Is Acrylic Paint Beginner Friendly?

If you have recently started painting projects with easy canvas painting ideas, you have probably tried different types of paint by now, and you may not be sure whether they are appropriate for beginners. If you have been in a shop or looked at paints online, you must have seen acrylic paint many times, and you have probably acknowledged that this kind of material is quite common. However, is acrylic paint suitable for beginners, and can they really use it on different surfaces even if they are not experienced enough with craft paint?

Acrylic paint is considered the best medium for beginners since it is easy to use, does not require a lot of materials, and gives great textures and vibrant colors. Since acrylics are water-based paints, they dry quickly and become water-resistant. On the plus side, they are quite affordable.

Using different kinds of paints can be confusing, especially if you are a beginner. Each type of paint has different properties. It behaves differently on various surfaces and under different conditions, and you have to know all of them if you want to achieve success in painting. In this article, I will describe the properties of acrylic paint and explain why acrylics are one of the best mediums suitable for beginners. So, Is Acrylic Paint Beginner Friendly? Keep reading!

What Is Acrylic Paint?

Acrylics are paints that are made of pigments suspended in acrylic polymer suspension, or acrylic polymer emulsion. The polymer suspension is the substance that acrylics need to keep the paint together, i.e., to make the pigment unable to float and clump together if water is added. The acrylic polymer helps in dispersing the pigments and giving a consistent texture, yet making fluid paint.

However, there are different types of acrylic paints that contain many additives, making the acrylics differ in quality. That is why you have to be careful when selecting acrylic paint in a store. Different acrylics are suitable for different purposes, although the main ingredients are generally the same in all acrylic types of paint. You might want to consider going for the artist quality paint, insteas of the student grade paint.

Basically, the difference among acrylic types is due to different additives. Therefore, you can have various additives in the acrylics you choose. Some common additives are:

• Preservatives that do not allow the growth of microbes, and at the same time improve the long-lasting effects and durability of the paint.
• Thickeners that help to achieve a more dense texture, possibly for acrylic pour painting.
• Surfactants that have an impact on the drying process.
• Stabilizers that have an influence on the flow properties of the paint.
• Defoamers that help in the offsetting of the surfactants.

Acrylics are synthetic paints, and they are often compared to oil paints since they seem to have similar properties and features. Even though they mix and blend easily, just like oils, they dry out quickly, which cannot be said for oil paints. In addition, acrylics are water-based paints, while oil paints have oil as their base.

Since they are known for their quick drying time, these paints are not recommended for portraits and similar paintings because these kinds of objects require going back and making adjustments. However, this is quite a favored feature when you want to apply more layers of paint, or for some quick and easy acrylic painting ideas.

Is Acrylic Paint Suitable For Beginners? 

When you have recently picked up painting as a hobby, or you are trying to develop into a real professional, your beginning is the crucial part of that process. How you start to develop your skills depends on the paints and materials you use at the starting point. That means that you have to be well-equipped with painting stuff to learn properly and develop your skills further. 

You have probably come across acrylic paint many times, but you are not really sure whether this type of paint is suitable for beginners. It is certain that professionals commonly use acrylics, so this might raise confusion when it comes to people who are just starting to paint. If you have seen many professional painters doing their masterful paintings with acrylics, you might think this is not what a rookie should use. 

However, acrylic paint is considered the best medium for beginners because it is simple to use and quite easy to apply. In addition, acrylic paint does not require many materials when you work with it, and it is not intrusive compared to other types of paint, such as oil paint. Acrylics also dry very fast and become water-resistant once they are fully cured. 

However, this feature can be tricky for beginners. On the one hand, the quick-drying of this type of paint will help beginners easily apply additional layers to the paint. On the other hand, this feature will require fast applying of paint to make the texture of different colors look great on various surfaces. 

Furthermore, as I mentioned above, acrylic paint does not require many materials, meaning that to start, you will need only a canvas, acrylic paint, paintbrushes, and water. As a beginner, you will not need additional substances, such as solvents or lacquers. Since acrylics are water-based paints, they are easily applied on canvas, and they might need a little bit of dilution with water, nothing more. 

Types Of Acrylic Paint 

When we talk about acrylics, we are not discussing only one existing type since various types are suitable for different purposes. Therefore, there are acrylics suitable for professional and advanced painting, while some other types are recommended for beginners or those who have a little bit of experience.

Different formulas can be used with different techniques, depending on the artist’s needs. For instance, there are heavy body acrylics that are quite similar to oil paints. This type of acrylic paint produces soft consistency and makes the strokes of the paintbrush quite effective. 

