Types of Art Paint – For Best Results

Choosing between the different types of art paint can be confusing when each one behaves differently. Some dry quickly, while others give you more time to blend, and the finish, coverage, and surfaces you can use also vary. This guide compares five common types of art paint, including their advantages, disadvantages, costs, and the painting styles they suit best.

Types of Art Paint (Quick Guide)

Each type of art paint produces different results and requires a different way of working. Here’s a quick comparison before we look at each one in more detail:

1. Encaustic: Wax-based paint that is worked with heat and is best suited to more experienced artists
2. Acrylic: Versatile, fast-drying, and suitable for many surfaces and painting techniques
3. Oil: Slow-drying and ideal when you want more time for blending and detailed work
4. Watercolor: Water-based and known for transparent washes and layered color
5. Gouache: Water-based like watercolor but provides more opaque coverage and a matte finish

5 Types of Art Paint

1. Acrylic Art Paint

Acrylic paint is water-based and extremely versatile. It’s available in different consistencies and can be used on numerous prepared surfaces, including canvas, paper, wood, and more. One of its defining characteristics is its fast drying time, which makes layering easy but gives you less time to blend or make corrections.

BEST USES: Acrylic types of art paint can be used for many painting techniques, including fine brushwork, glazing, staining, washes, and textured applications.

Advantages of Acrylic Paint

• Can be mixed with water or acrylic mediums and gels
• Brushes can be cleaned with water while the paint is still wet
• Dries quickly, making it easy to build up layers
• Once dry, acrylic can generally be painted over without disturbing the underlying layer
• Can be applied thickly for texture or thinned for washes
• Dried acrylic is water-resistant, making it suitable for many different projects and surfaces
• Can also act as an adhesive in some collage and mixed-media techniques

Disadvantages of Acrylic Paint

• Fast drying gives you less time for blending and corrections
• Retarders or slow-drying mediums may be needed when you want a longer working time
• Dried acrylic can be difficult to remove from a painting surface
• Paint left to dry on brushes can damage the bristles and be difficult to remove
• Some acrylic colors may shift slightly in appearance as they dry

2. Oil Art Paint

Oil types of art paint are known for their rich colors, long working time, and smooth blending. Traditional oil paints use oil as a binder and are commonly sold in tubes, although water-mixable oils are also available. They can be applied in thin layers, glazes, or thicker strokes depending on the technique and mediums used.

Advantages of Oil Paint

• Slow drying provides plenty of time for blending, corrections, and detailed work
• Once a layer has dried sufficiently, additional layers can be applied
• Colors can remain rich and vibrant after drying
• Can be used for thin layers, glazes, or thicker textured applications
• Widely used by artists, so there are many techniques and learning resources available

Disadvantages of Oil Paint

• Traditional oil painting may involve solvents, which require careful handling and good ventilation
• Slow drying means paintings can take considerably longer to complete
• Mediums may be needed to alter the drying time or consistency
• Some paintings require an extended drying or curing period before final varnishing
• Brush cleanup can require oil, soap, or suitable solvents depending on the materials used

3. Watercolor Art Paint

Watercolor is a water-based paint known for its transparent color and ability to create washes, gradients, and layered effects. It is available in several forms, including pans and tubes. Water is used to dilute and move the pigment across the painting surface, and as the water evaporates, the pigment and binder remain behind, creating anything from pale transparent washes to more concentrated areas of color.

Advantages of Watercolor

• Brushes and palettes used are easy to clean with water
• Water is used to dilute the paint, so no additional painting medium is normally needed
• Some colors can be lifted or adjusted by rewetting the painted area
• The amount of water can be varied to create pale washes or stronger concentrations of color
• Dried paint on a palette can usually be reactivated with water
• Requires relatively few supplies to get started
• Particularly well suited to watercolor paper and other surfaces prepared for watercolor

Disadvantages of Watercolors

• Transparent layers can make some mistakes difficult to conceal completely
• Water and pigment can continue to move while wet, so controlling edges and washes takes practice
• Many watercolor colors dry lighter than they appear when wet
• Preserving white areas often requires planning ahead because traditional watercolor techniques commonly use the white of the paper for highlights

4. Gouache Art Paint

Gouache is a water-based paint known for its opaque coverage and matte finish. It can cover the color of the paper more effectively than traditional transparent watercolor while still being thinned and reactivated with water. Gouache has a high concentration of pigment and produces strong, flat areas of color, but some colors may change slightly in value as they dry, so it can take a little practice to predict the finished result.

Advantages of Gouache Paint

• The opacity of these paints allows you to lay down paint in one layer
• Error correction is easier as the bottom layer can be covered with another opaque layer
• Available in a wide range of colors, including white
• Dries relatively quickly while still allowing some working time
• Dried traditional gouache can usually be reactivated with water
• Provides a brilliant velvety matte finish for more depth in paintings
• Can be used to add texture to different paintings

Disadvantages of Gouache Paint

• Some colors can dry lighter or darker than they appear when wet
• Thick applications may take longer to dry and can be more vulnerable to cracking
• Dried traditional gouache can reactivate if it comes into contact with water
• Finished paintings may need protection from moisture and surface damage
• Artist-quality gouache can be relatively expensive

5. Encaustic Art Paint

Encaustic paint is a wax-based paint that is heated before and during use. The melted paint is then applied to a firm surface with brushes or other tools. You can build up layers to add texture and depth or embed materials into the wax for collage and mixed-media art. Since encaustic painting requires heat and special equipment, it is generally better suited to experienced artists.

