Acrylic painting’s adaptability, brilliant colors, and short drying time make it an excellent medium for novices. Your painting experience can be greatly affected by your choice of Best Acrylic Paint. We’ll look at the finest inexpensive and user-friendly acrylic paints for beginners in this tutorial.
What Makes Acrylic Paints Ideal for Beginners?
Acrylic paints are a favorite medium for painters of all stripes, but newbies find them especially appealing. This is the reason why:
- Ease of Use: Acrylic paints can be applied straight from the tube and easily thinned with water.
- Fast Drying: They dry quickly, allowing for faster layering and less waiting time.
- Versatility: Suitable for a variety of surfaces including canvas, paper, wood, and more.
- Vibrant Colors: Provide bright and bold colors that are easy to mix and blend.
- Water Solubility: Easy to clean up with soap and water.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Acrylic Paints for Beginners
Take into account the following elements when choosing the best acrylic paint for beginners:
1. Quality: Student Grade vs. Artist Grade
Acrylic paints come in two main grades: student and artist.
- Student Grade: More affordable and great for practice, but may have less pigment and lower quality binders.
- Artist Grade: Higher pigment concentration and better quality, but more expensive.
For beginners, student grade is usually sufficient and budget-friendly.
2. Pigment Concentration
Higher pigment concentration means more vibrant and opaque colors. Check the labels for information on pigment levels.
3. Viscosity
Acrylic paints vary in thickness:
- Heavy Body: Thick, buttery consistency, ideal for textured brush strokes and impasto techniques.
- Soft Body: Smooth, creamy consistency, perfect for detailed work and smooth blending.
- Fluid: Very thin, great for glazing and watercolor-like effects.
4. Color Range
Starting with a basic set of primary colors (red, blue, yellow) plus white and black can help beginners learn color mixing.
5. Price
Affordable options are crucial for beginners who may be experimenting and practicing.
Top 5 Best Acrylic Paints for Beginners
1. Liquitex BASICS Acrylic Paint Set
Quality: Student Grade
Viscosity: Medium (soft body)
Price: Affordable
Liquitex BASICS is a reputable brand that provides premium paints at affordable prices. A variety of vivid colors with good pigment concentration are included in the kit. They’re ideal for novices because they’re simple to combine and use. Furthermore, Liquitex BASICS come in sets and individual tubes, giving painters the freedom to progressively broaden their palette.
2. Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint Set
Quality: Student Grade
Viscosity: Medium (soft body)
Price: Moderate
The art world regards Winsor & Newton as a reliable brand. The Galeria line offers good quality at an affordable price, making it ideal for students and amateurs. These paints produce bright, vivid colors and have a smooth consistency that makes blending easy. Beginners can experiment with a wide range of tints and tones thanks to the Galeria collection’s abundance of colors.
3. Arteza Acrylic Paint Set
Quality: Student Grade
Viscosity: Medium (soft body)
Price: Budget-Friendly
Arteza is renowned for offering premium art supplies at reasonable costs. Their paint sets for acrylic are no different. The paints are easy to apply, have a large color selection, and are rich in pigment. A variety of set sizes are available from Arteza, ranging from smaller starter sets to bigger collections, so it’s simple for beginners to pick something that suits their needs and price range.
4. Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint
Quality: Artist Grade
Viscosity: Thick (heavy body)
Price: Higher End
While more expensive, Golden Heavy Body acrylics are worth mentioning for beginners who are serious about their art. These paints offer exceptional quality with high pigment concentration and a thick, buttery consistency. They’re ideal for techniques requiring texture and depth. For beginners willing to invest a bit more, Golden provides a superior painting experience.
5. Sargent Art Acrylic Paint Set
Quality: Student Grade
Viscosity: Medium (soft body)
Price: Affordable
Sargent Art offers an excellent range of acrylic paints that are perfect for beginners. These paints are easy to use, blend well, and are available at a very affordable price point. The sets include a good variety of colors, allowing beginners to explore different color combinations without a significant investment.
Tips for Beginners Using Acrylic Paints
1. Start with Basic Techniques
Learn the fundamentals of acrylic painting, including layering, glazing, blending, and dry brushing. Utilize these methods to hone your abilities.
2. Use Proper Brushes
Get yourself a set of acrylic painting brushes. Acrylic paints are best applied with synthetic brushes, which are generally more resilient.
3. Experiment with Surfaces
Try painting on different surfaces like canvas, paper, and wood to see how the paint behaves. Each surface offers a unique texture and experience.
4. Keep Your Palette Wet
Acrylic paints dry quickly, so use a palette with a wet sponge or mist the paints with water to keep them workable for longer periods.
5. Clean Up Promptly
Clean your brushes and palette immediately after use to prevent the paint from drying and becoming difficult to remove.
6. Practice Color Mixing
Experiment with mixing primary colors to create a wide range of hues. This practice will help you understand color theory and improve your painting skills.
Finalization
Considerations including quality, pigment concentration, viscosity, color selection, and cost are important when selecting the best acrylic paints for novices. For people who are new to acrylic painting, brands include Liquitex BASICS, Winsor & Newton Galeria, Arteza, Golden Heavy Body, and Sargent Art are great choices. Beginning artists can have a fulfilling and imaginative painting experience by beginning with the appropriate supplies and honing fundamental techniques. These acrylic paints will give you a strong starting point for your artistic adventure, regardless of whether you paint for enjoyment or hope to improve your abilities.