Best Acrylic Paints for Beginners
Acrylic paints have transformed the art world since their debut in the mid-20th century. Their versatility, quick-drying nature, and vibrant colors make them an excellent choice for artists of all skill levels, especially beginners.
Choosing the right acrylic paints can significantly impact your learning experience and the quality of your artwork when you’re just starting your artistic journey.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take a close look at the best acrylic paints for beginners, examine the different types of acrylic paint available, talk about essential colors for mixing, and provide you with the knowledge you need to start your acrylic painting adventure on the right foot.
Understanding Acrylic Paints
Before we dive into specific product recommendations, it’s crucial to understand what acrylic paint is and why it’s such a popular choice for beginners.
Acrylic paint consists of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. When the paint dries, it becomes water-resistant, allowing you to paint over previous layers without disturbing them.
This property enables easy layering and correction, making acrylics forgiving for beginners who are still developing their techniques.
Key advantages of acrylic paints:
- Quick drying time: Unlike oil paints, acrylics dry rapidly, allowing you to work on many layers in a single session.
- Versatility: Acrylics can be used on various surfaces, including canvas, wood, paper, and even fabric.
- Easy cleanup: Water-soluble when wet, acrylics can be cleaned up with soap and water, making them less messy than oil paints.
- Durability: Once dry, acrylic paint forms a flexible, water-resistant film that resists yellowing over time.
- Color vibrancy: Acrylics offer bright, intense colors that maintain their vibrancy when dry.
Types of Acrylic Paint
When shopping for acrylic paints, you’ll encounter several different types, each with its own unique properties and best uses:
1. Heavy Body Acrylics
These are the most common type of acrylic paint. They have a thick, buttery consistency similar to oil paints.
Heavy body acrylics excel at:
- Creating texture and impasto effects
- Retaining brush or palette knife marks
- Working on canvas or other sturdy surfaces
2. Fluid Acrylics
As the name suggests, fluid acrylics have a thinner consistency. They’re ideal for:
- Pouring techniques
- Creating smooth washes of color
- Detailed work and fine lines
- Airbrushing
3. Open (Slow-Drying) Acrylics
These paints have a longer working time, staying wet for several hours or even days. They’re great for:
- Blending techniques similar to oil painting
- Working on larger pieces that need more time
- Plein air painting in dry climates
4. Student Grade Acrylics
These are more affordable options with lower pigment concentrations. They’re suitable for:
- Practicing and learning color mixing
- Large-scale projects where cost is a concern
- Classroom settings
5. Craft Acrylics
While not typically used for fine art, craft acrylics are designed for:
- Decorative painting on various surfaces (wood, fabric, ceramics)
- Mixed media projects
- DIY crafts
Understanding these different types will help you choose the right paint for your specific needs and projects.
Best Acrylic Paints for Beginners
Now that we’ve covered the types of acrylic paint, let’s dive into our top picks for beginners. These selections offer a balance of quality and affordability, making them perfect for those just starting their acrylic painting journey.
1. Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint Set
Pros:
- Excellent quality for the price
- Good pigmentation
- Creamy consistency
- Available in a wide range of colors
Cons:
- Not as lightfast as professional-grade paints
- May need more layers for full coverage
Liquitex Basics is a student-grade line that offers impressive quality at an affordable price point. The paints have good pigmentation and work well on various surfaces.
The creamy consistency makes them easy to blend and mix, which is crucial for beginners learning color theory.
This set typically comes with 12 or 24 colors, providing a good starting point for most projects. The tubes are generously sized, allowing for plenty of experimentation without running out quickly.
I’ve found that Liquitex Basics are an excellent choice for beginners who want to explore acrylic painting without breaking the bank. The range of colors available allows for extensive experimentation, and the consistency of the paint makes it easy to work with, even for those new to the medium.
2. Golden Open Acrylics
Pros:
- Extended working time (up to several hours)
- Excellent for blending techniques
- Professional-grade quality
- Smooth, buttery consistency
Cons:
- More expensive than student-grade options
- Limited color range compared to other lines
For beginners who find the quick-drying nature of standard acrylics challenging, Golden Open Acrylics offer a solution. These slow-drying acrylics remain workable for several hours, allowing more time for blending and reworking your paint.
While they’re pricier than student-grade options, the professional quality and unique properties make them worth considering, especially if you’re transitioning from oil paints or prefer a more relaxed painting pace.