Then, soft body acrylics are used when the main purpose is well mixing and blending of colors. The soft body acrylic paint will give you a creamy texture, which is good for general painting and pouring. This means that acrylics that are easily applied and spread on a surface will be suitable for a technique, such as pouring. 

On the other hand, acrylic ink is known to have fluid consistency, which results in bright and vibrant colors. When painters want to achieve a smooth glossy finish, they usually use acrylic ink. Acrylic ink is a quite adaptable type of paint, meaning that you can apply it with different types of brushes and a pen.  

Next is acrylic gouache, which is used for achieving a matte finish. The traditional gouache is a type of watercolor and cannot give you this kind of finish, while the acrylic gouache contains additives that enable this feature. Also, the acrylic gouache is water-resistant once it dries, and the same cannot be said about traditional gouache. 

Finally, one more way to apply acrylics on different surfaces is by spraying them. This is mostly suitable for outdoor conditions, but there are also some indoor possibilities. You will need a good spray system that will allow you to spray the acrylic paint evenly on surfaces and achieve good, well-structured lines. 

What Is The Best Type Of Acrylic Paint For Beginners? 

If you decide to start working with acrylics, i.e., developing your artistic skills using acrylic paint, you should know what type of acrylic paint would be suitable for you. Although acrylic paint is affordable, you should not waste money on acrylics that will not work well for rookies. That is why I have provided some brands that are proven to be excellent for beginners who are just learning their way around the world of painting.

ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set 

The ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set is the popular choice among beginners, and it is characterized by rich pigments that are ideal for canvas surfaces. People who are just starting to learn their way around the paint will be impressed by the vibrant and impressive colors that these paints produce. What is more, they do not include any toxins in their structure to be completely safe for use. 

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In addition, they come in an amazing storage box that will enable you to keep your paints always safely stored in their place. These acrylics come in a wide variety of colors, and they are characterized by high viscosity. This means that they will provide good coverage and excellent quality of your paintings. 

The ARTEZA Acrylic Paint Set comes at a very affordable price, and since you get a whole set, you will really get a good deal for the paints. However, you cannot buy any of the colors separately. 

LIQUITEX BASICS Acrylic Paint Set

This paint set is suitable for beginners and professionals, meaning that they are characterized by really high quality. The LIQUITEX BASICS Acrylic Paint Set offers 12 paints of medium to thick viscosity, producing amazingly vibrant colors. What is more, you can use these acrylics on canvas and other surfaces, which is a great advantage for beginners as they can try their skills under different conditions. 

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This paint set comes at an affordable price, and the quality they give is a true value for the money. However, the paints come in small tubes, so some artists do not like this feature a lot. Nonetheless, you can achieve amazing tones and shades with a little bit of dilution with water. 

As I mentioned before, they are great for all artists, so people who enjoy painting really like using this paint set. 

Why Should You Use Acrylic Paint As A Beginner? 

As we established before, acrylics are commonly used paints, and they are great for beginners. To better understand why acrylic paint is suitable for beginners, we need to see the advantages of this type of paint. 

Firstly, acrylics dry fast, so beginners can easily experience applying multiple layers on the paintings and apply them on various surfaces. This is crucial since a rookie should know how different types of paint behave on different surfaces. What is more, acrylics are affordable and non-toxic, meaning they can be used by anyone safely. 

Furthermore, acrylic paint is characterized by vibrant colors, so beginners can imagine what kind of paintings they can achieve in the future. Also, they are flexible and easy to blend, which are two more features crucial for people who do not have as much experience. On the plus side, they are easily cleaned, so you can remove the paint by using soap and water or some basic solvents.

What Acrylic Paints Should Be Found On A Beginner’s Palette? 

If you are a beginner and want to purchase some acrylic paints, you should know which ones would be proper for a good start. You would like to start successfully. Therefore, you must choose the colors that will enable you to experiment in an easy way. The colors that are recommended for beginners are: 

• Alizarin Crimson Permanent
• Ultramarine Blue
• Titanium White
• Cadmium Yellow Light
• Burnt Umber 

These colors are considered to be perfect choices for beginners if you decide to buy paints separately. If you buy a whole set, you would probably have all of the colors included, so you would not need to worry about it. However, some rookies want to see what kind of result acrylics give before purchasing a whole set of 12 or 24 tubes.  

Final Words

Acrylic paint is considered one of the best mediums for beginners due to its flexible and simple features. Different types of acrylics can be suitable for advanced artists, so when you decide to start working with acrylics, you should carefully choose. 

Sources

• Acrylic versus Oil Painting – Which Medium Should You Start With?
• Best Acrylic Paint for Beginners, Advanced and Professionals