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Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional painter, it’s always a good idea to figure out what brand of paints work best for your needs. When it comes to acrylic pigments, however, the choices can be daunting. Not only are there many companies to choose from, but with descriptions like “heavy body” and “high flow,” how will you know what to choose? To demystify the process, we’ve identified what all these terms mean and what’s the ideal acrylic paint brand for your skills.
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How to Pick the Best Acrylic Paint for Your Artistic Practice
When determining the acrylic paint that you’ll use, there are several key factors to consider: quality, permanence, viscosity, and hue. Here’s a quick rundown on how they affect the medium.
Quality
Many art supplies—including acrylic paints—come in two grades: professional (or artist) and student quality. The professional version of an acrylic paint brand is going to be the superior product; there will be more color offerings available, and the pigments will be more saturated and look better once applied.
So, why wouldn’t you opt for artist-grade supplies? One big reason is that they’re more expensive than the student version. If you’re just starting out with acrylic paint and aren’t sure if you’ll continue, then it might be worth it to test the waters with student grade. Once you’re sure that you love acrylics, upgrade to the professional version.
Permanence
Permanence, also known as lightfastness, is how much the color of a paint will fade over time after it’s exposed to light. “Over time” doesn’t mean a week—we’re talking about 20 years. Generally, acrylic paints have higher permanence ratings than other types of media, so they’re likely to stay the same hue for a long time. Paints of low permanence are called fugitive colors, and you should generally avoid them unless you have a specific use for them.
ASTM International, a global standards development organization, classifies acrylic paint based on its permanence. A rating of “ASTM I” means that it has “Excellent Lightfastness.” Similarly, a manufacturer might rate their paints AA, A, and so on. In this case, AA is the best. (This information is available on the packaging.)
Viscosity
Acrylic paint is known for its variety of uses, so it’s important to figure out what kind of consistency will work best for you. Are you going for traditional painting on canvas, or are you trying to mimic watercolor techniques? Depending on your intended use, you’ll have to pick paint accordingly. Called viscosity, this aspect refers to the thickness of the paint. Heavy body acrylics are similar in flow to oil paint, while fluid acrylics are thinner and can be used for staining or airbrushing.
Hue
Here’s the most fun part of selecting an acrylic paint—picking out the color! If you’re a beginner painter, we recommend going with the basics and limiting yourself to 10 colors or so. That way, you won’t be overwhelmed when learning the ins and outs of the medium. But, the more you’re comfortable with acrylics, take note of what colors different brands are offering—some feature iridescent and fluorescent colors.
Acrylic painting for beginners can be overwhelming. Check out 14 sets that offer some of the best acrylic paint.
Winsor & Newton Artist’s Acrylic
Winsor & Newton | $13.12
Acrylic painting for beginners can rely on this 10-tube set for both its excellent quality and affordability. The pigments have a smooth consistency that’s akin to oil paint. “We have worked hard to create a good buttery consistency for quick and easy coverage,” the company says, “while making sure that the brush marks you want remain.”
Liquitex BASICS Acrylic (Set of 24)
Liquitex | $28.35
Developed for both students and artists, Liquitex BASICS is another heavy body acrylic paint that will keep its shape and strokes as you paint. This makes it ideal for traditional painting, impasto, and mixed media.
Blick Studio Acrylics
Blick | $3.45+
As the largest and oldest art supplier in the United States, it should come as no surprise that Blick also has a line of quality acrylics. Their student-grade Blick Studio Acrylic is a great value for beginners and is available in a wide range of hues and tube sizes. Artists can choose from 60 highly-pigmented colors that have a buttery, oil paint-like texture.
Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint (Set of 6)
Golden Artist Colors | $26.38
As the name implies, Golden Heavy Body Acrylics is another luscious, thick acrylic paint. This set is great for those who have worked with acrylics before. They’ve got a slightly higher price tag, but according to some reviewers, they have “better coverage and stronger, richer colors” that are “well worth the extra cost per ounce.”
