Before venturing into oil paints, most students and hobbyists often begin their painting lessons with acrylics. It is because they are more flexible, easier to control, and are comparatively less expensive. But why is acrylic paint cheaper than oil? After all, these acrylic colors are synthetic paints designed to mix and blend just like oils. And after thorough research, we found out that the cost difference between the paints themselves is not too big.
It is because oil painting requires additional art supplies, which get accumulated and thus make it an expensive hobby. In this article, we have addressed this misconception and listed some differences between oil and acrylic.
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Why Acrylic Paint Is Cheaper Than Oil?
Acrylic paints are nothing but plastic/latex. The pigments within these paints are bound with synthetic acrylic polymer emulsion, making for a great mixed media for artists to work with.
On the other hand, oil paint is composed of color pigments suspended in oil. You would need to blend in additional oil to soften them enough to apply on canvas. Although it is more forgiving and can be fixed with turpentine, they require a longer drying time which can be annoying.
With acrylics, all you would need to do is squeeze them straight out from a tube and mix them with water or any other water-based solvent. However, to paint oils, you would need specific brushes that are more expensive than acrylic brushes and need to keep expensive bottles of oil at hand.
As for the pigments themselves, manufacturers use the same pure pigment for their high-quality products in both acrylics and oils. But the amount of pigment loaded within each type of binder, generally termed the pigment load, may differ, resulting in the price difference.
The spaghetti-like strands of monomers within acrylic polymers can only hold ¾ of a load of linseed oil, which is much smaller in shape and size. Since the pigment is the most expensive component of paint, the larger the load, the higher the cost.
Oil Paintings vs. Acrylic Paintings Supplies
One of the major reasons oils are more expensive is the additional supplies required. Even if you only get just the basic ones, you will have to spend more on the former.
Acrylic Paint Supplies
Paint
You will find different qualities of acrylic paints in art supply stores. Cheap acrylic paints are made with cheap materials that get a flaky paint film and even get chipped after drying. These student-quality acrylics are budget-friendly but are not worth buying
.
Artist quality paints, such as golden acrylics, create great art results because of their better coverage and higher punch. These are perfect if you plan on honing your painting skills and selling your painting commercially in the future.
Brushes
You would also need a paintbrush set, specifically for acrylics. There are two shapes: rectangular and flat, and round and pointed. But these two types can be divided even further, such as round, pointed round, flat, bright, filbert, angular flat, fan, and detail round.
Fortunately, good-quality brushes are widely available and can be very inexpensive. You can opt for synthetic bristles as they mimic the feel of natural hair bristles but are more suited due to their compatibility with acrylic resins, cleanability, and water resistance.
Palette
There are different types of palettes available, and you can choose any kind depending on your preference. You may use safety glass, plexiglass, real glass, white plastic, clear plastic, disposable palette paper, etc. If you prefer, you may even opt for the traditional wooden one.
Professional artist palettes are durable and have strong resistance. They do not shatter but rather crumble in on themselves if you accidentally drop them.
Others
You will also need a painting surface of your choice (canvas, wood, paper) and a cup or jar of water. Keep a few rags or paper towels nearby along with a soap to clean up spills.
Other artists like to have additional acrylic painting supplies nearby but are not necessary. Examples of these supplies include: a palette knife to mix colors and blend in paint or an easel to take the pressure off your back.
Having an apron on can protect your clothes while scraping tools and masking tapes makes things easier.
Oil Painting Supplies
Oil Paint
To paint with oils, you must stock up a lot on it and different colors. Titanium white, Cadmium red, Cadmium Yellow Light, Ivory black, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, and Cadmium Yellow are some of the must-haves.
Brushes
Although you do not need a ton of brushes, the ones you should get should be of premium quality. Natural student-grade bristles are optimal for oils. You can get six brushes in total: two sizes 2, two sizes 6, two sizes 12.
And amongst each pair, one must be a flat brush; that is, it should have a squared-off tip while the other should be a filbert brush, that is, with a slightly rounded tip.
Turpentine (Or Any Other Paint Thinner)
Oil paints need an oil-based paint thinner, so you cannot use water. Turpentine or mineral spirits work best to clean the paint off the bristles and to wipe up any spills. Instead of buying turpentine from art stores which can be pricey, you can buy them from home improvement stores.
Oil Painting Medium
By adding in a little painter’s medium, you will be able to mix in the colors more easily. Linseed stand oil is a popular choice, so you can make your own and store it in a container for repeated use.
Others
You can also get other painting supplies, such as an easel or a palette, or maybe even separate comfortable, messy clothes that you can work hours in.
Differences between Oil Paints and Acrylics
Both paints have been around for a while. Both mediums have their pros and cons, which has sparked many debates about which is better. Some of their differences are:
Drying Time
Acrylics dry pretty fast. They are usually dry to touch within 15 minutes, at most an hour. Whereas oil paints will stay wet for days or weeks at a time, depending upon the humidity and temperature of your location.
If you are a slow painter who likes to take their time and enjoy their sessions, you are better suited for oils. But it is a long and difficult process to learn, which is why it is better for beginners to start with acrylic paintings.
Mixing Paint
Due to acrylic’s fast-drying, you must quickly act while mixing them. If you linger for a few minutes, you will find them dry, solid, and unable to shift. But mixing oil paints can be very fun as they stay wet, giving you the flexibility to go at your own comfortable pace.
You can even come back the next day and continue from where you left off. The colors blend in very nicely; you can create subtle textures and smooth transitions very conveniently, which is perfect for portrait painting.
Clean Up
This one is a given – a faster drying time means you must clean up your brushes when painting with acrylics right after your sessions, or you might end up with hardened and ruined bristles. And any dried paint can be cleaned with plain old water.
But oil paint requires turpentine or mineral spirits, which is not only messy and hassling but can be harmful to your skin. It contains toxic fumes irritating to your nose and throat.
Longevity
Oil paintings last for centuries if you properly take care of them. When discolored and aged, you can restore them, which cannot be done for acrylic paintings. Besides, the former cure but do not dry, which results in a longer lifetime.
Final Words
Both oils and acrylics have a long art history and have their differences. But why is acrylic paint cheaper than oil? It is because oil painting supplies cost more due to the slight pigment difference and additional supplies required.
So, if cost is the only factor determining your choice to choose one medium over another, do not bother. You must consider other determinants as well. Well, now that you know, happy painting with your acrylic and oil!