Choosing Acrylic Paints

I am an art student and this year I began to use Acrylic paints for the first time. As a beginner, I wasn't sure which paints to buy but I knew that my teacher wanted Acrylic Liquitex paint.


Stumbling upon the clearance section I found a set, but later found out that it was concentrated.

Using concentrated paints is so much harder to use and I had quite a bit of trouble finding out how to thin the paint out, and even then it didn't work quite right.

I finally decided to go out and buy a new set of paints and I must say that I highly recommend Reeves brand of Acrylic paint. It's thickness was already perfect from the start.

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starstarstarstarstar 		New paints
by: JJ

If you want to try some new paints , there's a new type of Acrylic's out I don't think I can name them here, but if you mist them with water they will return to a wet paint consistantsy again. I got some thru internet and think they are gonna be wonderful. As I get tired of working fast and using so much retarder. They work pretty much like oils if you keep them moistened, If you do happen to let them dry they have an unlocking med to spray on and it will go back to wet workable paint. Amazing!!!!!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Reeves Acrylics
by: Anonymous

I agree that Reeves Acrylics are great for those first paintings. I am working with them, and I like the consistancy and amount of paint in the tubes. It doesn't take a lot of paint for small paintings. With the smaller tubes you learn to be careful with the amounts you mix, which helps with the color mixing as well. Reeves kits come with all the basics at basic prices. I picked up a kit on sale, half price. It came with paints, brushes, palette knife, pencil, erasur (a disappointment It was not "kneadable"). All you need is a surface to paint on, and a palette. The kit did come with a small palette, but I think it is too small for any amount of painting. It might work better for watercolor style painting.
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starstarstarstar 		Student grade vs. Artist/Professional grade
by: O

A professor in painting class made us get black and white house paint for the first project. The painting still looks good after 6 years.

A student grade paint has more binder, and less pigment, but it's hard to tell a difference these days.

Some colors aren't necessary in artist grade: earth colors like brown and ochre, blacks, and whites.

However, brighter colors are usually more vibrant in artist quality, such as cadmiums and cobalt blue.
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starstarstar 		My favorite "student quality" acrylics
by: Bob Langdon

Grumbacher makes a student-quality acrylic paint they dub their "Academy Series" that is VERY good... and very affordable. 90ml tubes can be had for under US$3.00 apiece at many online art supply stores. It's heads-and-shoulders above any of the other "student quality" acrylics Ive tried.
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starstarstar 		No to "professional" paints
by: Lark

I'm an artist that has been working in large format works and mixed media - but all on an acrylic base. I keep a few tubes of the brightest, purest colors for highlights. Most of my painting is done with interior house paint. I keep about a dozen or so quarts of the colors I work most with. Sherwin Williams will mix any color in a "sample" quart for $5. If the consistency needs changing I use various mediums. Your art teacher would probably cring, but I've never looked back.

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