Whether you are a beginner or an artist, when you start to learn acrylic painting, you will always ask: what is the best acrylic paint or which brand of acrylic paint is best? You want to start painting with acrylic paint, but you don’t know what acrylics to buy?
There are some brands offering high-quality acrylic paint. However, not all student-level and artist-level acrylic paint are actually used by everyone. In this article, 20 high-quality best acrylic paint brands will be outlined, and the most popular student and artist grade paints will be included.
Let’s start with a quick snippet answer for those who are desperate to know. Here’s what I know from looking into it:
Best Acrylic Paints of 2022
Best Acrylic Paint Set for Beginner | Liquitex Heavy Body BASICS Acrylic Paint Set |
Best Acrylic Paint for Artists | ARTEZA Soft Body Craft Acrylic Paint |
Best Acrylic Paint on Amazon | Crafts 4 All Acrylic Paint Set |
Best Acrylic Paint Set for Pouring | Arteza Acrylic Pouring Paint, High Flow |
Best Acrylic Paint Set for Canvas | Arteza Set of 24 Colors Acrylic Paint |
Best Acrylic Paint Set for Wood | Caliart Acrylic Paint Set, 24 Classic Colors |
Best Acrylic Paint Marker for Rock | Artistro Acrylic Paint Markers Extra-fine Tip |
Best Acrylic Paint of Titanium White | Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint |
Best Acrylic Paint of Heavy Body | Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Introductory Set |
Best Acrylic Paint of Matte Finish | Apple Barrel PROMOABII Matte Finish |
But that’s just a quick glimpse.
Before choosing the most suitable acrylic paint brand, you need to understand the brand reputation, review reviews, prices and results, including color, durability, viscosity, light resistance, and purpose of use.
As we all want the best quality at a reasonable price, in this in-depth article, we will introduce you to the best acrylic paint brands in the world with high-quality and budget-friendly acrylic paint lines.
So you will have quality acrylics without spending a fortune.
In this article, you will also find the best acrylic paint models from these top brands. World-famous artists patronize these manufacturers, and many of them are century-old paint companies.
These companies guarantee high-quality standards that are evident in the smooth consistency and viscosity of the paint and pigments they use and the binding medium of their emulsions.
So, let’s get going!
20 Best Acrylic Paint Brands
In this list, you will find the best acrylic paint brands on the market. World-famous artists use these brands, many of them century-old paint companies:
- Liquitex
- Winsor & Newton
- Golden
- Arteza
- Old Holland
- Pebeo
- Decoart Americana
- Vallejo
- Sennelier
- Reeves
- Lascaux
- Crafts 4 All
- Lefranc & Bourgeois
- Amsterdam
- Holbein
- Sargent Art
- U.S. Art Supply
- Blick Art Material
- Chroma
- Da Vinci Paints
These companies guarantee very high-quality standards that are evident in the smooth consistency and viscosity of the paint and pigments they use and the binding medium for their emulsions.
Liquitex
Many people trust the Liquitex paint brand because of its reasonable price and good paint quality.
Liquitex, which owns some of the best-selling acrylic paint on Amazon, boasts of paints with relatively good adhesion, abrasion resistance, dust resistance, and stains that can be easily washed off.
The paint color is uniform has good sharpness and high reflectance, which speed up the painting process.
Liquitex basics acrylic paint are very suitable for tropical climates. The paint color is always stable and will not fade. It is non-flammable, non-toxic, free from lead, mercury, other harmful substances, and is safe for workers and users.
In addition to the essential characteristics of water-based paints, it also has additional characteristics such as superior dust resistance and waterproofing.
Here is Liquitex Twitter I found:
Finally, it’s not just the best quality acrylic paint manufacturer. Despite the quality and acceptance of its paints, it’s perhaps the cheapest acrylic paint brand.
Pros
- The raw materials used in the production are inorganic minerals and are not toxic
- Can be used even in living environments with elderly people and children
- Good adhesion, long-lasting color, rapid absorption
- High-quality pigment for students and artist
Cons
- Nothing to report
Winsor & Newton
Winsor Newton is the most famous premium paint brand and comes from the UK.
The paint is also a perfect combination of the art of painting with advanced scientific technology. It is created by a team of “color men” or color mixing technicians who work in color chemistry.
