If you are just getting into painting, you may be wondering which type of paint is best for beginners, watercolor paint or acrylic paint. Both of these paints are water-soluble and easier to work with than oil paints.
Both of these paints are also less expensive and safer to use than oil paints. But, both are very different from one another, and each has its own specific qualities.
Some of the qualities of each type of paint are good for beginners. The first couple of paintings that I did many years ago were done with acrylic paints. When I got back into painting a few years back, I considered myself a beginner, and I chose watercolors to get me started.
These two types of paint differ in how they are made, and in how they are used. Watercolors are often used for landscapes, portraits, and still-life paintings. Acrylics are also great for all of these styles of painting, but the final product will have a much different appearance.
Today we are going to take a look at both watercolor paints and acrylic paints. You will find lots of information that will help you to decide which type of paint you want to start with.
Let’s get started.
Watercolor Paint and Acrylic Paint Comparison
| Factors | Watercolor Paint | Acrylic Paint |
|---|---|---|
| Easy to Use | Yes | Yes |
| Good for children | Yes | Somewhat |
| Fast drying time | Yes, about 10 minutes per layer | Yes, about 15-20 minutes per layer |
| Easy cleanup | Yes | Yes |
| Water-soluble | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Get a set of 12 colors for less than $10 | Get a set of 12 for less than $20 |
| Remove mistakes | Easy to fix mistakes while paint is still wet | Easy to fix mistakes while paint is wet, not so easy once paint has dried |
What is Watercolor Paint?
Watercolor paint is made with colored pigment and a water-soluble binder. Sometimes brightener is added, as well as other fillers that will enhance the color of the paint and how it handles.
There are three different types of watercolor paints: pan, tube, and liquid. Pan paints are the type that you probably used when you were a young child in school.
Tube watercolor paints come in tubes, just as acrylics and oils do. They are squeezed onto the palette, and then water is added to create just the right consistency for the type of painting you are doing.
Liquid watercolors are interesting, and I would like to give them a try soon. Liquid watercolor paint is a highly concentrated, liquid watercolor that comes in bottles. It is used in the same manner as tube watercolor paints.
When you spread watercolors onto textured watercolor paper (yes, you should be using watercolor paper for this type of paint), you should be using special brushes that are made for watercolors.
There are several things I like about working with watercolors. First, there is little to no odor, which is great for someone like me who has a lot of seasonal and environmental allergies.
Watercolors dry quickly, so you only have to wait for a few minutes after finishing one step of a painting to move on to the next step. You can use a hair dryer to make them dry even faster.
I often recommend watercolors for beginners because I find them very easy to work with. Of course, there are many techniques to learn, but one can usually jump right in and start creating with watercolor paints.
If you are using pan watercolors, they are so easy to transport. You only need a small bottle of water for rinsing brushes, and later you can easily clean the brushes with soap and water.
Pros and Cons of Watercolor Paints
Pros
- Watercolors dry quickly
- Watercolors cost less than other types of paint
- You can cover large areas with just a small amount of paint
- You can reuse leftover paint by adding water to it, even pan paints
- You can lift paint off the paper with water if you make a mistake
- You can make changes even after the paint has dried
Cons
- Watercolors, especially pan paints, are quite fragile
- You need to use textured watercolor paper, which can be costly
- The more difficult techniques can be difficult to master
- Difficult to remove mistakes after the paint has dried
What Are Acrylic Paints?
Acrylic paints are another type of water-based paint that are made with pigment particles combined with an acrylic polymer emulsion. They are made with pigments, a binder, and a vehicle.
The pigments in acrylic paints are granular solids, and they provide the paint with color. These solids are finely ground but do not dissolve so they are suspended in the paint. The pigments can be natural, synthetic, organic, or inorganic.
Acrylic paint is made with a binder, which is what holds the pigment in place once the paint has dried. Generally, acrylic polymer is used for this purpose.
The vehicle is what carries the pigment and the binder, and it is generally water. When the water is mixed with the binder, a polymer emulsion is the result. The water will evaporate as the paint dries, leaving behind a polymer film that is loaded with colored pigments.
One of the things I like the most about working with acrylics is the fact that they dry quickly. Each thin application takes around 10 minutes to dry, so if you have painted in layers, it should be dry to the touch within half an hour or so.
Acrylics are permanent once they have dried. Unfortunately, they are also nearly permanent if you allow them to dry on your brushes. It is important to rinse brushes after each paint application and clean all brushes thoroughly as soon as you are finished using them.
I love the fact that I can paint on just about any type of surface with acrylic paints. They are just so versatile!
You can use many painting styles and techniques when working with acrylic paints. If you thicken it, you can even use it for impasto painting.
Pros and Cons of Acrylic Paint
Pros
- Acrylic paints dry quickly
- Ideal for beginners
- Lots of durability and flexibility
- Can be used for detail painting (I love using them on small clay sculptures)
- Can be used on multiple surfaces, including canvas, wood, plastic, glass, and fabric
Cons
- You can’t alter acrylic paint once it is dry (but you can paint over it)
- Some acrylic paints contain toxins
- Not ideal for children
- Not as easy to blend on a canvas as they dry quickly
Conclusion
If you want a definitive answer as to which is best for beginners, watercolor paints or acrylic paints, I can’t give you that answer. Both types of paint are relatively easy to use, while both involve techniques that can be difficult to master.
I suggest trying both types of paint. If you are anything like me, you will end up enjoying both of these mediums, and you will go back and forth between them.
As I mentioned, I started with watercolors and moved on to acrylics later. If you want to start with acrylics and then try watercolors, that is okay as well.
It is completely up to you which type of paint you try first. Both are great for beginners, and both are fun to work with.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!