How do I choose the best acrylic paints for beginner artists

As a retired teacher who ran community acrylic classes, I tell returning painters to start with student grade from an art line rather than bargain craft paint. Student lines cost less because they contain a bit more binder and fewer single pigments and but good ones still have decent color strength and are easier to learn with. Professional grade has the highest pigment load and the best lightfastness, which is wonderful once your hand is steady again, though not essential for practice pieces and gifts for family.

Look for wording that says soft body or medium viscosity if you enjoy blending and smoother strokes. Heavy body is thicker and holds brush marks well, which is great for impasto but can feel stiff at first. If colors feel too thick, thin with a little water, but switch to an acrylic medium if you are adding more than a small splash so the paint film stays strong. If fast drying frustrated you in the past, pick up a slow dry or retarding medium or try a slow drying acrylic line. They give you more time to blend petals and skies.

A limited palette keeps things simple and teaches mixing. Two yellows, two reds, two blues, plus white and a couple of earths will cover flowers and landscapes with bright, clean mixes. Get a larger tube of white because you will use it constantly.

Synthetic brushes labeled for acrylic are perfect. A couple of flats and rounds in mid sizes with one small round for details will do most jobs. Rinse often while you work and never let paint dry in the ferrule. Cleanup is plain water and a bit of mild soap at the sink.

For surfaces, pre primed canvas panels are easy and affordable. Stretched canvas works too, as does heavy acrylic paper if you prefer something that stores flat. Acrylic is forgiving. Let a mistake dry and paint over it. To ease the pace and reduce mess, mist your palette now and then, and consider a simple stay wet palette made from a shallow tray with a damp paper towel topped by baking parchment. It keeps colors open longer and saves paint.

If you care about long term brightness, check for lightfast ratings of excellent or very good and choose non toxic labeling. With that, you will have bright color, easy cleanup, and enough working time to enjoy quiet afternoons of painting again.

Hey there and sounds like you're in a similar spot I was a couple years back when I picked up painting again after the kids moved out. For beginners, I'd say go for student-grade paints first – they're more affordable and still give you decent quality without all the fancy pigments that pros use, which can be pricier and sometimes trickier to handle if you're rusty.

The main difference is in the pigment concentration and how long they last, but student ones are great for practice and won't break the bank. As for brushes, synthetic ones work well with acrylics since they hold up to the quick-drying nature, and you can find sets that are soft enough for blending. Canvases? Stretched ones or panels are fine; just make sure they're primed for acrylics to avoid soaking up too much paint.

Look for paints that are labeled as having good flow and easy cleanup with soap and water – that's key for not making a mess. And for bright colors, check the labels for lightfastness so they don't fade over time. Start small, experiment, and you'll get the hang of it quick.

I got back into acrylics with my grandkids and wanted bright color without fuss or big expense. honestly Student grade tubes marked soft body have been the sweet spot for us because they spread easily and still cover well. I like a small set of around twelve to start and a bigger tube of white so I am not squeezing every last drop. For flowers, having a warm and a cool version of each primary makes the mixes pop.

If drying too fast is the headache,, keep a little mister bottle at hand and give the palette a quick spritz now and then. Or add a tiny bit of retarding medium to the mixes. Works great. Two water cups help keep things clean, one for the first rinse and one for a final swish, then a quick wash with gentle soap and the brushes are good as new.

Canvas panels are my go to with kids because they are sturdy and inexpensive, and acrylic paper is nice when I want to test ideas. Synthetic brushes are all you need. A couple of flats and rounds in mid sizes and a small detail brush cover almost everything. If you make a mistake, let it dry and paint right over it, no drama. Keep the painting session low stress by covering the table with freezer paper or an old plastic tablecloth and you can toss the mess at the end.

Start with student grade acrylics to save money and upgrade if you stick with it, choosing vivid primaries that stay workable longer for easier blending. Use synthetic brushes and basic primed canvases, and clean with water and mild soap while the paint is still wet.