Types of Acrylic Paint
While there are many different types of acrylics, there are three primary paint grades, or levels of quality, to keep in mind when selecting paint: student, artist and professional. The paint quality is largely determined by considerations such as pigment concentration and lightfastness, or resistance to fading.
Fluid Acrylics
Fluid acrylics are less viscous than artist-grade acrylics, but contain high concentrations of pigment. They can be used with acrylic mediums, like gel, to achieve watercolor-like or impasto techniques. Fluid acrylics are also used in crafts and airbrushing.
Craft Acrylics
Craft acrylics commonly find uses on such surfaces as fabric, ceramic, metal and wood. Use them in creating faux finishes and for decorative painting. Craft acrylic lines contain a wide variety of colors that are pre-mixed.
Acrylic Gouache
Acrylic gouache combines features of both fluid and craft acrylics. It is opaque like gouache, has a matte finish and is water resistant when dry. It is used often in decorative and folk art methods since it adheres to a variety of surfaces.
Metallic Acrylics
A combination of powdered mica, also known as aluminum silicate and traditional pigment is used to create pearlescent, iridescent, metallic and interference acrylics. The fineness or coarseness of the mica creates variations in reflective or shimmering qualities. These paints are used in crafts and fine arts alike.
Exterior Acrylics
Exterior acrylics are made to be used with a variety of surfaces and to endure conditions of the outdoors. Because they are UV and water-resistant, they are ideal for use in signs and murals.
Scholastic Acrylics
The dyes and pigments used in the more economical scholastic acrylics are safe for classroom use. Containing dye, these paints may have lower-quality light fastness. They are usually limited to primary and secondary color selections.
