Acrylic paint is a well-loved, popular medium due to its vibrancy and versatility, as well as ease-of-use and different capabilities. Although relatively new to the scene, acrylic has cemented itself as a reliable medium with a variety of uses. Acrylic has several features that distinguish it from other mediums, and make it beginner-friendly as well as suitable for professional applications.
In this series, we provide an overview of acrylic paint. This article outlines the different types of acrylic paint lines at Tri-Art, and how they correspond with the two main grades of paint.
There are several varieties of acrylic paint with different features and uses. One of the most obvious differences is the viscosity, or the consistency and texture of the paint, but there are also other features that distinguish these types. There are also two main grades of paint available: artist- or professional-grade, and student- or developing artist-grade. At Tri-Art, the quality of the pigment grind is the same across our paint grades, including our childrens paint lines. While made with the same pigments, professional acrylics have the most pigment, with developing artist acrylics using less pigment.
Some pigments are replicated by hues, allowing for a similar colour experience without using a specific pigment that is often expensive to produce. Manufacturers can create a blend of pigments or use a similar, cheaper pigment, in order to replicate a more expensive, genuine pigment that might be generally recommended for artists to use. This replicated colour is referred to as a hue and allows artists on a budget to achieve a similar performance to the genuine single pigment colour without the premium price tag. Using hues can affect the colour mixing ability as it is generally best practice to mix as few pigments as possible in order to achieve more accurate colour mixes, and some hues may contain many different pigments in their composition.
Artist-Grade
Our High Viscosity line is our thickest option, with a buttery consistency similar to oil paint (making it sometimes known as “heavy body” paint). Available in tubes and jars, HV has the finest quality pigment grind, with the highest pigment load and a high solids content. A high solids content means less shrinkage when drying, so that the paint retains the impression of brush strokes well. This line can be readily used for impasto and knife painting, or extended with acrylic mediums or water.
Tri-Art Liquids also use the finest quality pigment grind, with a high pigment load and solids content, but in a liquid, lotion-like consistency (sometimes referred to as “fluid” or “soft body” acrylics). Offering smooth coverage, they can be thickened for impasto, or thinned for glazing applications. These are acrylics in their most ideal format, as they are at the perfect midpoint between very thick and very thin, allowing you to adjust the consistency to your project’s specific needs.
Low Viscosity acrylics are water-like and free flowing for very fine strokes. They remain highly pigmented, with the highest quality pigments, and are lightfast. Extremely versatile they are suitable for fine-detailed brush work, large washes, glazing, multimedia, inking, and airbrush applications.
Our Finest Quality Acrylic Ink is a professional, water-resistant ink made with 100% acrylic polymer emulsion. They are water-like in consistency and will not leave stroke impressions. Each colour is highly pigmented, with a lightfastness rating of either 3 or 4 (the maximum), to ensure long-lasting colours that resist fading over time. Their opacity and finish varies depending on each colour’s pigment.
Impressions Printing Ink is our water-based printing ink, for applications such as block printing with linoleum or wood, or screen printing. Formulated with a high pigment load and offering excellent coverage, each colour varies in tinting strength, sheen, and opacity, according to its pigment.
Student-Grade
Rheotech is our student- or developing artist-grade line of all-purpose acrylic paint, with a thick consistency. It offers professional performance and archival quality paint for developing artists, providing a more authentic artist painting experience to beginners. Its creamy, workable consistency is great for the serious art student as well as production artists. [specify lightfastness/pigment load]
Art Noise is our permanent acrylic gouache, offering the benefits of gouache in an acrylic format, being water-resistant when dry and with a matte finish that is also opaque unless the colour name indicates transparency. Without common fillers for paint at this price point, our acrylic gouache is excellent for accurate and vibrant colour mixing with no muddiness.
Explore our range of acrylic paints and mediums through our website, or at Art Noise online or in-person in Kingston. If you use our acrylic paints or mediums, make sure to tag us on social media posts - we would love to see your work!
For more information, check out our other blog posts on acrylic paint, our FAQ page, or contact us.
