for art teachers or people who paint help?

Question

i am an artist, and i paint large portraits the media that i like is acrylicpaint, does any one know what the difference between acrylic paint from an art suply store and acrylic paint from home depot please let me know. because the prices are way cheaper at a home depot but no one there can tell me what the difference is thanks.

Answer 1

If you want to find the differences go to Blick art stores web site, they explain all the differences . here is the web site. http://www.dickblick.com/categories/acrylics/
go to the bottom and it explain everything.
good luck
Check out my web site I paint only using the best quality paint and canvas, because it shows.
http://www.piotrwolodkowicz.com

Answer 2

I haven't checked out the acrylics at home depot, but I can tell you that quality of paint differs. Richer tone is going to cost more (generally). How long do you want your painting to last? Will it be framed? Will it be displayed in direct sunlight? Also, what surface are you painting on? Are you going for museum quality? Go to ask.com and read up on the differences on the internet. Also, just buy some paint and try it! Part of the joy of art is exploring the possibilities.

Answer 3

There are several differences.

1. Handling. House paint from the Home Depot will be very low viscosity (loose and watery in consistency). Acrylic paint from the art store will be very high viscosity (textured and dense, like toothpaste). It is very difficult to make low viscosity paint thick and dense, but high viscosity paint can be watered down and altered easily. In this way, paint from the art store is more versatile.

2. Coverage. House paint has a white base with color mixed into it. The white base helps the paint cover over previous colors and flaws in walls. House paint is more opaque, generally. Art store paint does not begin with a white base. A good art store paint will be 100% (or mostly) pure color suspended in acrylic binder. House paint can be made more transparent by mixing in more and more acrylic medium, but this will severely dilute it's original color. So you will be confined by the opacity of your house paint. Art store paint can be transparent by nature (depending on the pigment), and can be made opaque by mixing other colors with it. In this way, art store paint gives you more versatility with transparent and opaque passages.

3. Quality of pigment and binder. If you read the labels on house paint, they will sometimes say "Guaranteed for 10 years" or "Guaranteed for a lifetime (70 years)." This means that house paint may fade or flake off after 70 years or so. Good quality art store paint will tell you the permanence rating of each of the pigments used in paint on a scale (permanent to fugitive). Permanent means forever. House paint does not give you this information or guarantee.

4. Color mixing. Because house paint has a white base (in most cases to enhance coverage), a blue paint will have white in it's base. So when you mix a blue paint with red paint, you won't get a vibrant purple. The color you get may be a muted purple. Art store paints (hopefully) are using 100% pure pigment to color the paint. Pure pigment mixing will yield more vibrant color and give you more control over color mixing.

Either can be used skillfully to create good work. Permanence would be my major concern.

Answer 4

Most items you buy at an art supply store are going to be more expensive. Usually this is because of the quality assurance factor. You know at an art supply store that the quality is going to be good, where as at a place like home depo, they buy their paint in bulk, instead of special order, so the quality of the paint may be fine, or may not be so hot. Its a gamble.

Answer 5

The very basic substance is similar in nature, but not strictly in properties. That said however, I and many of my peers have crafted ART with the substance, even with a 4 inch brush.

Consider this however.

If you're a Novice, learning, experimenting, not strictly ready to create a Cistine Chapel expression, go with gallons, and expand talent, knowledge, style, etc.

To create, is the issue, not in what medium or substance.

So many more thoughts, so little time and space here.

Steven Wolf

Answer 6

Prices.
Best regards
Pablo H
http://www.pricelesshouses.com

Answer 7

The quality of the paint that is :- the colours are brighter and don´t fade with time,less likely to crack etc.,

Answer 8

i agree with all the comments..the main thing is that the quality of the paint is different...try buying them at artstores at oakland or berkely