Acrylics vs. Oils: Key Differences and Similarities

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Wondering what the difference between acrylic and oil paint is? How do they compare in regards to required supplies, painting process and overall finish? Which one of these two painting mediums is best for you, your artistic goals and your current life situation?

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In today's blog post (and the YouTube video included), I'll be explaining the key similarities and differences between acrylic and oil paint. I'll also be clearing up common misconceptions so that you can make an informed decision about which supplies to invest in and, most importantly, start moving forward in your artistic journey right away!

When I was first starting to look into painting, I was very confused about the similarities and differences between these two mediums. Not only did the examples of artwork I found created with each vary immensely, but there were also tons of contradictions between one article/book to the next in terms of the required supplies, the preparation phase, and the painting process itself. 

It was honestly overwhelming and I didn't have time to make sense of it all. Quite often, I held myself back from buying any supplies and moving forward due to this.

Eventually, there came a point at which I could no longer ignore my desire to improve artistically, highly-demanding full-time job and all. I had already wasted too much time and knew that the best way to learn and to make sense of it all would be through actually doing. I visited my local art supply store, and with the information I had learned from my research (as well as with the help graciously provided by the lady at the store), bought a few items to explore.

I share more about how I finally prepared to leave years and years of "normal" full-time positions to pursue creative entrepreneurship in this blog post/YouTube video. 

Suffice to say, a lot of supplies were wasted or left completely unused. And not only were a lot of bad paintings created, but several of them literally fell apart after a couple of months (don't ask).

I don't regret it though, because I learned so much through this first-hand exploration, both about different painting mediums, as well as about myself as an artist. What I like, don't like, what techniques suit the style I'm going for best, etc. 

After years of practice and exploration I've  been able to learn a lot about acrylics, oils and even watercolors. I love them all, use them all on a month-to-month basis, and have come to know the pros and cons of each throughout this time. 

If you're just as confused and overwhelmed as I was all those years ago, but still feel that nagging inside telling you to get painting (it never goes away by the way), the following information will definitely help you make faster progress. However, as with all artistic mediums and supplies, it's going to be up to you to commit to this journey and the exploration it entails, in order to get to know yourself artistically and the specific supplies you personally enjoy. 

Let's get into today's topic!

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Introduction
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Oil paint is an incredibly old medium and has been used by artists since the fourteenth century. Before oils existed, most paintings were created with egg tempera, which was basically created by the mixture of ground pigment and egg. Though some artists continued using tempera (and this medium is still used by some in present day), oil paint became the preferred medium once it was invented due to its greater versatility and longer-working time which allowed for effects that hadn't been seen before.
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On the other hand, acrylics are a modern invention. They were created in the middle of the twentieth century as a practical substitute for oil paint. Acrylic paintings can be finalized a lot quicker due to their fast drying time, and offer both versatility and durability. This medium allows the artist a wide range of approaches and seems to go more in hand with today's fast-paced world. 

In time, a lot of artists who used to work with oils made the switch to acrylics due to their overall practicality. However, there are others who's hearts will forever remain with oils due to the richness, vibrancy and depth they're able to provide.

It's important to recognize that both painting mediums allow for a variety of art styles, techniques, methodologies and overall finishes. Whether you enjoy creating abstract art, stylized figures, Impressionistic-style brush strokes or hyperrealism, all of these can be achieved with either. It's just a matter of learning specific skills and techniques. 

As with anything else, there are pros and cons to both mediums. Understanding them will enable us to come to a better decision about which could be best for us depending on our personal situation and goals. 

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Similarities and Differences Between Acrylics and Oils
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​1. Drying Time
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Acrylics dry fast, which means we have to work fast if we're looking to create gradients or wet-on-wet blending effects. Paint literally dries in minutes, depending on the humidity and the temperature of the room you're working in. 

Oil paint, on the other hand, dries very slowly (some pigments even more than others). This means you can take your time moving paint around and blending out colors. It can take an oil painting months upon months to dry completely, depending on the thickness of your layers! This means that, if you're intending to varnish your paintings, it'll be a while before you're able to do that. 

There are mediums that can be added to both acrylics and oils to either slow down or quicken their drying time, depending on your needs. You're always going to be able to manipulate both painting mediums in terms of their workability during the painting process, as well as their overall outcome, but it is going to entail buying medium to mix in. 


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Mandarins- Still life acrylic painting on stretched canvas by Erika Lancaster

Acrylic painting close-up

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2. Cost 

​Generally speaking, painting with acrylics is going to be cheaper than painting with oils. Not only because the paint in and of itself tends to cost less, but also because (for basic paintings) less supplies are required than when we're painting with oils. 

All we really need to paint with acrylics is:

• Paint
• Brushes
• Water
• Color mixing palette
• Substrate (which can even be thick paper)

What we need when painting with oils:

• Paint
• Brushes
• Solvent/paint thinner
• Color mixing palette
• Primed substrate that's been prepared to take oil paint (which often entails buying gesso)
• Painting medium (its not 100% necessary, but it helps make the thick paint more manageable to work with)

*This said, there are oil painters out there that have found alternatives to potentially harmful solvents and mediums, so if you're interested in trying them out but you're afraid of harming your health and/or the environment, be aware there are work-arounds!


