Home » blog » Porter Paintings on Oil Vs Acrylic Painting

Haydn Porter is a well-known artist around the world, with his paintings hanging on walls of galleries, homes and offices. Haydn uses both oil and acrylic paints within his artwork and believes that they both have their place when it comes to painting. Below we explore the pros and cons of both types for use in your own paintings. 

 

What is Oil Painting?

Oil is a dense painting technique that can be very difficult to achieve. However, it is also the most realistic type of painting because of how light interacts with oil on canvas.

Oil-based paints stay wet for a lot longer than acrylic paints, making it easier to change your mind about a painting and come back to it later with no trouble. The paint on the palette will still be wet and pliable, meaning you can still blend it with your painting, or better still, walk away for a night and come back in the morning to make changes or continue painting where you left off. Oil painting will take a long time to dry.

Oil Cons: Preparation is key

Due to the oil in oil paints (usually linseed oil), if you are going to prepare the surface of the canvas yourself, the preparation time is longer. You could, of course, buy a pre-primed canvas and get going straight away. However, all the preparations will be worth it when you see how the vibrant colours come to life.

Here at Porter Paintings, you can see the richness of an oil painting from one of our Life Ball Series. 

This fantastic piece of art is from the (Life Ball Series) titled City Life, created by the artist when he was just 17 years old and drawn in ink on a smaller scale. He has now enlarged this painting and has added blue oils; this picture has impressive detail. It is an accurate representation of what a true artist can achieve. It allows the viewer to look at it for long periods and continually see something different. Look below to see how beautifully it hangs on a room wall, a constant conversation piece.

What is Acrylic Painting?

Acrylic paints are made by mixing acrylic polymer emulsion paint with water or an acrylic medium to create opaque paint. Acrylic paints are also known for being transparent, meaning that they can provide you with more creativity in terms of how your work turns out.

Acrylic Pros: A Crisp edge

The crisp edges achieved with acrylics can be hugely beneficial if you paint with a more graphic composition.

Acrylics are a type of long-lasting paint and can be used in a variety of different ways. Acrylics generally come in liquid form and dry to a hard, glossy finish. They usually do not require any spray or coat to make them waterproof.

You can mask areas, work over them quickly, and efficiently cover a hard shape with thicker paint. In addition, you can mix clean, bright colours very easily.

Masking is an excellent way to get a good finish on a wall. It’s also an effective way of avoiding unnecessary mess, which is why it’s great for beginners. Masking out areas means that you can work over them quickly and easily. It also means that you can cover hard shapes with thicker paint without any hassle. And, of course, the paint will dry faster.

Acrylics Cons: Achieving a smooth blend

It can be frustrating due to the speed of the drying time. Especially if you are working on a large-scale, it can be practically impossible to perform the canvas as a whole to bring it all to the same finish together.

Working quickly is the key to achieving a smooth blend with acrylic paints. The more time you have to brush, the more likely your desired effect will be compromised. To keep the working time open for longer, add a medium such as milk or glycerin to your paint.

If we look at “The Endless Line” by Porter Paintings, it shows acrylic on canvas, showing vibrant colours in acrylic this time. The painting “The Endless Line” is an example of the inspiration captured by this artist. The vibrant colours and vivid hues are meant to keep the viewer wondering what the journey will be like up ahead. It represents the twists and turns that life can take at any point.

In another fantastic conversation piece, one would think that when the artist started painting this piece, he did not know where it was going to and, see below how it brings a room to life.

How to Choose Between Oil & Acrylic Paint

So which is better: “Oil” or “Acrylic.”?

Oil paint adds great depth to a painting because it offers a rich and creamy texture, which is pleasing to the eye; when looking at the painting, you feel that you are part of the scenery.

Acrylic paint comes in many vibrant colours, offering that 3d dynamic work of art.

They both will last a lifetime, and both can enhance the design and effects within your painting, so it’s a win-win either option you choose.

To explore more examples of both, head to Porter Paintings Website.