Choosing a paint to use can be overwhelming because there are so many types available. The right choice depends on the surface you want to work on, the finish you prefer and how quickly you want your paint to dry.
These five paint types offer different working properties, from transparent watercolor washes to textured oil paint and heated encaustic wax. Understanding their differences can help you choose a medium for your next art project.
Acrylic
Acrylic paint is versatile and can be used for fine brushwork, glazing, staining and textured applications. It is available in different consistencies, including fluid formulas and thicker, heavy-body paints.
Acrylic dries quickly, which makes it useful for artists who want to build layers without long waits between applications. Its relatively short working time also means you may need to work quickly when blending colors.
It can be used on canvas, suitable paper and properly prepared wood panels. Choose a surface and preparation method appropriate for your paint and technique.
Put acrylic to work
The Trekell Acrylic Brush Set brings together brushes for exploring different marks, from fine details to broader strokes.
Shop the Trekell Acrylic Brush Set
For a rigid painting surface, explore our Universal Primed Linen Panel, which combines linen with a Baltic birch backing.
Oil
Oil paint offers rich color and a longer working time than many water-based paints. Its slower drying process allows artists to blend, adjust edges and develop a painting gradually.
Depending on the paint, medium and application, oil paint can create thin glazes, smooth transitions or thick, visible brushstrokes. Its final sheen can vary rather than always drying to a glossy finish.
Oil paint requires a suitably prepared support. Use a canvas or panel prepared for oil painting rather than applying it directly to an unprotected absorbent surface.
Water-mixable oil paints are another option. They are formulated to mix with water while remaining oil paints, not water-based acrylics. Follow the manufacturer's guidance for compatible mediums, thinning and cleanup.
Build your oil painting setup
Explore brushes for textured strokes, controlled details and soft blending with the Trekell Oil Brush Set.
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For a surface prepared specifically for oils, explore our #13 Oil Primed Linen Panel, featuring linen on a rigid Baltic birch backing.
Watercolor
Watercolor paint combines pigment with a water-soluble binder, commonly gum arabic. It is known for transparent washes, fluid application and the way light reflects through the paint from the paper beneath it.
Artists adjust the amount of water to create anything from pale washes to more concentrated color. Although many watercolors are transparent, some pigments are more opaque than others.
Watercolor dries as the water evaporates, with drying time affected by the amount of water used, the surface and studio conditions. Many traditional watercolors can be reactivated with water after drying.
Watercolor paper is a familiar starting point. To work on a wooden panel, apply a suitable watercolor ground or mount watercolor paper to the panel before painting.
Explore washes and details
Explore washes, fine details and expressive marks with the Trekell Watercolor Brush Set.
Shop the Trekell Watercolor Brush Set
Want to try watercolor on a shaped wooden panel? Our 9" x 12" Unprimed Oval Panel gives you a rigid starting point. Apply an appropriate watercolor ground or mount watercolor paper before painting. This panel is not ready for watercolor straight out of the box.
Gouache
Traditional gouache is a water-soluble paint known for its opaque coverage and matte finish. It is popular for illustration, studies and paintings that use bold shapes or flat areas of color.
Gouache can be diluted with water for thinner applications or used with less water for greater coverage. Its opacity varies with the pigment, paint formulation and amount of dilution.
Traditional gouache generally dries quickly, but it can be reactivated with water after drying. Colors may shift in value as they dry, so testing your mixtures can help you judge the finished result.
Acrylic gouache is different. It offers a similarly matte appearance but uses an acrylic binder and generally becomes water-resistant once dry. Check which type you are using before choosing your layering and blending techniques.
Find your gouache favorites
Explore Stephanie Buscema's Gouache Brush Set for a selection of shapes suited to different marks and applications.
Shop Stephanie Buscema's Gouache Brush Set
For a different shape to inspire your next piece, try an Unprimed Round Wood Panel. Prepare it with a suitable ground or mounted paper surface for your chosen gouache and technique.
Encaustic
Encaustic is a wax-based painting medium, commonly made with beeswax, damar resin and pigment. Artists apply it warm and use controlled heat to fuse the layers.
It can create translucent layers, textured surfaces and effects that differ from oil, acrylic or watercolor. Artists can also scrape, carve and build the wax to develop the surface.
Encaustic requires a rigid, absorbent support and materials suited to heated wax. Do not assume that an ordinary acrylic- or oil-primed panel is suitable. Follow your encaustic paint manufacturer's guidance for compatible supports and grounds.
Use appropriate ventilation and temperature control when working with heated wax. Select tools and working methods appropriate for your technique, and follow the manufacturer's care and temperature guidance.
Shape wax on a firm surface
Trekell Palette Knives, the Wipe Out Tool and Paint Shapers can be used with encaustic to move, shape, scrape and manipulate the wax.
Shop Trekell Palette Knives and Trekell Paint Shapers, or explore the Trekell Wipe Out Tool for your encaustic process.
Our 9" x 12" Unprimed Oval Panel offers a rigid Baltic birch starting point. Prepare it specifically for your encaustic technique according to your paint manufacturer's recommendations.
Which Paint Should You Choose?
Start with the way you want to work. Consider drying time, transparency, texture and the preparation your surface needs.
- Acrylic offers quick drying and a wide range of application techniques.
- Oil provides a longer working time for blending and adjustments.
- Watercolor is well suited to transparent washes and fluid color.
- Gouache offers matte color and opaque coverage, with traditional formulas that can be reworked with water.
- Encaustic provides a wax-based approach to layering and texture, with a dedicated heated setup.
You do not need to commit to one medium forever. Try a small project, get familiar with how the paint behaves and use that experience to decide what fits your process.
Whichever paint you choose, pair it with appropriate brushes and a properly prepared surface to give your next project a strong start.
2 comments
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Richard artist