America has a rich history of artistic expression that spans many mediums, including painting. Artists have painted with various materials depending on the era and geographic region.
One material that has become increasingly popular is acrylic paint. It is relatively inexpensive and can be found in most any art supply store. Many people now use it as their main media for painting because of its versatility.
Acrylic paintings are not limited to being still life or landscape pictures. You can create abstract pieces, portraits, figure studies —the list goes on! This article will talk about where to find high quality acrylic paints in America and some tips on how to use them.
I’ll also share my favorite brands so you know what works best for me. Hopefully this info will help you pick out the right ones for you!
Disclaimer: I was compensated by The Pinch Press/HecklersVox for writing this article. All opinions are mine alone.
Where To Find Quality Acrylic Painting Colors In America
The first thing we need to address is whether or not manufactured colors are adequate for creating beautiful artwork. Some artists prefer using only authentic (or “paint-brand”) colors, while others do not.
This article will discuss why these manufactured colors may not always be ideal, along with some alternatives if you like using them.
Water-based acrylics
Recent developments in acrylic paint are water-based, which is a big deal because many of the old ways of painting use oil or gel as a medium. Oil and gel used to be mixed with vinegar or alcohol, which can cause dry skin and irritation for those who handle them professionally. For this reason, most people now prefer using pure acetone or ethanol liquid as their mixing agent instead!
Acetone and ethanol are both totally safe to use and do not require special training to work with. They are also much more affordable than professional quality oils and gels. Many stores offer all sorts of beautiful, vibrant colors that are just as durable compared to higher cost brands.
There are several companies that make very high quality acrylic paints that are expensive but they are not necessarily better than less expensive ones. More expensive brand names have marketing strategies attached to them, which may influence how people perceive them. It is best to simply enjoy your art and not worry about what company sponsored decorations are being spread around the world.
Fast dry acrylics
A growing market of artists is exploring new ways to use acrylic as their medium. These artists prefer using high quality, fast drying paints over oil or water-based products.
Acrylic painting has become very popular since it was first introduced in the 1950’s. Artists have been creating beautiful works with this material for decades!
There are many reasons why people enjoy painting with acrylic. Some like the way it looks and feels like liquid plastic. It can be squeezed, mixed, and dripped onto your canvas without running or dripping down the side. This helps you keep track of how much paint you have because it easily changes.
Another reason that people love acrylic is its ease of use. All you need to do is mix the colors together and apply them to your surface. The rest is done for you!
However, one of the drawbacks of acrylic is that it does not remain stable in exposed areas. It will begin to curdle and gel when wetted by moisture or water. This could cause problems if the artist wants to wash off some of the painted layers later.
Some brands make additional additives to improve the stability of the paint.
Slow-drying acrylics
All right, let’s talk about some great places to buy all of your new brushes and colors!
At this time of writing, there are only two types of oils that you can use to paint with. They are either water soluble or solvent (oil) soluble. Water soluble paints will wash off if you soak your brush in water and scrape away excess paint with a palette knife or soft plastic spoon. These are typically not durable unless they have been chemically treated so that they will last longer.
Solvent (or oil)-soluble paints are also referred to as “fast drying.” The liquid content has an adequate amount of chemical agents added into it which makes the paint dry very quickly. This is why most professional artists use these types of paints!
Sadly, these fast drying liquids are usually more expensive than their slower drying counterparts. However, they are much better for our health and environment due to less VOCs being emitted while painting.
Some brands of solvent-based acrylic paint are now offering pre-measured containers to help us save money by doing ourselves justice! Many people choose them over buying individual bottles of thinner because they believe those pastes may contain small amounts of chemicals such as acetone or alcohol that could potentially be harmful to us.
Semi-gloss acrylics
For all of you artistic people that love exploring new things, acrylics are a beautiful medium to experiment with! Acrylic paint is an easy way to begin painting, as you do not have to mix your paints first before applying them onto your canvas or surface.
Acrylic paint is made in factories where chemicals are mixed together and then painted into shapes or thin layers covered in another layer of acrylic to seal it and make it solid. These paintings are then exposed to air which makes the texture and luster of the paint come through.
There are many brands of acrylic paint available and they all perform slightly differently. Some are very expensive while some are much less cost effective. It is best to test out some products to see if they are worth the investment.
Some tips for experimenting with acrylic painters include using primer under your brush to prevent dried up coats, use a light touch when painting, and let each coat dry properly before adding more.
Glossy acrylics
For all of you boho chic, artistic people that love looking at beautiful pictures and decorations, use of matte or gloss paint is an important part of your painting style. Matte paints are typically more durable than glossy ones, but using too much can make your piece feel heavy and bulky.
Artists have designed many products with both matte and glisten surfaces to accommodate every style! Some examples include watercolor pencils, gel pens, markers, high quality sharpener stones, and soft pastel brushes.
There are several sites where you can find these as well as other types of art supplies! Many of them have free shipping so it’s easy to start off on a budget and grow from there.
Oil paints
A very popular way to paint is using oil as your medium. Oils are characterized by containing large amounts of oils, which can be spread onto your canvas or surface you choose to work on.
Some of the most common oils used in painting are: linseed (or flax) oil, olive oil, petroleum jelly, sesame oil, and mineral oil. These different types of oils all contribute different qualities to the painted piece. Different artists prefer one type over another depending on how it behaves when applied to the canvas or surface.
Oil paintings are not only easy to complete, but they also remain durable. The thick consistency makes them hangable and re-workable later. There are many brands of oil paints that do not contain any solvents, which some people may consider a drawback.
Acrylics for kids
When searching where to buy acrylic paint as an adult, it is easy to forget that children have access to this art form as well! Most large department stores and online sites now offer kid’s quality paints.
How to use acrylics
A very popular way to start painting is with a primer or base coat. This can be done with any kind of painted surface, not just canvas! For instance, you could begin by painting some plastic trays or baking sheets to create an easy new project!
After your primer coats are all dry, then you’re able to add another layer of color to make your painting more detailed and rich.
Acrylic paints have a wide range of colors that they offer. Because they’re solid substances, there are no liquids in them like oils. That means they’ll go on much faster than oil paintings!
There are two main ways to use acrylic paint. You can either pour it directly onto your brush from the bottle, or mix it with a powder first and apply that to your brush.
The second option is called incorporating the paint into a medium such as water or alcohol before applying it to the surface.