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3. Toxicity and Health Risks 

A lot of aspiring artists avoid painting with oils because the process involves using solvents and mediums which can be harmful to both our health if we're not careful, as well as to the environment, if we don't know how to properly dispose of these substances. 

To avoid potential health risks:

• Work in a well-ventilated room (consider also wearing a nose mask)
• Wear gloves  (I love these I buy through Amazon)
• Never dump used solvent down the drain! *Learn how to dispose of used hazardous substances in your city.

All this said, something you should definitely know is that oil paint in and of itself isn't any more toxic than acrylic paint. The solvents and the mediums that we add to them while painting are. 

Oil paint is composed of pigment that is suspended in an oil-based binder such as linseed oil, safflower oil, poppy oil or walnut oil. Even though these oils are heavily refined, they are all plant-based and non-toxic. 

On the other hand, acrylic paint consists of pigment and a synthetic resin binder. The components within this resin binder vary from brand to brand. Acrylic paints are basically plastic, and when they are used, chemicals like ammonia are released into the air. 

Even though using acrylics isn't as smelly as working with oils, don't think that you're not breathing harmful fumes in!

There are specific pigments that are highly toxic, whether we're using acrylics, oils or even watercolors. Some of them are: Cadmium Red/Orange/Yellow, Prussian Blue and Naples Yellow. *Please do further research if you're interested in learning the level of toxicity for a specific pigment. 

There are excellent brands of art supplies like Gamblin that are coming out with more and more products, including solvents and mediums, that aren't toxic.

Whichever painting medium you decide to go for, make sure you're exercising precaution and safety measures, at all times. 

Lemons and Flowers- Still life oil painting on stretched canvas by Erika Lancaster

Oil painting close-up

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4. Painting Process
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There are many different ways of going about using acrylic and oil paint, and it's really going to depend on the overall style that you wish to achieve. 

I really enjoy the more Impressionistic/expressive style that the alla prima (wet-on-wet) technique allows and use it with both of these mediums. *This is the technique I'm using in the video included here. I simply go about it a slightly different way, depending on the medium on hand. 

For example, because oil paint dries so slowly, I have to be much more careful not to over-blend and/or create mud when placing fresh paint on paint that's still wet. Because acrylics dry so quickly, the paint strokes I lay down will dry and not move minutes later, when I place fresh paint on top. They also allow for quicker corrections that have to be made.

However, high levels of realism through a development of a variety of layers and washes can also be achieved with both mediums!

Because acrylics dry so fast, a lot of layers and effects can be developed in a matter of hours. On the other hand, when working with oils, we have to wait for the previous layer to dry completely before applying the next or we risk the top layer cracking. It can take several days and even weeks for one layer of oil paint to dry completely.

One very important thing when working with oils, is that we need to follow the fat over lean rule, which is even more important if you're working in layers. This basically means that the earlier layers of a painting have to be thinner and have to contain less oil, and as you move forward, the layers are thicker and contain more oil. This can be done by shifting the ratios of solvent/paint/medium in color mixtures and ensures that layers will dry effectively. This is vital so that the paint doesn't start cracking. 

One final point I'd like to add in this section, is that acrylics and oils can be combined in one same piece. A lot of artists stain their canvas or develop an underpainting using acrylics and then move on to developing further details and textures using oils.

You can use oils over dry acrylics but never, ever use acrylics over oils!

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5. Overall Look and Finish

Because oil paint contains more pigment than acrylic paint, colors in oil paintings usually look a lot richer, more vibrant and glossy.  This said, even though oil paintings can last a very long time if they have been created using quality supplies and proper methods, they do tend to fade and/or yellow over time. It'll be years and years before this happens though!

​Acrylic paintings, on the other hand, usually look a lot more matte and flat when compared to oil paintings. Colors also tend to darken during the drying phase. However, once this drying process is completed and this color change happens, they don't change after that as long as they are kept in an optimum environment (away from direct sunlight and humidity).

As far as texture goes, we can find both acrylic and oil paintings that are very smooth, as well as highly-texturedized. Oil paint lends itself to very easily be placed thickly on the canvas, leading to beautiful, palpable textures, if that's what the artist is intending to create. However, texture mediums can be added to acrylic paint and impasto-like effects can also be created by placing it heavily on the substrate using different tools like painting knives. The artist can also create a texturedized surface prior to starting to paint. 

The overall finish of both acrylic and oil paintings can also be altered by using different types of varnishes, depending on whether you'd like your painting to appear more matte or glossy. There are a lot of different varnishes available in both spray and liquid form that offer a variety of finishes. 


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Bats- Abstract oil painting on stretched canvas by Erika Lancaster

Oil painting close-up

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So, which medium is best for you?

This is going to depend on your personal circumstances, as well as your tastes and what you're looking to improve upon.

If you usually don't have much time for your art, don't have a designated space to work in, or you have kids or pets running around, acrylics are probably the best option for you (at least for now).

On the other hand, if you do have a space you can work in for hours-on-end, you aren't too sensitive to strong smells, you're interested in learning classical techniques, and/or you really care about the depth/color/richness of your paintings, then I'd definitely explore oils! 

Whatever medium you choose to go for, make sure you exercise safety measures.




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