Acrylic Oil Materials

Advantages and disadvantages of new acrylics:

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 Toxicity Levels

 There are no differences between traditional acrylics and newer acrylic paints, except that you won’t need to use any toxic retarders to slow drying time.

Drying Time

 Advantages – New acrylic paints have extended drying times, so paint can be left on a sealed palette and remain workable for several days. Also, wet-in-wet techniques can be used, just like oil paints, without a retarder.

 Disadvantages – If you like your acrylics to dry very quickly, these won’t.

Reactivation

 Advantages: These paints do reactivate. When water is applied to paint that is dry to the touch, it can be reactivated, worked into and/or lifted off. Over time, this ability to reactivate is eventually lost.

Disadvantages – Painting wet over dry acrylics may cause some color bleed.

Durability

 Advantages – Same as traditional oil paints.

Disadvantages – These paints are even “younger” than traditional acrylic paints. Efforts are being made to prove their longevity, but nothing can be irrefutably proven until sufficient time passes.