylic Paints?
Acrylic paints are water-based paints that contain pigments suspended in an
acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic was first developed in the 1950s to create
latex house paints, but artists soon discovered its potential as an artistic
medium. Unlike oil-based paints which are thinner in a toxic solvent, acrylic
paints use water as the solvent which allows them to dry quickly and be easily
cleaned up with just soap and water.
Acrylic paints come in tubes, jars, and cans like traditional oil paints but do
not require the use of toxic solvents like turpentine for clean up or thinning.
They can be used on a wide variety of surfaces such as canvas, paper, wood,
metal, and more. Once dry, acrylic paint creates a water-resistant finish.
Fast-Drying and Versatile Qualities
One of the biggest advantages of Acrylic
Paints is its fast-drying time. Unlike oil paints which can take weeks
or months to fully cure, acrylic paints are touch dry in just 30 minutes and
can be overpainted in a few hours. This allows artists to work in layers more
quickly and make adjustments or corrections easily. It also makes acrylic an
ideal choice for assembling multi-day or multi-week art projects without the
risk of damage from overlays or removal.
The drying time makes acrylic paint very versatile for a wide range of
techniques. It can be used for traditional brush painting but also mixed media
techniques like pouring, splattering, stamping, and more. Its ability to
reactivate when wet also allows artists to blend and smudge colors for softer
effects after application. Professional mural and sign painters also favor
acrylics for their ability to be used on large surfaces efficiently.
Easy to Mix and Layer Colors
One of the biggest advantages of acrylic over oils is its receptiveness to
mixing and layering of colors. Acrylics can be easily blended together on the
palette or painting surface. They also have remarkable opacity which means
lighter layers and glazes are possible over darker layers once dry. This makes
acrylic ideal for creating lush, vibrant color harmonies through layering
transparent and opaque pigments.
Mistakes are also easy to correct with acrylics. Unwanted sections can be
scraped away when dry and then repainted due to the non-permanent nature of its
water-based binder. The blend-ability and lack of yellowing make acrylics very
user-friendly for exploring color combinations. Professional artists also
appreciate how easy acrylic is to use for studies and sketches before
committing to more permanent mediums.
Archival and Lightfast Qualities
While the binder is water-soluble, modern acrylic pigments themselves are
formulated to be extremely lightfast, meaning the colors are stable and do not
change or fade significantly over long periods when exposed to light. When
sealed with a UV-protective varnish, acrylic paintings have archival qualities
similar to oils. They maintain brilliant color for decades or centuries when
stored properly. This makes acrylic an affordable option for artists seeking
permanence without sacrificing versatility and speed of oils.
Variety of Textures and Effects
Acrylic paints are available in heavy body, fluid, and poured consistency.
Heavier body acrylics allow for thick impasto textures straight from the tube
similar to oils. Fluid acrylics are great for glazing. Poured acrylics are
ideal for abstract expressionism. Artists also enjoy blending mediums like
gels, pastes, and modeling pastes with acrylics to achieve interesting
textures, dimensional effects, and faux finishes. The blending of heavy body
and fluid consistencies combined with modeling pastes allows acrylic painters
achieve effects resembling oil painting, encaustic, or ceramics in a single
versatile medium.
Rising Popularity Among Professionals
While long seen as a student grade or amateur medium, acrylic has gained
popularity among professional artists in recent decades as well. Muralists
appreciate how it can be used on large vertical surfaces without dripping.
Illustrators flock to it for its ability to seamlessly mesh with both
traditional and digital media. Fine artists are exploring rich impasto techniques
influenced by abstract expressionism. As versatile, cost-effective professional
grade acrylic paints and mediums continue to be developed, its popularity will
likely continue to rise among career creative practitioners.
From its quick drying time and blend-ability to its lightfastness and
versatility of effects, acrylic has truly come into its own as a dominant
artist's medium. Whether you are a hobbyist or professional, acrylic paints
offer an accessible and affordable option that bridges the gap between the
speed of watercolor and expressiveness of oils. With new technologies and
formulations expanding its creative potential, acrylic paint shows no sign of
losing popularity with visual artists.
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