What is an acrylic painting?

Acrylic paint is a mixture of air-drying resin polymer and pigment.  In the world of art, the development of acrylic artists' colors is one of the majr technological breakthroughs of the last 500 years, offering a vast range of creative and artistic possibilities.  Manufacturers claim that acrylic paints are the first really durable painting medium, the aging tests appear to support it.

Every form of paint consists of two basic ingredients: colored powder, either mineral or chemical (called pigment); and a liguid binder or adhesive that will bond this colored powder to a painting surface.  In oil paint, the binder is linseed oil, from the flax plant; in watercolor and pastels, it is a water-soluble glue called gum arabic; in tempera, the powdered pigments are bound together with egg yolk. How the paint handles, and how fast it dries, will depend upon the liquid ingredients. All of these materials are found in nature.

Acrylic, on the other hand, is a manmade material-plastic or synthetic-created in a laboratory. Even when this so-called resin material is not an acrylic but a polyvinyl acetate, the resulting paints are still referred to as acrylics.  They are the consistency of the cream.  Acrylics can be thinned with water.  The polymer binder is a liquid plastic that dries in a tough, flexible film as clear as glass. As a unique painting medium, it has certain advantages and characteristics not present with other media.

The need by Mexican Muralists of the 1920's and 30's to find a more permanent medium than oil or fresco for paintings on exposed walls stimulated the development of acrylic paint. Their paint needed to dry quickly and remain stable under all weather conditions.  It was not long before artists exploited the unique characteristics of acrylics for use beyond exterior wall murals. By the 1950's acrylics were made available in the United States.

Acrylics dry to an even matt finish, dry within minutes, and once dry do not change in color or texture.  The surface is sealed-subsequent paint layers, or thin applications called glazes, do not alter or dislodge initial paint layers. Each layer is of such adhesive strength as to form an almost indestructible coating, impervious to moisture and resistant to ultraviolet light penetration, the primary enemies of artwork. They resist chemical decomposition and oxydization. It adheres to nearly any painting surface, is convenient in cleanup, and safe to use, as there are no fumes or poisonous pigments.  Technically, acrylics can be used transparently, like watercolor, or opaquely, like oils.

For it's versatility, acrylics are an excellent medium, preferred internationally by a wide variety of both artists and collectors.