As an artist, I have used all types of acrylic paint, from basic thin acrylic paint to the more expensive heavy-coat paint such as gold. Most of the acrylic paint I use has been cheaper acrylic paint – it does the job just as well as more expensive professional acrylics.
There are some differences between more affordable and expensive acrylic paints, such as buoyancy, but in general, some more affordable acrylic paints can still do the job just as well as more expensive professional acrylic paints. If you are a student or a newbie, buying affordable acrylics will be your best option, especially when you are developing your painting skills.
Personally, most of the acrylics I use are very affordable. I paint with a palette knife and the main thing I want any of my paints to have, be they cheap or expensive, is a good pigment and thick enough to create some great textures. When I paint, I like to apply a coat of paint on my surface with the spatula, a kind of frosting layer on a cake, and most of the cheaper acrylics allow me to do that. You could buy acrylic paint that you see at places like Walmart, the ones in the little cylinder tubes. Those acrylics are too thin to paint, they are for crafts only.
For artists who want to paint on a canvas or hard surface, I suggest getting paint at your local art supply store or online, such as Dick Blick or Mister Art; both retailers carry all brands of paints at affordable prices. Before you start shopping for acrylics, here are some cheaper acrylic paint brands that are available.
Liquitex Basic
One of my favorite acrylics is Liquitex Basic; It has been around for a long time. What I like the most about Liquitex Basic acrylic paint is that you get a lot of paint in its tubes and if you are close to running out of a particular color you can easily cut the bottom of the tube with scissors and get the rest of the paint out of the tube.
The paint is nice and thick and you can easily add different mediums to change the consistency of the paint. I use Liquitex Basic acrylic paint all the time and find it to be one of the best for market values. I would recommend Liquitex Basic Acrylic Paint to anyone who uses a fair amount of paint in whatever art they create.
Chrome acrylic paint A2
A2 Art Students’ acrylics are other acrylics specially designed for the needs of students, beginners, or hobby painters who want to avoid the expense of buying artist colors, especially during the early stages when they are learning to handle painting. Acrylic A2 paint has never existed like Liquitex Basic, but it still provides the same pigment and consistency as any other professional paint.
A2 is derived from the popular Atelier brand, which I have used well. A2 is slightly thinner than Liquitex’s Basic, but just as effective. A2 and Liquitex’s Basic are similar in many ways, but slightly different in body and pigment.
Depending on where you buy A2 Chrome, you may be able to get it for a lower price than Liquitex’s Basic and you won’t spend more than six dollars for a four-ounce tube. I encourage you to try both and see which one you like the best.
Chromacyl Acrylic Essentials
Chromacyl Acrylic Essentials is the finest of the three paints. I know of many artists who add different mediums such as modeling paste or heavy body gel to enhance the paint.
I have not really used this brand of paint. I just know it’s thinner and great for creating loose paint and adding applique to a surface, kind of like Jackson Pollock. Many school teachers use Chromacyl acrylics for their students, but they are also used by well-known artists.
As with the other two acrylics, it depends on what you are trying to do with your paint. Chromacyl Acrylic Essentials was developed for the high school teacher because it has good solubility, rich color, and a rich consistency for painting, printing, and sculpture. As an artist you can use Chromacyl’s Acrylic Essentials for the same reason, just keep in mind that it is slightly thinner than other acrylic brands I mentioned above.
All three bands are great and affordable to use on your paintings, whether you are a student, beginning artist, or professional. I suggest you give them a try to see what works for you.
I use a putty knife with Liqutex’s Basic and Chroma A2 when I could use a more expensive acrylic paint. I add different mediums to these two brands to make the paint thicker and more flexible like Golden or Liquetex professional acrylic paint, but both paints work well with what I’m trying to do with my palette knife. I can still make nice textures and bold strokes with Liqutex’s Basic and Chroma’s A2.
If you are looking for some great paints that are inexpensive, I encourage you to try all three that I mentioned in this article. There are several others out there, but I have found that these three brands work well for me and my other artist friends.