W&N also received Queen Victoria’s first royal warrant in 1841. W&N is also protected by the Prince of Wales and chosen as a mark of paint for the royal family.
Pros
- Less prone to chipping or scratching
- Its products make the surface smoother and even
- The paints increase the aesthetic effect of architecture
- Appreciated its coverage and its ability to adhere to the surface
- High-quality pigment for students and artist
Cons
- It takes a long time for the paint to dry completely (on average 30 minutes for the paint to dry, 60 minutes for the paint to dry completely).
Golden
The Golden brand has painted with a solid and exceptional anti-peel paint film and is sold reasonably. With the Golden acrylic paint, you can freely choose from more than a thousand rich and varied colors with a luxurious matte surface.
In addition, there is also a glossy surface which brings high aesthetics.
Golden artist-grade paint provides good quality, thick, and creamy acrylic paint that are excellent for professional quality work.
With over 100 colors, including seven neutral gray colors, 14 historic colors, 14 iridescent metallic colors, and six iridescent interference colors, its Heavy Body model is one of the largest color gamuts for professional artist-grade acrylic paints.
It is a high-quality pigment and is especially suitable for the impasto painting technique.
The Golden Open range is a water-miscible, slow-drying acrylic paint with excellent quality and covers large surfaces. It is the best acrylic paint for large paintings.
Pros
- Rich colors
- Contains isopropyl alcohol and substances like thinner (pine oil) and turpentine (banana oil)
- Its paints are completely safe
- Great superiority thanks to its smooth color, and precise coloring, bringing softness and liveliness to the image.
- High-quality pigment for students and artists.
Cons
- If you are not careful, when the paint is not dry, it will leave fingerprints.
Arteza
Arteza paint brand produces a wide range of exciting color options, and the quality is guaranteed. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned artist, colors like lemon yellow, phthalo blue, and crimson red offered by the brand will help you ignite your imagination.
Arteza’s professional quality acrylic color set also includes smooth, fairly pigmented colors that produce consistent and lifelike colors.
It is a good choice for materials such as canvas, which will not fade over time.
This paint brand also has certified safe and non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about the toxicity of Arteza acrylic colors.
This painting company is also ACMI certified, giving you complete peace of mind and absolute confidence. The product is intended for professionals, adults, and possibly even children.
Pros
- Safe for all family members including children
- Good adhesion, variety of colors
Cons
- The paint takes a long time to dry
Old Holland
To list the best brands of acrylic paint today without mentioning the Old Holland paint brand would be a huge omission.
Old Holland paints can stand up to all weathers, but the paint color will remain beautiful.
Its paints have adequate resistance to mildew, moss, and mold. In addition, its paint palette is very diverse and can meet the needs of various colors to unleash creativity.
Old Holland offers specially formulated high gloss paints in beautiful washable colors suitable for wood, paper, interior, and exterior walls. Its paints are easy to use and resistant to the effects of rainwater.
Pros
- Has products that make the painting process faster and easier
- Can withstand cleaning every time it gets dirty
- Its paints hardly smell
Cons
- Paint tubes made of iron are easy to dent during transport
Pebeo
The Pebeo paint brand demonstrates remarkable advantages such as the ability to withstand bad weather and outstanding colorfastness. It reflects most infrared rays, does not contain harmful substances, and is colorfast. Pebeo can prevent the ingress of water from the outside.
Pebeo has been painted with excellent resistance to moss and mold. Its paints have resistance to alkalization and salting. The flat, smooth film of the paints provides excellent aesthetics. Its products do not contain lead, mercury, and other heavy metals, so they do not affect the health of workers and users.
Pébéo paints can effectively prevent the deterioration of the paint film caused by the alkaline quality of wood or cement. At the same time, they are highly effective against the foam.
Decoart Americana
One of the paint brands that have captured a lot of consumer attention is the Decoart Americana paint brand.
Decoart Americana acrylic paints have a smooth and glossy finish that provides excellent aesthetics. In terms of safety, its paint film does not contain lead, mercury, and other toxic substances, so it is safe for the health of the operator and user. The paints are easy to clean, and very suitable for young children. In addition, it has adequate resistance to mold, algae, and dirt.
