For a beginner in this field, it’s inevitable to be confused about which color would be preferred by art lovers today? Or which type of paint would bring about your thoughts more beautifully? Firstly, there is no such thing as a better type of color that matters today! Both the types of colors are as good and what matters is mastering the colors and their strokes

However to understand more about the differences we would go into detail as to what takes an artist to make a choice between the two.

The Cost Benefits –

The oil paints are more expensive as compared to acrylic paints, therefore an artist prefers acrylic over oil when it comes to the overall cost. Acrylics can go with washing the brushes with water however oil paints require special oils to clean the brushes, which adds to the cost. Read what makes oil paints expensive to know more about it. Also add the cost of the t-shirt you are wearing, what if you paint it too!

The Drying Property –

The oil paints take way too long to dry, sometimes as low as a week or month, OR maybe as long as a decade to dry out completely. This property of oil paints helps a beginner to perform slowly or maybe a patient artist to keep on making changes in it. An impatient artist can prefer acrylic which dries out really very quickly, sometimes even on the platter. However, drying out too quickly can also cause some trouble to the artists which they would realize during the process.

The Vivid Color Property –

As oil paints are made up of pigments and oil it is more vivid and vibrant than acrylics, and acrylics are synthetically produced. Thus a better quality of acrylic and low quality of oil paint would be very similar.

Space It Takes –

Oil paints take more space of your art studio as compared to the acrylic paints as oil paints require more paraphernalia like the thinner, cloth, palette, and more brush count than acrylic paints and not to forget the turpentine for cleaning the mess after work. For acrylic, you can use it on paper too hence very fewer preparations. Before starting with the oil painting there would be quite a number of things to keep in mind.

How Does It Blend –

The oil paints blend more nicely as the lines between the two colors are mixed smoothly as first because it takes time for it to dry and secondly oil makes the blending more smooth. The acrylic which dries too quickly makes the lines more clear and does not blend in.

The Time Effect On The Paintings –

The acrylic paints do not change their impression in the long run, however the color changes when it dries out. On the other hand, the oil paints do not change color when it dries but they do turn a bit yellowish in the long run, which is 100-200 years.

To know how to clean your oil paintings watch the video.

CONCLUSION –

If there is one factor supporting oil paints then there is another factor supporting acrylic paints. Mastering a type of color is important, that’s what I said in the beginning. Asking which is better and looking for one right answer is absurd, hence making out a choice on your experiences and your working style is what it all takes to make a decision for yourself.

Set out on a journey of colors with us…share your experiences and choices!