Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint

fast-drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry.

Binder

the liquid used to hold paint together

Impermeable

permanent, un affect by water or other medium when dry

Resin

a hard man-made liquid created from organic compounds that dries to a hard and slightly flexible solid. It is mixed with pigment to make acrylic paint.

synthetic

man-made

Support

the solid surface on which a painting is made, like paper or canvas

Palette

the flat support used by artists for mixing paint

medium

any material used to make painting such as oil and acrylic. Also means any liquid used to thin or change the consistency of paint

Retarder

the liquid or gel which can be added to Acrylic paint to “retard” to slow down the drying process to give the artist more time to bland or manipulate the paint

Mural

a large design or picture, most commonly created on the wall of a public building or on a very large support like wood or canvas

muralist

one who paints murals

By who and when was acrylic paint commercially made.

1960’s by Liquitex

What will acrylic not adhere to

a surface painted with oil paint (oil can go on acrylic)

6 characteristics of Acrylic Paint is…

1. Clean up with water, no chemicals needed

2. is impermeable when dry

3. can be used like watercolor or oil paints

4. is opaque or semi-opaque when used without water or mediums

5. can be painted on many different kinds of surfaces

6. fast drying

The history of acrylic paint

Mexican mural painters were experimenting with synthetic media for exterior murals as early as the 1930’s.  They needed a medium that would stand up to the elements (rain, temperatures, harmful rays from the sun.) This new plastic painting medium revolutionalized the art world, because it provided a water-based paint that dried quickly, could be worked like oils, and was easy and inexpensive to clean up. Water-based acrylic paints were also sold as "latex" house paints, although in acrylic there is no latex (derived from a rubber tree) in the medium.  Latex housepaint proved durable and easy to use.