A common question asked by people when they're considering taking up oil painting is whether to use actual oil paints, which require paint thinner for cleaning up, or acrylic paints, which seem very similar in texture, and can be cleaned up with water. Here is a side-by-side comparison so you can make an informed decision. Oil Paint Pros Oil paints have richer, more vibrant colours Oil paints are great for blending colours together because they're slow drying. They stay wet for longer, so you can come back to a painting the next day and continue where you left off; the paint will still be wet and pliable, and the colours can still be blended together Oil Paint Cons Oil paints take longer to dry Oil paint goes yellow over time; this is the reason for the subtle glow on old master paintings. Different colours have different drying times. An earth colour such as Burnt Umber is a rapid dryer, whereas Ivory Black takes much longer to dry Crisp edges are difficult to achieve without waiting a few days for the paint to dry. Otherwise your brushstrokes will pull and mix with the still-wet paint underneath it, creating 'muddy colours' Thinners used for painting and clean-up have a definite odour, and require a well-ventilated work space. (This can, however, be somewhat minimized by using a low-odour thinner)   Acrylic Paint Pros Acrylic paints are water-based, making clean-up easier Acrylic paints dry quickly Acrylic paintings won't fade in time Acrylic paints are more flexible and less prone to cracking Acrylic paint is more resistant to water and other environmental factors, making it a good choice for outdoor murals and public art projects Acrylic Paint Cons Acrylic paints change colour when they dry; they dry darker Acrylic paints dry quickly. Very quickly. Stepping away from your painting for little while could mean the paint is now stiff and unblendable. Blending with acrylics can be frustrating due to the speed of the drying time Oil painting takes more preparation, and definitely more patience; paintings may take a week or more to complete. However, their slow drying time is definitely seen as an advantage if you want to blend colours as you continue to work on your painting. Resources Content, HTML & design by Bill Willis 2024