Acrylic Paints(136)

Acrylic Paints Are Perfect For Any Skill Level

Acrylics are versatile and easy to use. Like watercolours, acrylic painting means fast drying, which makes working with them on a range of different art materials and canvases a breeze.

Acrylics are perfect for DIY projects, great for school, and will add that something special to any piece of artwork. Acrylic paints are easy to thin or thicken, and simple to mix, whether you're adding pigments or other colours. That gives you the freedom to experiment and create your own colours and shades, as well as the freedom to use on mixed media artworks.

Then there's the colours, from titanium white, through to pastels, bright primary colours, and deep blacks. Add acrylic mediums such as gloss varnishes or matte to give your acrylic paint even more flexibility.

Different Types of Acrylic Paints

Acrylic paints can be used on a variety of surfaces. They can be great for printmaking, general painting, models, canvas, the list is never-ending. It's one of the things that makes acrylic paints so versatile. Artist Acrylic paints are a professional grade of acrylic which contain the most pigment and are designed to resist chemical reactions. The are also student acrylics, such as Chromacryl which have lower pigmentation and are less expensive. But with so many different uses for acrylic paints, working out which ones can be used for certain tasks can be hard.

That's why we've created a drop-down menus that allow you to search by Activity, to make sure you choose the right one before you hit the checkout. These activities include:

Acrylic Paints For Beginners

The great thing about acrylic paint is that it's easy to use no matter how little experience you may have. That makes Riot Art & Craft gift cards a great present for any aspiring artists or anyone who loves all kinds of arts and crafts. A great place for kids to start is with our Tim & Tess range of paints and supplies.

We have a large range of painting sets for young adults that are:

  • Non toxic
  • Water based
  • Permanent
  • Fast drying
  • Easy to clean when wet
  • Acrylics will provide hours of fun for budding young artists.

Professional acrylic paint sets – What makes them different?

Acrylic paint sets have come a long way in a short time, and are now a brilliant alternative to oil paints, whether you're a professional or just want something that will deliver good quality results every time. Here are some reasons why:

  • They're safe. Fumes won't be an issue.
  • Easy to use. You can get the result your after with even the simplest art supplies, art materials and tools.
  • Workable. Whatever results you want, acrylic paints will be able to mould themselves without much fuss.
  • Colours. A heap of different pigments and colours are available.
  • Texture. Science has given us stunning acrylic textures.
  • Fast drying. Perfect for multiple coats or colours-on-colours.
  • Easy mixing. Get the right colour without too much drama.

Artists love our professional acrylic paint sets, with a high pigment concentration and high permanence ratings. This makes acrylic colours vibrant and true, creates a consistency that’s smoother than student acrylic paint, and adds another layer – texture. Let your palette knife free with a heavy body acrylic or choose a high-flow for an even spread. The high permanence ratings of our professional acrylic paints mean your artworks will stay true to your colours for longer.

Acrylic Painting vs Oil Painting?

Deciding between acrylic painting and oil painting can come down to personal choice. There's a few things that do set them apart, including:

  • Surface. There's really no limit to what acrylic paints can paint on.
  • Drying. Acrylic paints can dry anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. Oils can take hours or days in certain conditions.
  • Blending. Oils can blend a little better, but acrylics are catching up.
  • Fumes. There are no fumes with acrylic paints, which is a big deal when there's kids around.
  • Colour. Some acrylics can change colour a little bit when they dry. The good news is you can just put another coat on if you wish. With oil colours, the chroma is not affected.
  • Viscosity. Acrylic paints can be used for airbrushes or can have a heavy body if needed.

Heavy body acrylic paints are often popular with artists who like oil paints because of how dense they can be. The fast drying times of acrylics allow you to build layers in a short amount of time. Whether you prefer oil painting, acrylics, or watercolour, it's about using what you love.

Popular acrylic paint brands

Quality brands means quality paint, a big selection of colours and sizes, reliability, and great value. Some of our quality brands include:

Other popular brands for acrylic paint include; Derivan, Jo Sonja, Sennelier and Winsor & Newton.

Acrylic Paint Accessories – What you need to get started!

So before you make your next acrylic paint purchase there's a few things to think about first.

  • What quality acrylic paint do you want to buy?
  • What colours do you need?
  • What brand of acrylic paint do you want to purchase?
  • What painting accessories will you need to get started?
    • Canvases – Size and style.
    • Easels – A-frame or French easel. Table top or stand-up.
    • Paint brushes – water brush, angled brush, flat brush, fan brush, round brush and the list goes on.
    • Palette – Wood, plastic or paper.
    • Pads – Try mixed media pads by The Art Studio or canvas pads by Eraldo Di Paolo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Acrylic Paints

What is acrylic paint used for?

Acrylic paint can be used for all sorts of things, and it's perfect for a lot of surfaces. Acrylic paints work really well on:

Acrylic paint gives you a nice even finish and is quick to dry, which make it the paint of choice for most crafts. You can use Gesso as a primer if painting on surfaces such as wood or ceramics for a more even surface.

There are many different types Acrylic paints such Pebeo which which gives a marbled effect or Liquitex which is ideal for painting on bodies.

Do you use water with acrylic paint?

Acrylic paint is water-soluble, so be careful how much water you use with it. Water can be used to thin acrylic paint, especially when working with hard surfaces such as wood or ceramics. 

Using the correct painting accessories like paint palettes and brushes will make mixing paints and water an easier process.

Is acrylic paint washable?

Remember these tips when thinking about acrylic paint and cleaning.

  • When wet. When acrylic paint is wet, you can use water to quickly clean it up.
  • When dry. Once acrylic paint dries, it's hard to remove with anything, from anywhere. That makes it perfect for painting on textiles. It will last well in the washing machine.

What is the difference between acrylic paint and normal paint?

There are a couple of big benefits of using acrylic paints

  • Really fast drying
  • Non-toxic
  • Water-based
  • Paints on anything

Find out more about the different ranges of paints at Riot Art & Crafts.