The main ingredient of most of its products is acrylic glue. It is suitable for the decoration and protection of interior and exterior wall surfaces. Easy to use, waterproof, and resistant to moss and mold growth, suitable for humid climates and heavy rainfall.
Vallejo
Vallejo acrylic paint is ideal for use in 3D printing. Pébéo acrylic paints do not contain heavy metals that are harmful to health and the environment.
Vallejo acrylic paint is high-quality paint with high coverage, excellent adhesion, and various colors. They are non-toxic, will not fade, and are waterproof if painted on canvas. Their paints can last for five years. They have good stability (not darker when applying multiple coats of color) with a satin finish. You can use them with brushes to create layering and watercolor paint effects.
The solvent for acrylic colors is isopropyl alcohol, a very human-friendly solvent compound that does not cause cancer.
Sennelier
Sennelier acrylic paint is now the priority choice for mural painting. In addition, Sennelier acrylic paint have a diverse color palette (there are models with over 30 colors), providing consumers with many choices.
In particular, when making murals, painters can thoroughly combine conventional water-based paints with acrylic paints to minimize costs. Sennelier has excellent color fastness and withstands rain and sun in the outdoors for more than seven years.
Sennelier acrylic paint product line specializes in painting outdoor statues, has high coverage, is durable over time, whether sunny or rainy. Their paints are especially suitable for various materials such as canvas, concrete, wood, paper, wall, plywood wire, composite, iron, glass, fabric, and more.
Sennelier acrylic paint brings a luxurious and elegant look to temples, statues of Buddha and are suitable for classic to modern paintings.
Reeves
Reeves makes products with high quality materials. Its paints are non-toxic, have high colorfastness, and are quick drying. Reeves acrylic colors have outstanding advantages over conventional colors. They can be painted on various materials such as wood, ceramic, fabric, glass, etc.
Its acrylic paints are for wall decoration, glass decoration, Christmas decoration, peach blossom painting, and more. The packaging of the Reeves acrylic paints is usually in tweed. Reeves paints are in short very practical and economical to use
It’s produced with standard pigment quality, smooth, high flexibility, and easy to mix when in use. Reeves acrylic paints can be used straight from the paint tube. You can also dilute it with up to 20 percent of water while still retaining good color intensity. The color does not crack and does not peel off over time.
Lascaux
Lascaux Acrylic Color is a high-quality and very flexible acrylic brand that gives artists a professional development orientation in painting. The superior consistency of the acrylic series allows the use of a wide variety of brushes.
The colors can be thinned with water or various specialized acrylic solvents. When diluted, the color pigment retains a vigorous color intensity. Its paints’ excellent brightness and high-quality pigments mean that the color intensity will stay brilliant for longer.
Crafts 4 All
Crafts 4 All lives up to its name. It’s a brand that produces acrylic paints both for beginners and professionals. Its 24 Acrylic Paint Set is the bestselling art painting kit on the internet. This bestseller is formulated for professional and beginner artists for various surfaces such as canvas, fabrics, wood, ceramics, and more.
The Crafts 4 All store also includes a 12-pack of the previously mentioned kit. It also produces watercolor paints and other artist accessories such as brushes, canvas, and markers.
Lefranc & Bourgeois
This French company was born in 1720, with Charles Lefranc supplying paintings to the artist Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin in Paris. Three hundred years later, Lefranc & Bourgeois is one of the best paint brands globally, with excellent quality products for professionals in the world of art and painting.
The acrylic paint brand Lefranc & Bourgeois also has a line for beginners. It is an acrylic paint brand with products of medium viscosity and excellent adhesion to the canvas. Its colors are resistant to the passage of time, and its variety of colors is very wide. Its line of bright or metallic colors will surprise you, and the price-quality of its acrylic products make it one of the best paint brands on the market.
Amsterdam
This company was founded in 1899 in the Netherlands and had prestigious paint brands such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Amsterdam. In 1949, they received a Royal Appointment, recognizing their superior quality, innovation, and responsible management.
Amsterdam Standard Series acrylic paint is the most economical brand of acrylic paint from Royal Talents. It is perfect in a medium viscosity, adhesion to multiple surfaces, and excellent resistance to light. With their paints, you can enjoy a range of 90 different colors in acrylic paint packs.
