Renaissance Acrylic Paintings Versus Oil Paintings

By George Ward


When you are a novice at painting, you will need to choose between acrylic and oil paintings. Picking a medium need not be hard if you understand your abilities. Each of the mediums has its pros and cons. Here, the article looks at the reasons why you may end up doing Renaissance acrylic paintings instead of the oil paintings.

If you want to break from the traditions of having to paint only on some surfaces such as wood and canvas, then acrylics is the way to go. It is very versatile allowing you to work on just about any surface as long as it is not glass. When working with the oil medium, you have the option of working only on wood panels and primed canvas in case you want quality work.

Are you slow in painting or are you a quick painter? This will also tell you what to pick between the two. In case you need to work faster on your painting, then acrylics will be a better choice since it takes less time to dry. For oil, you will need to be patient in revising your work since it takes more time to dry. Furthermore, you may need to factor in more time to prepare the canvas with prime.

The choice will also be determined by your preference between subtle blends and hard lines. For lovers of graphic composition, then acrylic works best for a clean outcome since it dries faster allowing for reworking. However, if it is about color blending, then oil comes in handy, but the only problem is that you have to take longer for it to dry.

If at all you are concerned about color shift, then you ought to be careful on the paint of choice. With acrylics, you can somehow be sure that your painting will look the same some years to come since it is made with high technology designs. On the other hand, oil paintings contain binder that makes the painting appear yellow with time. The polymer in acrylics prevents this, but the work may get darker as it dries when the white binder gets clearer.

Additionally, the thickness or thinness of your layers will tell you what exactly to pick. In case you prefer thick layers that are ready fast enough to allow for glazing, then acrylics are a better choice. This is because it dries faster. Nevertheless, you may use oil if at all you have sufficient time to wait for it to dry and apply the glaze. This may take some days.

In case you have to do with a small workspace or around children, then acrylics would work better for you. This is because it does not smell. Similarly, it is not toxic and is easy to clean with water. The thinners and turpentine in oil produce some bad fumes.

In the end, it is all about your tastes and preferences. Time is the only thing that is of major concern otherwise you can work with any medium and produce some perfect painting. If you are quick, then go for acrylics. If you are patient to give your work time to dry, then choose oil.




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