Acrylic paint is made up of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. In other words, the color is hanging in a mixture of multiple chemicals that create a thick paste. Acrylic paints are essentially plastic paints. The paint can be bought in either a thick or thin format. Acrylic paint is fast drying, making it great for painters that like to work quickly.

First available in the 1950s, acrylic paints are newer to the art world than most other paint types. These early paints were made from a mineral spirit blend. It was sold by Bocour Artist Colors and named Magna. Acrylic paints became available in their modern form in the 1960s, initially sold by Liquitex.

There are many ways to buy acrylic paints. High-quality, professional grade paint is available in tubes. This paint is thicker than most of the other varieties. Acrylic paint is also available in small plastic pots, each containing a few ounces of product. For schools and organizations that need to by a lot of paint all at once, it is available in plastic jugs. Because acrylic paints don’t require the strong smelling chemicals of other paint types, they are ideal for students to use.

Acrylic paint has several unique attributes that set it apart from other paint mediums. It can be made thick, allowing the artist to create oil-painting like effects. Using different additives, acrylic paints can also be thinned out until they mimic the appearance for watercolors. The finished paint can either be high gloss, or have a matte finish. Acrylics have the ability to bond to several different surfaces by mixing in additives.

These additives are any of multiple products available to change the properties of acrylic paints. They have the ability to make the paint thicker, thinner, or slower drying. Additives can change the transparency level of the paint. Other additives change how the paint looks, or what it can be applied to. Water can also be added to acrylic paint, up to 30%, to thin it out for a softer look. Adding more water than that can make the paint unusable.

There are a couple important things to remember when using acrylic paint. The first is that, because it dries quickly, it can be difficult to blend new colors into paint that has been sitting on the canvas for more than a few minutes. Another thing to remember is to clean up any spills as soon as they occur to prevent staining the surfaces of your workspace.

Because of its adaptable nature, acrylic paints can also be used for more than canvas paintings. Pottery and glass can be painted with specialty acrylic paint. The paint does fine in the dishwasher, but is not safe to eat off of. Use it for decorative pieces only. Specialty acrylic paints are also available for fabrics, to decorate clothes. Exterior acrylic paint is available for home and garden use.