There are a multitude of painting types within the art world. The most renowned works have traditionally been painted using oils. The chemicals composing acrylic paints were invented in the 1950s by the dentist Frederick Slack. Later, in the 1970s, Professor Stuart Nordstrom created the pigments and base of acrylic paints as we know them today.
When it comes to paint by numbers, the paints used are acrylic paints. The use of this type of paint has the following advantages:
- It is straightforward to apply. Acrylic paints flow very well, and generally, there is no need for a primer. A primer is the application of one or more layers of a fixative known as "gesso" that prepares the canvas to receive the paint properly. With oils, on the other hand, gesso would be necessary in most cases.
- They are non-toxic. Since they have a water base, they are entirely safe for pregnant people or children (always with supervision). In contrast, oil paints often contain chemicals that are harmful to health.
- They have a lower cost. Although quality acrylics can be expensive, they will always be lower than oil paints. That's why, for amateur painters, they are a great option to start with at a more than reasonable cost.
- Acrylic paints dry fast! This is an advantage because your painting will be ready to display sooner, but remember always to keep the paint bottles closed when not in use. We recommend having only one color open at a time (the one you are working with).
- Acrylics are more durable because they supposedly do not crack like oils. We say "supposedly" because this is difficult to prove. While many Renaissance paintings are done with oils, there are no acrylic paintings from such dates.
- Acrylic paints have a more matte finish, while oil paints have a shinier effect. They also have more significant limitations regarding the textures that can be achieved with oils (it's no wonder that renowned artists use oils to achieve greater complexity, although it all depends on each artist's painting style).
In summary, acrylic paint is ideal for beginners and advanced painters of all ages due to its versatility, ease of use, and low cost. That's why our paint-by-numbers kits include a complete set of acrylic paints (in addition to other accessories) so that you can finish your painting and enjoy the process. Are you up for trying it?