Golden Fluid Acrylics (Set of 8)
Golden Artist Colors | $28.90
While Golden Heavy Body has a thick viscosity, their Fluid series is all about flexibility. Its thinner consistency is great for spraying, staining, or using a watercolor approach to acrylics.
Utrecht Artists’ Acrylic
Utrecht | $6.71+
Known for their brilliant color, longevity, and rich texture, Utrecht acrylic paint has an outstanding reputation. Now part of Blick, Utrecht was started 50 years ago in Brooklyn and was one of the first companies to develop artists’ acrylics. They’re available in tubes, jars, and gallons individually or in sets like Portrait, Landscape, and Color Theory.
Sennelier Abstract Acrylics (Set of 5)
Sennelier | $28.46
The first thing you’ll probably notice about the heavy body Abstract paint packs is that their packaging. Housed in a squeezable pouch, they’re designed to more easily dispense the paint; a transparent “window” also tells you how much is left.
Chroma Atelier Interactive Artists’ Acrylic (Set of 7)
Chroma Atelier | $47.45
Some acrylics have a lightning-fast drying time, but not Chroma Atelier Interactive Artists’ Acrylics. This set features pigments that “stay open longer,” meaning they retain wetness and malleability. For plein air painting, this gives you the ease acrylic with the characteristics of oil—something that’s valuable when you’re working directly from life.
Holbein Mat Acrylic Paints
Holbein | $19.95+
Available in 36 vibrant colors, Holbein Mat Acrylics are unique in that they all dry to a smooth, matte finish. Plus, each tube has great coverability on the canvas.
M. Graham 6-Color Acrylic Paint Set
M. Graham | $36.83
If you’re looking for a set of acrylics that are like watercolors, give M. Graham a try. “The major quality is pigment load,” one reviewer writes, “you can dilute these with water and use them like watercolors on watercolor paper while retaining a rich vibrant color.” Continuing, “They are unbelievably beautiful and useful colors.”
Lascaux Artist Acrylic Paints
Lascaux | $11.13+
Lascaux acrylic paints are designed to mimic the texture and consistency of oil paints but without the hassle. Each tube features an intensely pigmented color with lightfastness that is impervious to aging.
Maimeri Brera Artist Acrylic (Set of 5)
Maimeri | $46.79
This set of five acrylic paints by Maimeri is designed for professional artists. Each one is made with a binder of ultra-fine emulsion that helps maintain a lightfast, supple film with a silky, matte finish.
Pebeo Extra-Fine Artist Acrylics
Pebeo | $9.10+
Pebeo acrylics are professional-grade paints capable of consistent texture, drying time, viscosity, and finish. Plus, due to the pigments used, there is a minimal color shift from wet to dry.
Liquitex Professional Soft Body Acrylic (Set of 6)
Liquitex | $43.39
Smooth and creamy yet fluid, the Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics are great for pouring, printmaking, and conventional painting. With this viscosity, you’ll want to buy these paints for mixed media work, decorative art, scrapbooking, or even airbrushing. Avoid them for impasto or highly textured pieces.
How to Make the Most of Your Acrylic Paint
Whether you’re just starting out or a pro, there’s always something new to learn about acrylic paint. Try one of these online classes from My Modern Met Academy, Creative Live, and Skillshare!
- Getting Started with Acrylic Paints
- Modern Acrylic Painting: Explore Techniques to Create On-Trend Art
- Acrylic Painting: Brushwork for Beginners
- Let’s Play with Acrylic Paint! -Tools and Materials
- How To Create A Realistic Galaxy Painting, With Acrylics
- Palette Knife Acrylic Painting: Make Your Portrait Step-by-Step
- Dappled Light: Learn Abstract Painting with Acrylics
- Dream Your Own Abstract Acrylic Floral Painting
Most Importantly: Have Fun and Never Stop Creating!
This article has been edited and updated.
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