Acrylic Paints: The Definitive Guide Before you Buy

December 16, 2025

Written by: The Art Noise Team

The Art Noise Team shares practical guides on art materials, studio workflow, and techniques, written for working artists and beginners alike. Our content is grounded in day-to-day conversations with artists in Kingston, Ontario, and focuses on helping you choose supplies with confidence.

This guide helps you choose the right acrylic paint level for how you actually paint: professional, student, or classroom.
You will get a simple decision plan, label checks that reduce surprises, and a starter palette approach that avoids waste.
Examples and shopping paths are mapped to Tri-Art collections at Art Noise, plus practical tools and mediums.

Artist Acrylics High Viscosity Acrylic Paint

Five bottles of Art Noise acrylic gouache on a colorful geometric background

How to choose acrylic paint, start with how you paint

With so many brands, finishes, and price points, acrylic paint is easiest to buy when you start with your workflow, not the label. Use this guide to pick a level that matches your goals, then choose the right “body” (thick or fluid) so the paint behaves the way you expect.

Quick decision tree (2 minutes)

If you paint thick texture, knife work, or bold brush marks, start with High Viscosity Acrylics.
If you paint smooth layers, glazing, staining, or detail, start with Liquid Acrylics (or a student line if you are practising and learning).
If you want one “browse everything” starting point, use Artist Acrylics to compare options in one place.
If you are learning, underpainting, or painting occasionally, start with Rheotech Student Acrylic Paint or Art Noise Acrylic Paint.

Practical rule: buy for the session you will actually do. If you only have 30–60 minutes to paint this week, build a small, reliable setup that you can finish and clean up fast.

Shop Artist Acrylics

Product levels: professional, developing artist, and classroom

Paint “levels” are less about talent and more about performance priorities: colour strength, how far the paint can be extended, film strength, and how predictable mixing is. Here is a practical way to choose.

Professional level (maximum performance)

Best for: finished work, clean colour mixing, high saturation, and artists who extend paint with mediums.
Trade-off: higher cost, and you will waste money if you buy more than you use.
Shop path: start in Artist Acrylics, then choose the body that matches your technique (thick or fluid).

Developing artist level (reliable results, easier budget)

Best for: learning, studies, underpainting, classroom-to-studio crossover, and painters who want solid results without premium pricing.
Trade-off: fewer “specialist” colours and effects than a full professional line, and you may notice more uniform finishes across colours.
Shop path: Rheotech Student Acrylic Paint or Art Noise Acrylic Paint.

Classroom and craft level (cost, safety, easy cleanup)

Best for: large groups, quick projects, younger makers, and situations where easy cleanup matters more than maximum permanence.
Trade-off: less coverage and lower intensity compared with artist-focused paint, especially in thin layers.
Shop path: use Classroom Art Supplies or Kids Art Supplies to build a practical kit.

Make it easier (pick one of these and start)

If you are overwhelmed, choose one paint line and commit to it for 30 days before mixing systems.
If you hate cleanup, use a limited palette and paint smaller, you will finish more often.
If you want faster progress, do studies with student paint, then finish 1 piece per month with professional paint.
If you want thicker paint without wasting colour, add a gel medium instead of piling on more paint.
If your surfaces are fighting you, switch to a properly prepared support before you blame the paint.

Rheotech Set of 12 60mL Tubes Rheotech Rheotech art-noise.myshopify.com rheotech-set-of-12-60ml-tubes Rheotech Set of 12 60mL Tubes Rheotech Rheotech art-noise.myshopify.com rheotech-set-of-12-60ml-tubes

Two rules of thumb when buying acrylic paint

Rule 1: Check the binder statement, not just the word “acrylic”

“Acrylic paint” on the front label is not always the whole story. Look for clear binder language on the package (for example, whether it is a pure acrylic polymer emulsion or a blend). When the binder information is vague, assume the paint may behave differently than a true artist acrylic, especially for adhesion, flexibility, and long-term durability.

Rule 2: For professional colours, look for pigment codes (and cleaner mixes)

If you care about predictable mixing, look for pigment identification on the label (examples: PW6, PB29, PR254). Pigment codes help you avoid muddy mixes and let you rebuild a colour later. Paints that hide pigment information can still be fine for practice, but they are harder to use for controlled colour work.

Step-by-step plan: buy only what you will use (10 minutes)

Choose your level: professional for finished work, student for learning and underpainting, classroom for groups and quick projects.
Choose your “body”: thick for texture, fluid for glazing and detail.
Pick a starter palette: 6–8 colours (warm and cool primaries, white, and one dark).
Pick one medium: a gel medium if you want body, or a fluid medium if you want smoother flow.
Decide your surface: plan one support type for the month so your results are comparable.
Set a session size: one canvas or a set of small studies, then buy paint quantities to match.
Do a 5-minute swatch test: label it with the colour name and date, you will learn faster.
Make a re-order rule: only replace the colours you actually finished, not the ones you feel you “should” own.

Troubleshooting and a simple “today” setup

Common issues and quick fixes

Paint feels weak or streaky: use fewer brush passes, let layers dry, and choose a more suitable surface for acrylic.
Everything looks chalky: reduce over-thinning with water, and consider a medium that matches the finish you want.
Cracking on thick areas: build texture with gel medium, not extra water, and let layers cure before varnishing.
Muddy colour mixes: limit the number of pigments in a mix, and prioritise paints that disclose pigment codes.

Checklist: what to add to cart for a low-friction first session

One paint line (professional or student), plus a limited palette.
One medium that matches your goal (gel for texture or fluid for flow).
A surface you can finish today, small panels or paper can be easier than a large canvas.
One reliable brush and one cleanup container, keep it simple.