Examine Differences in Paint to Choose the Right One for You

Adaptability of Acrylic Paints

Acrylic paints are:

• Easy to use, forgiving and versatile (they play well with mixed-media)
• A snap to clean up with mild soap and water
• Less complex than oils or watercolors
• Affordable for a limited budget
• Fast-drying 

You might enjoy acrylic paints if:

• Flexibility is key and you like to experiment
• You don’t like to do a lot of planning before you get started
• You like to paint fast and see results quickly
• Being able to repeatedly paint over mistakes appeals to you
• You don’t mind that some colors can darken as they dry
• You are sensitive to the chemicals used in oil painting

What you need to get started with acrylic painting:

• Acrylic paints  
  • I suggest starting with Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Phthalo Blue, Burnt Sienna and Ivory Black, or buy a beginner’s set
• Paintbrushes
• Paper, wood or canvas to paint on
• Palette or paper plate 
• Rag or paper towels
• A vessel with water
• Mild soap for clean up
• A lesson on acrylic painting from LinkedIn Learning (free with your library card)

Timelessness of Oil Paints

Oil paints are:

• Versatile and easy to blend with linseed oil or turpentine
• Known for their layering abilities and variation of texture
• More complex than acrylics, but require less planning than watercolors
• Slower-drying

You might enjoy oil paints if:

• Longevity is important to you
  • Oil paintings can last for hundreds of years if stored properly
• Your budget allows for more expensive materials
• You want something you can leave for a long time and come back to 
• Clean up time and chemicals don’t bother you (odorless solvents may be an option if you are bothered by chemicals)
• You are interested in learning traditional painting techniques used by the old masters

What you need to get started with oil painting:

• Oil paints 
  • I suggest starting with Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Cardinal Yellow, Viridian Green, Cardinal Red, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Umber and Ivory Black, or buying a beginners set
• Paintbrushes
  • A large flat brush, a medium fan brush, a medium round brush and several various small to medium flat and filbert brushes, or purchase a beginner’s set
• Turpentine or odorless solvent to dilute the paint and make it more fluid
  • Always work in a well-ventilated area
• Linseed oil to counter the solvent and increase the transparency of your paint
• Separate vessels for the solvent and linseed oil
• Pre-prepared canvas
• Palette 
• Palette knives for mixing paint
• An easel
• Oil paint cleaner
• Paper towels or a rag
• Old clothes to paint in 
• Oil painting 101 class on CreativeBug (free with your library card)

The Nature of Watercolor Paints

Watercolor paints are:

• Inexpensive to start
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Free of harsh chemicals or solvents
• Fast-drying and can be layered to change the color or intensity
• Surprising and unpredictable
• It helps to plan when working with watercolors

You might enjoy watercolor paints if:

• Having a plan in place is important to you, but you also like “going with the flow”
• You like to work without an easel
  • Watercolorists often paint on special paper taped to a board 
• Being detail-oriented is your cup of tea

What you need to get started with watercolor paints:

• Watercolor paints 
  • I suggest starting on an inexpensive pan set to learn technique before upgrading to more expensive pans or tubes
• Watercolor paper
• Brushes
  • A small round brush, an angled brush and a wide flat brush will get you started
• A pencil with an eraser
• A vessel to hold water
• Acid-free artist tape
• A board
• Paper towels 
• Mild soap for brush clean up
• A digital stroll through the art gallery for inspiration

Getting Started