Holbein
Holbein is characterized by its intense matte acrylics tone and the texture of its products derived from coarse particles. It has an acrylic range of paints consisting of up to 36 colors. These can be applied to various materials, paper, canvas, fabric, clay, concrete, stone, leather, etc. The paints can also be mixed with water.
Its acrylic range is made with acrylic resins that make up a palette of 78 colors. It is a very resistant paint that is diluted in water and with a drying time between 20 and 30 minutes—an excellent paint for professionals. The Acrylic Gouache range consists of a palette of 107 opaque colors with a matte finish. It is a paint that is more similar to an acrylic watercolor if it is diluted in water with a high covering capacity and high performance.
Acrylic gouache is also great for general painting and will give a different effect than the more glossy regular normal acrylic paint.
Sargent Art
Founded in 1930, Sargent Art is also a good brand for acrylic paints whose products are reliable and popular among users. Ideal for classroom and professional use, Sargent Art paints are vividly colored. They are also water-resistant after they might have dried, and you can apply them over any surface.
U.S. Art Supply
U.S. Art Supply is also another reliable brand for acrylic paints. It has affordable and premium quality paints in its acrylic catalog. These paints are ideal for beginners and professionals. It has permanent, temporary, and metallic acrylic sets in paint tubes and bottles.
Blick Art Material
Blick is also another good brand for acrylic paints. It’s a family-owned mail-order art supply company that was established by Dick Blick more than a century ago. It makes and distributes studio, student, and professional acrylic paint sets of affordable and premium price ranges.
Representative products:
- Blick Studio Acrylic Paints – Set of 24 colors, 21 ml tubes. Inside two rows of tubes.
- Blickrylic Student Grade Acrylics – Mixing Color Set, Pack of 6 Colors, Pints (In carry carton)
Chroma
Chroma is a brand known for educational acrylic paints. Established in 1965, it specializes in professional, student, and light-fast acrylic and oil paints. According to the brand, its paints are most suitable for student & artists. It is approved by artists, parents, and teachers.
Da Vinci Paints
Da Vinci Paints was established more than 90 years ago by Marcello Dworzak, an Italian chemist who was an amateur artist. The brand paints are handmade in California to have over 400 colors. Da Vinci is a company known for its fluid and heavy body acrylic paints.
Representative products:
- Da Vinci Paint 903L Fluid Acrylic Paint
7 Best Acrylic Paints Reviews
Here are the best acrylic paints I picked out:
- Liquitex 1046317 Basics Acrylic Paint
- Mont Marte 24 Color Acrylic Paints Set
- Pebeo 20ml x 30 Tube Studio Acrylic Paints
- Arteza 24 Tubes Acrylic Paint
- Caste Art Supplies 48 tubes Artist Acrylic Paint
- Arteza ARTZ-8153 Artist Acrylic Paint
- Deco Art Americana Dazzling Metallic Paints
Liquitex 1046317 Basics Acrylic Paint
Features
- Selection of 72 colors
- Medium spreadability
- 4-ounce capacity
- Filled in tube
This acrylic paint from Liquitex is sold individually, and you can choose between 72 colors. These colors give the painted picture a silk-gloss look.
Although the acrylic paint is water-soluble, When dry, the paint film is flexible, water-resistant, durable, UV resistant and non-yellowing. With this acrylic paint, you can paint on different materials: wood, canvas, glass, or paper.
You will get color-intensive results on all painting surfaces.
You can dilute the acrylic paint from Liquitex with water and painting medium (Liquitex also sells some of the best pouring medium products on the market).
And You can also use this acrylic paint to try out new painting techniques.
The acrylic paint is well suited for students and pupils because they can experiment with these colors.
