Acrylic Paint – Studio Exploration
Brands & Quality
The main difference in quality is dependent on the binder to color pigment ratio.
Student grade paints may have less color pigment, but they are still pretty good quality, while being cost effective.
For students it would be a good idea to stick to the student, economic grade. The only time higher quality paints could be used is for higher level high school art courses and/or an AP art class.
Low Quality
- Acrylic Paint Value Pack by Craft Smart
- Sargent Art Acrylics
Medium
- Blick Studio Acrylics
- Blick Student Acrylics
- Liquitex Basics Acrylic Set
- Amsterdam Standard Series Acrylic
High Quality
- Golden Heavy Body Artist Acrylics
- Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics
Age Appropriateness
Student grade: 5th grade and up
Higher Quality: Advanced art and/or AP art
Additional Resources to Consider
As with any painting medium, what should be considered:
- Paint brushes: mix of high and low quality for various techniques
Paint palettes: Reusable palettes, or paper plates Water cups Acrylic mediums: Matte, Shine, Fluid etc. Varnish Gesso Surface: paper, wood, cardboard, canvas
Clean up methods:
- Smocks or aprons
- Spot cleaner for clothes stained with paint
- Cleaning supplies
- Brush cleaner
- Paint cleaner for hands – possibly use gloves
- Disposal of paint
Safety:
- What precautions should be taken?
- Toxicity level: read the labels and adequately take the right precautions
- Mediums tend to have higher toxicity levels than the actual paint
Limitations
- Toxity
- Difficult cleanup
- Paint dries to plastic and can permanently stain clothes
- Dries quickly
- Lower quality paints are transparent and have to be layered
- I personally hate the smell of acrylics, especially when they become stale
Strengths
Versatile medium
- Acrylic paint dries much faster and is typically easier to use and cleanup in comparison to oil paint
- However with the use of a medium – the dry time, thickness and luminosity can be manipulated.
- There are also many forms of acrylic paint: spray, markers (of various sizes), ink
- There are a lot of opportunities for students to experiment
- Also if you buy the paint in bulk – this medium can be easily used within other projects
Blending
Endless Possibilities
vanessa webb art panting 
vanessa webb art panting 
fluid art
Acrylic painting tips
Worst mistakes acrylic painters can make
Personal Comfort Level
Out of all of media explored within this class, I am definitely the most comfortable with acrylic paint. I know this medium like the back of my hand and I used to informally teach this medium through my previous job. Even though I prefer oil, acrylic is very easy to use and is often times my go-to artmaking medium.