In my experience, Golden Open Acrylics are a game-changer for beginners who struggle with the fast-drying time of traditional acrylics. The extended working time allows for more experimentation and refinement of techniques, which can be incredibly useful when you’re just starting out.
3. Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint
Pros:
- Good balance of quality and affordability
- Creamy consistency
- Wide range of colors available
- Good lightfastness for student-grade paint
Cons:
- Some colors may be less opaque than others
- Slightly more expensive than other student-grade options
Winsor & Newton’s Galeria line offers a step up from absolute beginner paints without breaking the bank. These paints have a creamy consistency that’s easy to work with and provide good coverage on most surfaces.
The Galeria line boasts an impressive range of colors, allowing beginners to explore a wide palette without investing in person professional-grade tubes. The paints also have good lightfastness, ensuring your artwork maintains its vibrancy over time.
I’ve found that the Winsor & Newton Galeria line strikes an excellent balance between quality and affordability. The wide range of colors available makes it easy to experiment with different palettes, and the good lightfastness means your early works will stand the test of time.
4. Arteza Acrylic Paint Set
Pros:
- Excellent value for money
- Large set with a wide range of colors
- Good consistency for beginners
- Works well on various surfaces
Cons:
- Color accuracy may vary
- Some colors may need many layers for full opacity
Arteza’s acrylic paint set is perfect for beginners who want to experiment with a variety of colors without a significant investment. The set typically comes with 60 colors in 22ml tubes, providing plenty of opportunity to explore color mixing and different techniques.
The paints have a good consistency for beginners, not too thick or too runny, and work well on canvas, wood, and other surfaces. While the quality may not match professional-grade paints, they offer excellent value for those just starting out.
In my experience, the Arteza set is an excellent choice for beginners who want to explore a wide range of colors without committing to expensive person tubes. The large variety of colors in the set allows for extensive experimentation and can help you uncover which colors you use most often.
5. Blick Studio Acrylics
Pros:
- Good quality for student-grade paint
- Smooth consistency
- Decent color selection
- More affordable than professional-grade options
Cons:
- May need more layers for full coverage compared to professional paints
- Limited information on lightfastness
Blick Studio Acrylics offer another excellent option for beginners looking for quality at a reasonable price point. These paints have a smooth consistency that’s easy to work with and provide good coverage on most surfaces.
The color range is decent, with options for both person tubes and sets. While they may not have the same level of pigmentation as professional-grade paints, they offer a great starting point for beginners to develop their skills.
I’ve found that Blick Studio Acrylics are a solid choice for beginners who want to step up from craft paints but aren’t ready to invest in professional-grade options. The smooth consistency makes them easy to work with, and the decent color selection allows for plenty of experimentation.
Essential Colors for Beginners
When starting out with acrylic painting, it’s not necessary (or advisable) to buy every color available. Instead, focus on a core set of colors that will allow you to mix a wide range of hues.
Here’s a list of essential colors for beginners:
- Titanium White: This opaque white is essential for lightening colors and creating tints.
- Mars Black: A deep, opaque black useful for darkening colors and creating shadows.
- Cadmium Yellow Medium: A warm, bright yellow that’s excellent for mixing.
- Cadmium Red Medium: A vibrant, warm red that’s versatile for mixing and using straight from the tube.
- Ultramarine Blue: A deep, cool blue that’s great for mixing purples and greens.
- Phthalo Blue: A bright, intense blue that’s excellent for mixing and creating vibrant skies.
- Burnt Umber: A dark brown that’s useful for mixing earth tones and creating shadows.
- Yellow Ochre: A warm, earthy yellow that’s great for mixing natural tones.
With these eight colors, you’ll be able to mix most of the colors you need. As you progress, you can add more specialized colors to your palette.
I’ve found that starting with this limited palette forces you to learn color mixing, which is an essential skill for any painter. It also helps you understand the relationships between different colors, which will improve your overall color sense as you continue to paint.
Tools and Accessories for Acrylic Painting
In addition to paints, you’ll need a few essential tools to get started:
Brushes
Invest in a variety of synthetic brushes in different shapes and sizes. For beginners, I recommend starting with:
- A flat brush (1″ or 2″) for broad strokes and washes
- A round brush (#6 or #8) for detail work
- A filbert brush (#4 or #6) for blending and creating soft edges
As you progress, you can add more specialized brushes to your collection.
Palette
A flat surface for mixing colors is essential. Plastic or disposable paper palettes work well for beginners.
I prefer using a glass palette because it’s easy to clean and doesn’t stain, but any non-porous surface will do.
