Why acrylic is better than oil paints?
One of the first questions a beginner painter faces is what medium to focus. Acrylic paint had a rough start. Proponents of the acrylic medium say it has unique benefits that distinguish it from oil. When acrylic paint first hit the market, it was matte and chalky without enough pigment.
You must be decisive when using acrylic paint because it dries extremely fast.
Cleaning brushes
Brushes are an artist’s investments. Keep the tools healthy and neat. If you fail to remove oil paint off your stroking equipment, it can ruin them quickly. Getting acrylics off the brush is effortless than oil that demands the use of a technique and chemicals to clean.
Versatility of acrylics
Acrylic portrait painting on canvas is versatile. Use it to make a brighter, opaque, or vibrant artwork. Oil medium is a problem to apply opaquely in a single layer more so if you want to paint directly on a white canvas unless you work on it thickly. An artist using oil will have to acquaint themselves with the entire structure of their composition before commencing painting. Acrylic is forgiving since you can make changes with little problems. You may also notice acrylics remain flexible when it dries as opposed to an oil medium. Acrylic comes in a variety of colors.
Cost
Oil paint and its brushes are slightly more expensive than acrylics.
Is acrylics a beginner medium?
Initially, artists could paint in watercolors or oil. The acrylic paint is revolving and now brags of saturated hues. But some professors of arts still propagate the idea that acrylics belong to kindergarten classrooms, not a painter’s studio, and that a prominent painter needs to use oil. If you are an artist looking for commercial success in Acrylic portrait painting on canvas, don’t be discouraged by the stigma around the medium. Since the beginning of the 20th-century, acrylics are overtaking the pricy oil medium.
As many artists try to understand acrylic, they continue to discover the paint is a suitable medium for professional artists. Andy Warhol and Darien Bogart are among prominent artists to design artwork using acrylics. Acrylics are beginner-friendly. All you require is water, acrylic paint, brushes, and canvas.
Studio space for acrylics
If you have a small space to paint, acrylic is favorable. Artist requires more room to move. Oil-based paints release fumes that can cause dizziness and headache to the painter. The oil paint can irritate the eyes and skin. Open the windows to push the fumes out. Besides, the artist requires a wide cleaning area to avoid creating a mess after painting.
But then to make Acrylic portrait painting on canvas, you do not require a well-ventilated studio. You can make a mess with oil paints before you learn to handle it better. It means you get color EVERYWHERE. The oil paint stains your fingers and under the nails.
Acrylic paints weren’t available during the golden ages of painting. Is it necessary for an artist to focus on one medium? Certainly not. Acrylic and oil are both great, but the fundamentals of art are still the same.
