How to Determine Acrylic Paint Vs. Oil Paint
- 1). Determine what you can afford to use. Oil paints tend to be more expensive than acrylic paints, so if it is likely that you are going to have to replace your paint soon, determine what your budget is.
- 2). Decide how much time you need. Acrylic paints dry quickly -- usually within an hour -- making it more difficult to blend colors together the longer you work. Oil paints, on the other hand, can stay wet for days or even weeks, giving you plenty of time to work.
- 3). Determine what kind of colors you want. Oil paints tend to have richer colors than acrylic paints and acrylics also tend to change color slightly when they dry.
- 4). Consider what you are more comfortable and experienced with. Acrylic paint is often recommended for beginners while oil paints are thought to be better for more experienced painters. Practicing with both, however, is the only way to know which one works best for you.
- 5). Choose your surface material. Painting with oils usually requires lots of priming and treatment while acrylic paints can be applied to several materials without any sort of treatment.
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