What is the difference between oil paint and acrylic?

Many emerging artists are wondering which paint is best to choose for work. The same problem is faced by people who decide to make repairs in the house. Often the choice is between oil and acrylic paint. A person who has not encountered them before, it is difficult to determine, because he does not know all the subtleties of working with these paints and varnishes. This article will tell about the main characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of these species, as well as their differences.

Oil paints are made on the basis of natural linseed oil or its synthetic analogue. Add a coloring pigment to the base and rub it in drying oil until a homogeneous base is obtained.

Literally 20-30 years ago, this group of paints and varnishes held a leading position in the market. Oil paints were painted literally everything outside and inside buildings. However, gradually they began to fade into the background. First, they were pressed by nitro enamels, and then water-dispersed paints.

An artist-painter can work with oil for much longer than with any other material, because it remains wet for quite a long time.

The multi-layer oil painting allows you to convey a special depth of the image. Only this type of art materials helps the artist to apply complex combinations, creating the illusion of reality.

The advantages of this group of paints are obvious.

• Low price category. This factor is very important for many buyers, especially when it comes to processing large areas.
• The product is resistant to moisture. It copes well with the protection of wood, concrete and metal from the effects of water. This property allows you to successfully use the paint both outdoors and inside.
• The convenience of use. Many people doubt whether it is possible to apply a layer of acrylic coating over the old layer of oil and therefore make a choice in favor of what is already available. This means that it will be possible to avoid many problems with the preparation of the surface for painting.
• There are no additional instructions for working with the product. It is only necessary to add a solvent and mix it well.
• The consumption of this group of paints and varnishes is significantly less than that of other products, since it has a high degree of filling.

They have oil paints and a number of drawbacks.

• This type of material is very toxic. Until the painted surface is dry, it is undesirable to be in the room.
• This group of paints does not have high durability of the coating. It is necessary to regularly update the layers, and this requires additional time and cost. Over time, the coating begins to peel off, which also leads to damage to the materials to which the paint has been applied.
• The color palette is limited.
• The applied paint dries for a very long time (1-2 days).

The main components of this group are acrylic composite and water. In the process of drying, not only the evaporation of moisture occurs, but also the polymerization of the components, due to which a coating with high strength is formed.

Acrylic is suitable for work with glass, metal, wood, canvas, canvas and other materials that have a non-greasy basis. Fresh stains of this type of paint are easily washed with ordinary water. However, if the stain is already dry, you have to resort to using a solvent.

Advantages of acrylic paints.

• Products are non-toxic, are considered environmentally friendly. They are almost odorless and do not contain harmful substances in the composition.
• The wide color palette allows you to choose the option for every taste. In addition, you can cook your desired shade in a special machine.
• Acrylic paints are resistant to UV light, high humidity and temperature extremes. They can carry out decoration both indoors and outdoors. Also this group of paintwork materials has a vapor-permeable coating layer, which eliminates the accumulation of moisture in the walls.
• Acrylic coating is durable (it remains in excellent condition twice as long as the oil coating).

• Layers dry very quickly. There are brands whose compositions dry out in 1 hour.
• The quality and aesthetics of the appearance of the painted surface will satisfy the most demanding customers. After drying, the layers do not crack.
• Paints are resistant to freezing (freeze at temperatures below - 40 °). However, it should be remembered that thawing should be gradual, even if it takes several days. It is impossible to accelerate this process with the help of heating devices, hot water, etc. After the paint has thawed out, it is necessary to check whether thick particles have appeared in it, whether it has exfoliated. Then you should thoroughly mix the composition and dilute it with water, if necessary.

The disadvantages of this group of paints can be attributed to their high cost. Also, acrylic paints will not allow the artist to work "raw". They can not convey the entire depth of the work, but the skillful handling of them allows you to work on the fast-drying layer.

Similarities and differences in the following:

• Acrylic materials are more expensive than oil, but they do not have to be updated every year, spending additional time and money.
• Both groups allow you to perform work both indoors and outdoors. They are resistant to high humidity and protect well the material they cover.
• Unlike acrylic, oil paints are very toxic.
• Oil paints dry much longer than acrylic.
• The color palette of acrylic is much wider (in comparison with oil). However, the colors of oil paints after drying are usually brighter and more expressive.

Paints have a completely different composition. The advantage of acrylic paints is that their solvent is water. Even an allergic artist can easily create masterpieces with them. Oil paints can also be available for artists with allergies, but only if they are diluted with linseed oil, which is expensive. Most often such paints are diluted with turpentine, white spirit and other strongly smelling solvents.

Oil paints, in contrast to acrylic, more fluid. When mixing colors this should be considered. To get a uniform color, the composition must be very carefully mixed. This is both a disadvantage and an advantage. If you want the surface to show the "streaks" of different tones, then the mixing should be partial. With acrylic in this sense, everything is much simpler. Getting a uniform new color is usually not difficult.

It is possible in principle to paint the surface with acrylic paint on top of the old oil layer. But before that you should make sure that the layer of oil paint is strong enough that there are no noticeably flaking areas anywhere.You should choose an acrylic paint with a very high level of adhesion, which will have good adhesion to a smooth surface. For example, you can purchase Master 121 acrylic paint for this purpose.

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