Canvas or Painting Surface
Pre-primed canvases or canvas boards are great for beginners. They’re readily available and don’t need any preparation.
As you advance, you might want to explore other surfaces like wood panels or heavyweight paper.
Easel
While not essential, an easel can make painting more comfortable. Tabletop easels are a good starting point for beginners, as they’re affordable and don’t take up much space.
Water Container
You’ll need a container for cleaning brushes and thinning paint. Any sturdy container will do, but I prefer using two containers – one for cleaning brushes and another for mixing with clean water.
Paper Towels or Rags
These are essential for cleaning brushes and wiping excess paint. I find that old t-shirts or cotton rags work well and are more environmentally friendly than paper towels.
Palette Knife
A palette knife is useful for mixing colors and creating textured effects. It’s also great for scraping excess paint off your palette.
Gesso
Gesso is a primer that can be used to prepare surfaces for painting. While most canvases come pre-primed, having gesso on hand allows you to prepare your own surfaces or add extra layers of primer if needed.
Tips for Getting Started with Acrylic Painting
- Start with simple subjects: Begin with basic shapes and still life compositions.
This will help you focus on technique without getting overwhelmed by complex subjects.
- Experiment with different techniques: Try various brushstrokes and blending methods.
Acrylics are versatile, so don’t be afraid to explore different approaches.
- Learn color mixing: Practice creating new colors by mixing your primary colors.
This will help you understand color theory and expand your palette without buying every color under the sun.
- Work in layers: Start with thin layers and gradually add thicker ones.
This approach allows you to build up depth and complexity in your paintings.
- Keep your brushes clean: Rinse your brushes often and clean them thoroughly after each session.
This will extend the life of your brushes and prevent unwanted color mixing.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes: Acrylic paint is forgiving.
You can easily paint over errors or incorporate them into your work.
- Experiment with different surfaces: Try painting on canvas, paper, wood, and other materials to see which you prefer.
- Practice regularly: Like any skill, painting improves with practice.
Try to set aside time each day or week to paint, even if it’s just for a short while.
- Learn from others: Watch tutorials, take classes, or join a local art group.
Learning from experienced artists can greatly speed up your progress.
- Be patient with yourself: Remember that every artist starts somewhere.
Don’t get discouraged if your early tries don’t meet your expectations.
With practice and persistence, you’ll see improvement.
People Also Asked
What is the best brand of acrylic paint for beginners?
Liquitex Basics and Winsor & Newton Galeria are excellent brands for beginners, offering good quality at affordable prices.
How do I choose acrylic paint colors?
Start with a basic set of primary colors (red, blue, yellow), white, and black. This allows you to mix a wide range of colors while learning color theory.
Can I use acrylic paint straight from the tube?
Yes, acrylic paint can be used straight from the tube. However, you can also thin it with water or acrylic mediums for different effects.
How long does acrylic paint take to dry?
Acrylic paint typically dries to the touch within 10-20 minutes, but can take up to 24 hours to dry completely.
What surfaces can I use acrylic paint on?
Acrylic paint adheres well to many surfaces, including canvas, wood, paper, fabric, and even some plastics.
Do I need to prime my canvas before using acrylic paint?
Most store-bought canvases come pre-primed. If you’re using an unprimed surface, applying gesso before painting is recommended.
Can I mix different brands of acrylic paint?
Yes, you can mix different brands of acrylic paint. However, be aware that different brands may have slightly different properties.
How do I clean acrylic paint brushes?
Clean brushes with soap and water immediately after use. For dried paint, use a brush cleaner specifically designed for acrylics.
Is acrylic paint waterproof when dry?
Once fully cured, acrylic paint is water-resistant but not completely waterproof. For outdoor use, a varnish is recommended.
Can I use acrylic paint for pouring techniques?
Yes, but you’ll need to mix the paint with a pouring medium to achieve the right consistency for fluid art techniques.
Key Takeaways
- Acrylic paints are versatile and beginner-friendly because of their quick-drying nature and easy cleanup.
- Different types of acrylic paint include heavy body, fluid, and open (slow-drying) acrylics.
- For beginners, student-grade paints like Liquitex Basics or Winsor & Newton Galeria offer a good balance of quality and affordability.
- Start with a core set of colors that allow you to mix a wide range of hues.
- Invest in essential tools like brushes, a palette, and a suitable painting surface.
- Experiment with different techniques and don’t be afraid to make mistakes as you learn.
