Can You Use Oil Paint on Acrylic Paper?

You can use oil paint on acrylic paper after the paper has been properly primed and dried. If the paper is not primed, solvents in the paint will leach into the paper and cause it to degrade over time. 

Can You Use Oil Paint on Acrylic Paper?

New painters can feel overwhelmed by all of the “do’s and don’ts” of painting. Oil painting can seem incredibly complicated, and it’s easy to feel lost in all the tools, turpentine, rules, and techniques. 

Paper is a popular medium choice for both beginners and professional painters. Specially made papers for oil paints exist, but they can be more expensive than acrylic or watercolor papers. Budget-conscious artists may ask: can I use oil paint on acrylic paper? 

To help you preserve your paper masterpieces, I’ll be exploring the differences between acrylic and oil painting paper. I will also look at the benefits and downsides of using paper, and will ultimately answer the question Can You Use Oil Paint on Acrylic Paper?

What Is Acrylic Paper?

Acrylic paper is thicker than typical sketching, drawing, or printing paper. Both acrylic paper and watercolor paper are heavyweight and textured. The papers are designed to adhere to paint and withstand moisture without warping or pilling. 

Paper is a perfect medium for students, beginners, and artists who like to paint outdoors. Acrylic paper and watercolor paper are affordable, lightweight, and flexible. 

While you can use oil paints on acrylic or watercolor paper, these papers require preparation. Specially-designed oil paper is the best paper option because it comes pre-primed, ready to take on oil paints. 

Oil Paints on Acrylic Paper

Historically, paper has not been a popular choice for oil painters. This is because the solvents in the oil paint tend to leach into the paper, causing it to degrade rapidly over time. Although acrylic paper is designed to withstand moisture, it will not maintain its integrity with oil solvents. 

However, it is still possible to use your oil paints on paper. If you take proper steps to ensure the artwork will not degrade, you should experience no issues when using oil paints on acrylic paper. 

Benefits of Using Acrylic Paper

The benefits of painting on acrylic paper include flexibility, affordability, and accessibility. Flexibility in this case means the paper can be rolled for travel or storage, unlike clunky stretched canvas or canvas boards. 

Traveling ability makes acrylic paper a divine choice for painters who like to work “en plein air” (a.k.a. outdoors) or frequently change location. 

Watercolor, acrylic, and oil papers are all more affordable than canvas. They also save time for artists who stretch their own canvas at home. 

It is easy to find a pad of acrylic painting paper for less than half the cost of a same-sized canvas. The affordability and accessibility of acrylic paper make it perfect for practicing painting techniques and sketching with paints. 

Downsides of Using Acrylic Paper

While painting on acrylic paper has its benefits, it’s important to note some of the risks and requirements. 

Acrylic, watercolor, and oil paper can all make your artwork more susceptible to damage. As you may well know, paper can fold, bend, rip, and warp. Acrylic paper is thick and tough but not invincible. If you are planning to paint on paper, it’s essential to be careful with your artwork. 

As I’ve mentioned before, not all paper is ready to receive oil paints. Oil painting paper is pre-primed, but before using acrylic paper, watercolor paper, or any other medium, you need to prime the surface with gesso. 

Gesso gives the surface more “grip” and prevents the paper from absorbing too much paint. It will also protect the paper from degrading solvents. This highly recommended Mont Marte Premium Gesso on Amazon.com would be perfect for priming your acrylic paper. 

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How To Use Oil Paints on Acrylic Paper

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert artist, acrylic paper can be a great tool. Here’s how to get started on your next paper masterpiece: 

Choose Your Paper

Of course, to paint on paper, you will first need to acquire the paper. Before you rush out to your artist supply shop, check your existing stock for any acrylic or watercolor paper. 

If you do not have any heavyweight paper in stock, shop for a high-quality acrylic paper, like this Strathmore 400 Series Acrylic Pad on Amazon. 

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You will want to buy textured, heavyweight paper with a soft feel to hold your oil paint. Choose a paper weight between 140lb (300 gsm) and 300lb (640 gsm), selecting a heavier weight for larger pieces. Most importantly, make sure the paper is acid-free! 

Prime Your Acrylic Paper

The significant difference between acrylic or watercolor paper and oil paper is that oil paper is pre-primed. To make your acrylic paper (or any other kind of material) appropriate for oil paints, you will need to prime the surface with liquid gesso. 

Gesso will prevent your paper from absorbing too much of the oil paint’s pigment and becoming damaged by solvents. Prime your paper by covering it with a nice, even coat of gesso in one direction. When the first coat is dry, apply a second coat, brushing in the perpendicular direction. 

Allow your gesso coats to dry completely before moving on. It will feel dry to the touch within 10-20 minutes, but you should wait at least 24 hours before painting over the gesso with oil paint. You can perform this step ahead of time if you’d like to keep primed papers on hand. 

Start Painting 

Once your gesso primer coat is completely dry, you’re ready to paint! The acrylic paper should react to oil paints much in the same way as oil paper. If you notice the color streaking, peeling, or looking uneven, wait a little longer for the gesso coat to dry. You could also consider adding another layer. 

Oil paint may take longer to dry on paper than on canvas. As with any medium, it’s important to let the oil paint on the paper to dry completely between each layer to prevent peeling, pilling, and smudging. 

Oil painting on paper will naturally lend itself to a rougher, textured look. When combining these mediums, let go of artistic perfectionism and allow the varied textures and colors to shine through.

Final Words

By transforming your old acrylic paper into oil-safe paper, you’ll be saving time and money and preventing excess paper waste from messing up the environment. With a bit of dedication and preparation, you’ll be painting masterpieces in no time. 

Sources

• The Spruce Crafts: Painting on Paper With Oils
• ArtWeb: Tips for oil painting on paper (and the best paper to use)