Advantages of Encaustic Paint

• Can be used in multiple layers to create texture and depth
• Very durable once fully cured
• Can be buffed to a satin finish or left matte
• Useful for collage and embedding materials
• Can be scraped to reveal different colors underneath
• Offers distinctive effects that are difficult to achieve with conventional paints

Disadvantages of Encaustic Paints

• Requires a heat source and additional equipment to keep the wax workable
• Hot wax and heated tools require careful handling
• The process can be messier and more involved than using water-based paints
• Works best on suitable rigid, absorbent surfaces rather than flexible supports
• Requires practice to control layering, fusing, and temperature
• Materials and equipment can make the initial setup more expensive

Considerations for Types of Art Paint

You need to consider a few factors when choosing the types of art paint you buy. These include the cost of each type of paint and potentially its toxicity level. The toxicity can come from the paint itself or the complementary materials needed to make the paint work.

Cost of Different Types of Paint

Most top-quality art supplies have a steeper cost but that comes with more quality and produces a better end result. Depending on what you are painting for, you may have a set budget that needs to be catered to. Each type has a different cost structure and knowing which ones fit the budget is essential.

1. Acrylic Paints – Depending on the color, brand and if the paints come in a set, Acrylic paints are generally quite affordable. A tube of paint will cost you anywhere from $1 – $6.
2. Oil Paints – Oil paints are generally more on the expensive side. There are some sets or paint tubes that you can find for a very cheap price but you may be compromising on the quality. A tube of oil paint can cost anywhere from a few dollars to more than $100 per tube.
3. Watercolors – There are two varieties of watercolors that are available in the market. Student grade watercolors are generally very affordable with one set running around the $2 – $15 mark. The artist-grade watercolors are more expensive though since they have a higher grade of pigment. They can cost more than good-quality acrylic and oil paints.
4. Gouache Paints – Again, depending on the type of color, brand, or variety you’re getting, Gouache paints can be expensive or cheaper. The really high-quality Gouache paint sets can cost over $1000 while the cheaper sets may be more economical than acrylic paints.
5. Encaustic Paints – Encaustic paints are usually used by experienced artists and so can run a little more expensive than the other types. A good quality encaustic paint set with high-grade pigments will cost you around the $5000 – $7000 mark while a more affordable set can be anywhere from $100 to around $300.

Toxic Hazards

Toxicity hazards for paints come from the potentially dangerous chemicals, pigments, or binders that may be used. For a few, some materials are used in conjunction with the paint that can pose risk to human health. Buying from a good brand and doing your research into which ones are non-toxic is the best way to get around this consideration.

1. Acrylic Paints – Acrylics are water-based and hence have the lowest amount of toxicity in them. Just be sure to invest in a good quality brand and you’re good to go. 
2. Oil Paints – Oil paints themselves are not the most toxic but the oil and turpentine that is used in conjunction with them can be pretty toxic. You need to be in a well-ventilated area when using traditional oil paints. To eliminate any toxicity, you can use water-based oil paints.
3. Watercolor Paints – Again, use a good quality brand and you pretty much have no risk of toxicity. Watercolors are made for children and have high FDA standards that they have to abide by.
4. Gouache Paints – Gouache paints are generally non-toxic but some paints may have added chemicals or binders that have harmful effects. Gouache paints are water-based and most have pigments derived from natural sources which means all colors are generally safe. Look for brands that are specifically non-toxic and you’re good to go.  
5. Encaustic Paints – There is little poison hazard with Encaustic paints as long as you are working with them in a well-ventilated area. The risk consideration comes in from the fact that you have to use heat to use these paints. Be careful with the amount of heat you apply and stay between the 180-200 degree mark.

Types of Art Paint and Painting Styles

Now that we’ve reviewed the five different types of art paint you can use for your art pieces, we can discuss what painting styles work best. Below, you’ll find a handy chart that matches each type of paint to the painting styles it suits best.

Paint Type	Painting Styles	Difficulty Level
Acrylic Paints	Quick and Small Projects – Paintings that have crispers edges – Paintings that have more graphic composition – Abstract paintings – Multi-textured paintings	Easy
Oil Paints	Landscape and Seascape paintings – Blended paintings  – Paintings that require more time – Still-life paintings – Paintings that will be framed and displayed	Medium – Difficult
Watercolors	Multi-surface paintings – Gradient paintings – Layered paintings – Dry brush paintings – Paintings that don’t have too many details	Very Easy
Gouache Paints	Paintings on different paper surfaces – Staining Layered paintings – Dry brush paintings – Abstract landscapes or seascapes – Muted mix-media paintings	Medium
Encaustic Paints	Layered paintings – Portrait paintings – Bold shaped paintings – Collages – Embedded paintings – Blended graphic paintings	Difficult

Types of Art Paint – In Conclusion

Here are the different types of art paint that you can buy in the market. There are generally five different types of paints that work for various surfaces, painting styles, and different experience levels. Cost and toxicity considerations come into play when buying each type which may sway you away from certain types and pull you towards others. Do your research, use the handy chart in this post, and create a stunning masterpiece.