Pros
- Shiny colors after drying
- Available in a wide variety of colors
- Suitable for a variety of substrates
- Waterproof when dry
- Suitable for several painting techniques
- Ideal for acrylic pouring, street art, and modern painting techniques
Cons
- Clear difference between wet and dry state
Mont Marte 24 Color Acrylic Paints Set
Features
- 36ml capacity
- Available in four-set options
- Available in 18 to 48 color set
- Made for use on canvas, fabric, leather, wood, cardboard, and paper
Colors:
- Titanium White
- Lemon Yellow
- Medium Yellow
- Yellow Ochre
- Brilliant Red
- Vermilion
- Orange
- Yellow Deep
- Magenta
- Crimson
- Purple
- Phthalo Blue
- Phthalo Green
- Viridian
- Cerulean Blue
- Deep Cyan
- Sap Green
- Monastral Green
- Burnt Umber
- Burnt Sienna
- Raw Sienna
- Lamp Black
- Gold
- Silver
A variety of colors and nuances characterizes the set of 24 acrylic colors by Mont Marte. If you need more colors for your works of art, you can mix these acrylic colors from Mont Marte. The colors are well covered and impressive with their color intensity.
If you are into acrylic pouring – a painting technique – this set is right for you. But if you intend to paint with your children with acrylic paints, we advise you not to buy this set, as it has a strong odor that can have a negative impact on the children’s health.
Since the colors have high opacity, you need less of the colors. Thus, 36ml of one color will last for a long time. But if you want to try a painting technique such as drip painting, this set is less suitable, as the colors are no longer opaque when thinned with water. But these acrylic paints from Mont Marte are perfect for airbrushing, and the results look intensely colored.
Pros
- High lightfastness
- Available in a variety of colors
- High color intensity
- It’s perhaps the best acrylic paint for pouring
- Small amount of paint required
- Can be diluted with water
Cons
- Not suitable for children
- Unpleasant smell
Pebeo 20ml x 30 Tube Studio Acrylic Paints
Features
- Set of 30
- Each tube has 20 ounces of paint
- No heavy metals
- High viscosity
This set of 30 tubes of 20 mL from the Pébéo brand is many acrylic painters’ choice. This kids’ and classroom acrylic paint set can be applied to canvas, cardboard, and wood (among other surfaces). It’s perhaps the best craft paint for wood.
The formulation of studio high viscosity and fluid pastes guarantees the absence of heavy metals that can be toxic to the environment. This kit is perfect for having a wide range of colors and for getting started in acrylic painting. It is one of the best gifts that can be given to children to stimulate their creativity.
Pros
- Doesn’t contain heavy metals
- Nontoxic
- Student grade fluid acrylics
- Easy to use
- Ideal for fluid pouring
Cons
- Thin finish; requires two layers
Arteza 24 Tubes Acrylic Paint
Features
- For canvas painting
- 24 easy to squeeze tubes
- Each tube has 22 ml content
- Glossy finish
This acrylic paint box from the Arteza brand is made up of 24 tubes of 22 mL. This set is perfect for a beginner as well as for a professional painter. The artist acrylic paint is bright and rich. Tested in the laboratory, they comply with safety standards as they are ACMI-certified. This acrylic paint set offers a great comfort of use and has rich and high-quality vivid pigment.
The dimensions of the box are 6.93 x 5.98 x 3.7 inches. According to several customer reviews, it has excellent value for money and is a great gift idea. This paint kit is perfectly suitable for adults, teens, and children. It is a choice that will delight the whole family.
Pros
- Rich and vivid pigments
- Designed for artists
- Easy to use
- Giftable
- Ideal for children
Cons
- The lids could be stronger
Caste Art Supplies 48 tubes Acrylic Paint
Features
- Includes 48 tubes
- Multicolor paint set
- Fabric paint
The Caste Art product is an acrylic painting whose colors are pretty vivid. This set of acrylic paint from the brand Caste Art Supplies consists of 48 tubes of 22 ml. This set includes tubes more significant than the 12 ml format. With these 48 vibrant colors, this palette will meet all of your creative needs.
The Castel Art acrylic paint set is made to achieve good coverage while it maintains the proper flexibility. These paints are made from water and are non-toxic. They are perfect for accomplished professionals as well as beginners. The colors are vivid and vibrant. The painting set is of premium quality and a little bit higher priced than other models.
