Artists’ versus Students’ Paints

The difference between these two types is in how they are made, but also in what they look like when used.

Artists’ paints have more vibrant colors and their smoother consistency makes them much easier to layer and blend. Students’ colors are fine if you’re just beginning, or if you’re on a budget. Once you are comfortable with mixing paints, you may want to go artists’ blends, for their superior performance.

You can also use students’ quality paints for your earth colors, and spend more on artists’ quality pure and intense colors. Some artists also save a few bucks or more by using students’ quality paint for their underpainting, and using artists’ quality paints for the top layers.

Academic or Scholastic Acrylics

Scholastic paints are often used with primary school students. They are inexpensive, and may be mixed with dyes instead of pigments. This makes it harder to achieve the precise color you may want. They are designed for user safety though, so children and those with health issues can use them more readily.

Heavy Acrylics

If you have a mental image of a painter and his palette, you’re probably picturing heavy acrylics. They usually come in tubes, and they are very thick. Art supply stores carry these paints, and the tubes are available in a variety of sizes.

Craft Acrylics

Craft acrylic paints are made to be used on many different surfaces. You can use them on stone, wood, canvas and cloth. Craft acrylics are easy to find at craft stores. Most acrylics used for craft purposes are premixed, which is handy, since they’re ready to use without manipulation.