The oil painting enjoys a huge heritage. It was invented by Van Eyck during the 14th century and it was rapidly adopted by the Flemish painters. Later, the oil paint was used by the greatest artists all over the world (Rembrandt, Veronese, el Greco, Monet, Matisse, and so on) and it has become the “master” technique over the years.
From its origins, the oil technique revolutionized the painting thanks to its chromatic richness, its strength and its possibilities of use.
Today, thanks to the acrylic paint (which was invented in Mexico in the middle of the 20th century by chemists of the National Technical College and on the market since 1950) a new revolution is coming. Should we ignore it ?
Several prestigious artists use acrylic paint and they do not dare to confess it. They are afraid about the clients and galleries reaction or they are worried about projecting a negative image of their work. Are they true?
It seems extremely useful to look carefully at these questions.

Technical comparison:

All the paints are made of two main compounds: pigments and mortar.

The pigments : The pigments are the same in both techniques. They set the colour, the intensity, the light resistance, the power covering, the transparency and so on. The pigments have a natural origin (vegetable, mineral or animal) or they may be synthetic (chemical, metallic). The mixture degree of these pigments defines the quality and softness of the paint. The pigments, in a pure state, are dust particles that can not stick to other materials.

The Motar : A mortar makes possible the amalgam of dust particles. Because of the mortar the techniques used in the oil and acrylic painting are different.
The mortar used to compose the oil painting is oil itself and it can come from flax, papaver, carthamus or sunflower or even vegetable resin.
The mortar used in the acrylic painting is an emulsion of water and acrylic resin.

The colours obtained through the “oil” or “acrylic” mortars are comparable in brightness and texture. In other words, it is almost impossible to distinguish between oil and an acrylic painting.

Artistic comparison :

Artists use auxiliary products to thin down the paint or to vary the effects or to enrich the texture.
Oil paint is thinned down with oil products, siccatives and it is cleaned up with paint thinners or turpentine essence of vegetable or artificial origin.
Drying time for oil paintings is usually long and even longer when a patina is applied. If the artist is not careful enough, the superficial layer may crack.
Acrylic painting is
Acrylic paint is thinned down with water or with other means that contain water in some measure. Drying time is very short, which is both an advantage and a problem; it is also possible to extend the drying time by using delaying means). Both material and brushes are cleaned with water.
Once the acrylic paint is dry, it forms a homogeneous satin-finished layer full of elasticity.
The colours, which are perfectly miscible, offer a wide stability to light: they never turn yellow.

In both techniques we may play with transparencies, opacities, and brightness or even mix the colours with an absolute freedom.
In fact, once the technique is mastered, any piece oil painting may also be painted in acrylic with a similar visual result.
Though the drying speed may surprise the artists who are used to work with oil paint, they discover very soon the advantages of the acrylic paint, since both techniques are compatible. Many artists use the acrylic paint at the beginning of the canvas and they finish it in oil paint, confesses the artist Kabuki.
We must also point out that some pieces where oil paint has been used are protected with acrylic solutions afterwards.
Finally, the acrylic seems to be more eco-friendly, which is extremely important in our time now that we want to save the planet. Besides, the acrylic paint produces a neutral and pleasant smell. It is also free of toxic vapour and it does not cause the typical and disgusting migraines, thus the artist’s health is protected.
NB: the acrylic paint dries by polymerization and emanating ether vapours which may be also harmful in the long run. It is strongly recommended to work in a well aired workshop for any technique put into practice.

Possibilités créatives :

crylic paint is the pictorial technique of our time. It is fast, surprising, and it enriches the artistic creation by offering new trends of expression. The acrylic paint makes possible the combination of several materials to sculpt the canvas, to set collage in it or to look for the most unexpected effects.
It is a wonderful field full of possibilities for those who are constantly searching new trends of creative expression.
In conclusion, both techniques are equally noble.
We cannot deny the quality of the oil painting masterpieces; however, we should not scorn the acrylic paintings.
The snobbishness about the so-called superiority of the oil painting is retrograde. It is necessary to look forward.
The most innovative artists are always right on art matters in the end.

To sum up, Jacques Moreau-Gaudry, an artist in oil painting declares with enthusiasm: " à l'huile ", déclare avec enthousiasme :
"Acrylic paint is extraordinary! If Leonard de Vinci had known the acrylic paint, he would have created even more masterpieces.”