Pros
- Premium quality paint
- Vivid and vibrant colors
- Best acrylic paint for beginners, adults, and artists
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- The colors don’t get chalky
Cons
- Opening can turn messy
- Some colors are opaque
Arteza ARTZ-8153 Acrylic Paint
Features
- Comes with a storage box
- Metallic finish
- Quick-drying
- Compliant with ACMI / EN 71
- 60 available colors
You will be much freer with this kit composed of 60 tubes of 22ml with various shades of colors. The tubes, all with numbers and names, are practically stored in the box. They are also easy to handle. This model is suitable for professional use and regular use by children or simple hobbyists. Moreover, the safety of this paint is ensured by the fact that it complies with EN 71 standards.
In addition, the tubes have caps, and you just have to unscrew them to open them. This prevents the paint from drying out. A handy color chart can be found on the box, and you will be able to combine the colors with those of another product of the brand. In the event of a defect or dissatisfaction, all the tubes found in this kit are guaranteed to be reimbursed.
Pros
- A wide choice of colors
- Original colors with metallic finish on all surfaces.
- Safe and nontoxic
- Suitable for children as well as professionals
Cons
- The tube caps would be quite fragile.
Deco Art Americana Dazzling Metallic Paints
Features
- Metallic finish
- Ideal for metal surface
- Filled in bottles
- 18 color set
From the Dazzling Metallics collection, this is a bottle set of paint that will allow you to personalize objects by giving them a facelift. Thanks to fine metal flakes with different colors, all the paints have a metallic effect. The bottle is easy to work with. The paint itself dries quickly.
A single coat is enough to have a quality paint coating on canvas, paper, wood, or other surfaces. In addition to being shiny, this painting offers rich and deep shades. All the products in this collection were manufactured in the USA following safety standards, ensuring outstanding product quality.
Pros
- Usable on various surfaces
- Ideal for decorative objects
- Water-resistant
- Bright, bold, and metallic
- Nontoxic
- Easy to apply
Cons
- Reports of lumpy textures in some colors
What is Acrylic Paint?
Acrylic paint is a high-quality, high-coverage paint with good adhesion and very diverse colors. Acrylic paint, unlike oil paint, includes a binder with a synthetic resin that is resistant to water and has more adhesive properties. This binder does not emit odor. It can be diluted in water, and the result is similar to watercolor paint. The paint dries very quickly and forms a powerful elastic film.
People in the fine arts, fashion, and interior decor niches often use this paint to bring their decorating ideas to fruition. Acrylic colors come in two forms: bottles and tubes.
Types of Acrylic Paint
There are different types of acrylic paint, but the most common are:
Heavy body acrylic paint
Heavy body acrylic paint is harder than normal acrylic paint because it has a higher viscosity, much like oil paint coming out of a tube. Heavy body acrylic paint is suitable for thick layers on the canvas. A higher hardness and consistency means that the palette knife or brush will retain its texture and shape on your painting.
These are high viscosity acrylic paints that hold brush strokes while painting. They have a consistency similar to oil paints and are suitable for impasto work. They’re ideal if you want a rough texture that seems to protrude from the canvas.
Artist grade paints work better with acrylic mediums and can produce better, more vibrant results.
Soft body acrylic paint
Also known as fluid acrylic paints, these have a liquid viscosity. They’re smooth and self-leveling. These are the acrylic paints that you are likely familiar with. They are great for detailing, dry brushing, and watercolor techniques.
They have the same pigment content as heavy body acrylic paints. Still, They use a different binder for a softer feel and texture. You can also mix them with other acrylic media to thicken or thin them. This helps you to turn them into pasty acrylic paints or liquid acrylic paints similar to watercolor.
Color Characteristics
You can recognize true-color acrylic paints because the painted picture that has not yet dried does not differ in terms of colors from the picture that has already dried.
Here you can differentiate between cheap and higher quality acrylic paints. The first mentioned contains a small amount of binding agent so that the colors appear cloudy after drying. You can expect darkened or brighter colors with high-quality acrylic paints once the paint has dried.
How to Choose The Best Acrylic Paints?
So that you can make an informed decision when buying acrylic paints. You will find 10 most important purchase criteria for acrylic paints here:
- Color & Masstone
- Finish
- Transparency & Gloss
- Viscosity
- Tube vs Bottle
- Lightfastness
- Quality & Performance
- Purpose of use
- Number in set
- Where is the best place to buy acrylic paint?
