Acrylic vs. Oil Painting - Which Is Better For A Beginner

Deciding on your first paint medium can feel overwhelming - should you start with acrylics or dive into the timeless beauty of oils? We're here to break down the main differences between oil vs. acrylic paints so you can choose the medium that best matches your style, workspace, and patience level.

11 Main Differences Between Oil vs. Acrylic Paint

These two mediums may seem like they give similar results, but they are actually fundamentally different in how you work with them. We’ve explained the core 11 differences below - let’s have a look:

Composition and Base

Acrylic paints are water-based and are made from acrylic acid, using an acrylic polymer binder. This means they are water-soluble, and that you can thin them or clean your brushes just using plain water.

Oil paints are entirely different. They consist of pigments suspended in oil, typically linseed oil. To thin oil paints or clean your brushes, you'll need a proper solvent like turpentine or mineral spirits.

Drying Time

The biggest difference between acrylics vs. oil paints is their drying speed.

Acrylics dry very quickly - if you step away from your palette for just ten minutes, you will surely come back to dried paint on your palette and canvas. While this reduces the risk of smudging, it means you have to work fast. (A quick tip: you can use a soft gel gloss or a "retarder" to temporarily slow that drying time down.)

On the other hand, oil paints are a slow-drying medium. You can leave your canvas alone for a few days, come back, and the paint on your palette and canvas will still be wet and pliable. This flexibility is a huge advantage for those who want to dedicate a long time to perfecting a single piece.

Our guide to oil painting can teach you everything you need to get started with this medium - let’s create magic together.

Canvas

Acrylics can be set up quickly and can be used on any surface - paper, card, canvas board, whatever you have at hand.

Oil painting, however, needs a prepared canvas/board. Priming your own canvas takes time, but you can always buy a pre-primed canvas and get started straight away.

Blending

If you want crisp edges for a more graphic composition, acrylics are your friend. Keep in mind that it can be hard to achieve a smooth blend using acrylics, as you have to work quickly to keep colours from drying up.

If you want your paintings to feature smooth, seamless colour transitions, you are better off choosing oil paints. When using slow-drying oil paints, you can easily go back to parts of your painting and tweak the colours by blending new ones in.

However, this slow pace means a harder time creating crisp, sharp edges, as you might have to wait days for the layer underneath to fully dry. Without experience, you might also accidentally end up with muddy colours.

Colour Appearance

Acrylic paints are known for their bright and bold/vibrant colours and matte finish. They often change colour as they dry, appearing lighter when wet and darker after drying.

Oil paints, however, have a more subdued and natural colour palette, but can produce a more saturated colour palette. Compared to the matte appearance of acrylics, oil paints have a natural glossy finish that you can further enhance with varnishes.

Yellowing

The acrylic polymer binder in acrylic paints is colourfast and resistant to yellowing over time. On the other hand, the oil binder (e.g., linseed oil) in oil paints may cause a slight yellow tinge in your artwork over time due to oxidation.

Layering

For layering, acrylics are incredibly flexible - you can use a palette knife to create thick impasto layers, which won't crack over time. Oil paint layering, by contrast, is a big time commitment, as thick layers can take days, weeks, and even months to fully dry.

Solvents

When painting with acrylics, you will use water as a solvent to thin your paint and wash your brushes. For oil paints, you will need to use products like turpentine or mineral spirits instead.

Varnish

Typically, acrylics require no varnish as they are plastic and self-sealing. However, you can still do so to add more gloss or a matte look to your painting.

For oil painting, varnishing is not optional, as it helps protect the artwork once it’s finished. Make sure to choose a non-yellowing archival quality varnish, and double-check whether it provides a glossy or matte finish.

Not sure how to varnish your painting? Follow our varnishing tips to give your finished artwork a polished, professional look.

Brushes

Most types of brushes that work for acrylics will work for oil paints, as well. We’ve got long and short handle brushes available - many people find long handle brushes easier to handle, especially when working on larger pieces.

What about the type of hair on your brush? Traditionally, natural hair brushes were used for oils, but today synthetic hairs that imitate the qualities of natural hair and hold the oil well are widely available. You need to clean oil brushes after use with your solvent or a special brush cleaner soap to keep them in good condition and shape.

For acrylic brushes, both natural and synthetic hair work just fine. You must clean your brushes as soon as you are done working, or you’ll risk ruining your brushes with dried paint. Luckily, water is more than enough to clean acrylic brushes. If paint does dry on your brushes, use Loxley Brush Cleaner and Preserver to make them like new again.

Working Space

Acrylics are fantastic for any working space, from a small desk to a full studio. All you need is your canvas and access to water. Acrylics have no odour either, making your painting sessions comfortable and safe even in a limited space.

For oil painting, you need to use certain thinners such as turpentine and mineral spirits, which have a strong smell that can be very overwhelming. You’ll need a well-ventilated area, like a larger-sized studio, to work safely.

Can You Mix Acrylics And Oil Paints?

The short answer is: Not really.

Acrylic and oil paints are generally not compatible and should not be mixed together on your palette.

You can layer them on a canvas, but you must follow a strict rule - acrylic paint must always be applied underneath the oil paint. Applying acrylic over oil is not recommended because the acrylics won't adhere well and will prevent the oils from curing properly.

Master Any Chosen Medium With Loxley Arts

Ultimately, the best medium for you is the one you enjoy painting with most.

• Choose acrylics if - you are impatient, have a small workspace, want easy cleanup with water, or love crisp edges and bright, matte colours.
• Choose oils if - you enjoy a slow, contemplative process, want to master smooth blending, or prefer a rich, glossy, and time-honoured finish.

No matter which path you take, Loxley Arts has all the brushes, canvases, and paints you need to start your beautiful creative journey today! What medium are you leaning toward?