Color & Masstone
If you are a beginner, it is recommended to start with 6 vibrant colors:
- Primary Yellow
- Primary Red
- Primary Blue
- Phthalocyanine Green
- Titanium White
- Mars Black
If you have some basic knowledge of painting, you can choose from a wide range of colours to mix, here are 24 colours:
Finish
Acrylic paints usually come in glossy, satin and matte finishes. Painters can choose suitable finishes according to their needs. For example, painting a lake surface, then a glossy finish is the best choice.
A satin (semi-matte) sheen is the most common, and acrylic paints with a glossy or matte finish are not uncommon. Most acrylic paints dry to a satin or glossy finish, different brands vary slightly.
Transparency & Gloss
Each acrylic paint has transparency and gloss information on the label. The standards vary from brand to brand and they are only a reference. You will need to try them yourself to find the right standard for you.
Viscosity
With acrylic paints, you will find paints with different viscosities. These differences are necessary to enable the artist to use different painting techniques. Are you going to do traditional painting on canvas, or are you going to imitate watercolor techniques? Choose the appropriate pigment according to your intended use.
Acrylic colors are known for many different uses, so determine which one is right for you. Viscosity refers to the thickness and consistency of the color. Heavy body paint are similar to flow oil paint colors. In contrast, fluid acrylics are thinner and can be used for staining or airbrushing.
If you choose acrylic paint with low viscosity, it is particularly suitable for creating fine and even structures. Low viscosity paints are also ideal for painting large picture areas. You can also use this acrylic paint to depict flat textures.
If you decide on a medium viscosity, you can achieve excellent results as a beginner because almost every painting technique with acrylic paints can be represented with this color.
Finally, there are high viscosity acrylic paints. These are characterized by the fact that they are easy to grip and resemble oil paint. So, you can try out very different techniques with these colors. However, these acrylic paints also work well if you want to try spatula techniques.
But you don’t have to worry about high viscosity types of paints. You can mix the paints with water and thus get a thinner consistency with a lower viscosity.
Tube vs Bottle
Acrylic paint in bottles and jars are two various products, not developed for a specific skill level. They are excellent for professionals and beginners.
Bottled acrylics are referred to as fluid acrylics and resemble watercolors. Numerous bottled acrylics are transparent and can quickly be used as washes or glazes. You can add a percentage of water to liquid pigments to extend them. There are also mediums designed particularly for fluid acrylics.
Acrylic paints in jars or tubes are called heavy body acrylic paints and have a high consistency. You can add mediums to alter their texture and consistency. You can also include a little water to heavy body pigments to dilute them, however, it is best to use a soft gel gloss medium to dilute their consistency.
Lightfastness
Acrylic paints are light-resistant when the colors are intense and glow intensely, even when the acrylic paint is exposed to UV rays over a long period.
This means that the color will not fade if you expose a picture with acrylic paints to a solid light. Color pigments, as well as binders and additives, influence the light resistance.
To understand lightfastness, here are two references, the label instructions and ASTM International lightfastness standard:
ASTM Lightfastness Standards | Manufacturer Label |
ATSM I = Excellent light resistance | AA = Very permanent color |
ATSM II = Very good light resistance | A = Durable color |
ATSM III = Not light-resistant enough | B = Medium durable color C = Variable color |
Quality & Performance
Many acrylic paint brands offer products specifically for painting. These are often divided into two categories, professional (artist) and beginner (student) grades:
Parameter / Grade | Artist Grade | Student Grade |
---|---|---|
Quality | High Quality | Average quality |
Colors | Rich colors | Basic colors |
Saturation | Excellent | General |
Lightfastness | ATSM I – II | ATSM III |
Price | Expensive | Cheap |
People | Professional Artist | Beginners |
Professional grade acrylics
The professional level of the acrylic paint brand will be a premium product. Here, many color offerings (colors marketed to meet a customer’s need and want) are available.
Highly saturated paints will produce more vivid colors, So it looks better when applied. Once you are skilled or determined to stick with acrylic, you should use professional acrylics!
These acrylic paints are higher than the affordable price for acrylic paints of the student quality category. However, it is due, among other things, to the pigment values, which are in the upper range.
In addition, the high price is justified because these acrylic paints are very resistant to environmental influences.
Acrylic paints in artist grade quality are also superior to acrylic paints in study quality in terms of color intensity.
You will also be more satisfied with the result because the colors hardly differ when wet and dry.
So why don’t you consider using the best professional acrylic paints as an artist?
Student grade acrylic paints
If you just want to try it out or learn, you should use the student version. Even the best student-grade acrylic paint sets are very affordable for most users.
The comparatively low price is the low pigment content of the acrylic paint compared to artist quality acrylic paints.
In addition, fillers are mixed into acrylic paint to increase the quantity of paint produced. Another disadvantage is that the color fidelity, which describes the deviations between the colors in the wet and dry state, is low with acrylic paints of study quality.
Purpose of use
You can use acrylic paint for different purposes. On the one hand, there are special acrylic paints designed so that children can use them.
On the other hand, there are acrylic paints for which the manufacturers instruct the buyers for which materials the acrylic paint is suitable.
A distinction is also made between acrylic paints suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Acrylic paint is also often used to glaze wood, or you can use acrylic paint to fill your walls.
Finally, artists can use acrylic paint to paint on a canvas. Some artists also paint on the skin. However, acrylic paints are not suitable for this.
Number in set
It is perhaps the most crucial part of choosing acrylic colors. If you are a beginner, you should choose a set of 10 to 12 colors. This way, you won’t be overwhelmed by the color palette in front of you. Meanwhile, there are models with up to 70 colors.
Where is the best place to buy acrylic paint?
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/
- Michaels: https://www.michaels.com/
- Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com/
- Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/
- BLICK Art Materials: https://www.dickblick.com
Tips for Choose Good Acrylic Paints
- The best acrylic paint brands are not necessarily the most expensive models.
- Good acrylic paint dry quickly, are water-based, and are waterproof.
- The best products have excellent light resistance and are not yellowing.
- For acrylic painting, beginners need a canvas, acrylic paper, and various brushes, spatulas, or sponges. Flat or round brushes work well.
- Paint manufacturers often offer entry-level acrylic sets. These small packages contain the usual basic colors including black and white. Everything you need to get started.
- Test different mixing ratios. How does the color behave with thin or pasty spreads? How does it dry up? Explore color theory according to all the rules of the art and let yourself be surprised by the results.
- Once you have gained some experience, you can fall back on the wide range of beautiful acrylic colors.
- Colors you use should ideally be bought in a larger container. This saves you from having to buy more often and is cheaper. Large container sizes have a lower basic price.
- Mistakes can happen. Take courage! You can remove acrylic paint after it dries and touches up mistakes.
FAQs
Is acrylic paint toxic?
Acrylic paint are water-based, so they do not contain any harmful chemicals and are non-toxic. This paint washes off easily with water and soap when not dry. Acrylic paint is safe for children over three years old. But if swallowed in large quantities, acrylic fumes can cause severe vomiting.
Is acrylic paint waterproof?
Acrylic paint has some water resistance when fully dry, but it does not provide a waterproof coating, so a coat of sealer is necessary. It is difficult to remove acrylic paint with water alone unless soapy water or detergent is used. But if the acrylic paint is exposed to water before it dries completely, it will wash off.
what surfaces can I use Acrylic paint?
Acrylics are versatile and can be painted on to just about anything. You can use them on porous surfaces like wood, canvas, glass, paper, fabric, metal, plastic, concrete, or non-porous surfaces like glass and plastic, but must be primed and sanded.
How long does it take for acrylic paint to dry?
Professional grade acrylic paint will dry in 15 to 30 minutes, thicker paint may take 1-2 hours, which will vary depending on environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, wind speed). Professional acrylic paints last slightly longer on palettes than student grade paint.
You can also try these 5 ways to make acrylic paint dry faster.
Summary
Whether you are a paint lover or an artist looking for the best professional acrylic paints, choosing the right paint brand is always essential. But when it comes to choosing, it’s always quite tricky.
Acrylic paint is used a lot in painting, but due to the variety of colors and its properties and the unreliability of some brands, most artists – beginners especially – are often at a loss for brands to start with.
We’ve reviewed the 20 best acrylic paint brands in the business and their representative products.
We’ve also reviewed the overall best acrylic paint sets on the market and given information on what to consider when buying one. Now, choosing your paint set should no longer be a hassle.