What Acrylic Paint is Best? – Comparing 50 Acrylic Paints – The Ultimate Acrylic Paint Guide
Which acrylic paint is best? I hope to answer that question and more in this article and video!
Click on any of the names to jump to their section on this page. You will also notice the time-stamp for when I talk about them in the video above.
| Apple Barrel Craft Acrylic 5:14 | DecoArt Craft Paint 7:12 | Meeden Acrylics 8:57 | Nicpro 11:07 |
| Mont Marte 13:54 | Artecho 15:36 | Arteza 17:10 | Sargent Art Acrylics 19:10 |
| Chromacryl Student Acrylics 20:48 | Colours Art Acrylic 23:10 | Dacryl Kolegial Acrylic 25:20 | Dacryl Professional Acrylic 28:43 |
| Liquitex Basics 34:04 | Liquitex Basics Fluid 36:15 | Artist’s Loft Level 1 38:02 | Artist’s Loft Soft Body 40:30 |
| Art Noise 42:51 | Rheotech 44:34 | Artist’s Loft Level 2 46:05 | Pebeo 47:38 |
| Winsor and Newton Galeria 48:57 | Grumbacher Academy 51:05 | Rosa Gallery Acrylic 52:30 | Sennelier Abstract 54:23 |
| Stevenson 1:00:38 | Artist’s Loft Level 3 1:02:21 | Masterclass Artists Acrylic 1:04:12 | Amsterdam Standard Series 1:06:06 |
| Golden SoFlat 1:09:42 | Golden Open 1:12:56 | Golden Heavy Body 1:15:20 | Liquitex Heavy Body 1:17:39 |
| Winsor and Newton Professional 1:19:54 | Old Holland New Masters Acrylic 1:22:00 | Holbein Heavy Body 1:24:40 | Tri-Art High Viscosity 1:26:23 |
| Tri-Art Liquids 1:31:01 | Liquitex Soft Body 1:33:43 | Golden Fluid 1:35:31 | Golden High Flow 1:37:22 |
| Tri-Art Low Viscosity 1:40:02 |
The Ultimate Acrylic Paint Comparison – 50 Acrylic Paints – Which Acrylic Paint Is Best?
Choosing what acrylic paint to use can be very difficult. If your local art store is anything like mine, there are racks of different kinds of paint. Though many things can play into what paint you decide to use, my hope with this article and video is to help you decide what acrylic paint is best for you.
Before you get too far into this article, I want to say a few things:
First, when reviewing these paints, I’m giving my personal opinion. If you don’t agree with me, that’s okay. Leave a comment and share your experiences to also help other artists.
Second, I know just testing Titanium White from each of these brands isn’t the most ideal test. However, it was way too expensive to order multiple colours from each brand and Titanium White is a common colour for most artists to have and one that they use quite often. When I was first learning to paint, many artists that I was learning from always said to splurge on Titanium White as a poor quality one will drag you down.
Third and almost most importantly, the best acrylic paint for you is what works best for you at that moment. There are so many factors that play into what acrylic paint is actually best. These include the usual things that affect the quality of the paint such as pigment load, lightfastness, extender load, viscosity, etc. However, we need to consider other things as well, such as price, needs for the artwork, location of the artist, and more.
Living in Alberta, Canada, some acrylic paint brands are much easier to get than others. This will affect what acrylic paint is best for me. Another artist in the U.K. might have other acrylic paint brands available to them so they might be choosing a different brand solely for that reason.
In this article and video, I will be physically reviewing 41 paint brands and mentioning 9 other common ones. These will be from countries all across the world. I hope that you will find something that works for you!
At the end of the article, you will find various categories with the top three or four paints. Here are the different categories. You can click on them to jump to that section:
Acrylic Paint Price Comparison
Here is a table comparing the prices of all 50 acrylic paint brands that I’m looking at in this article. They are sorted by price per ml according to the most common size. Often the larger sizes are cheaper but are only offered in a few colours. Paints that are the same price are not in any particular order.
You can click on any of the names to jump to their section in the article.
| Name | Amount in Millilitres | Amount in Ounces | Price (CAD) | Price Per Millilitre (CAD) | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artists’ Loft Soft Body | 946 ml | 32 oz | $12.99 | $0.01 | China |
| DecoArt Craft Paint | 118 ml | 4 oz | $1.25 | $0.01 | China |
| Meeden Acrylics | 2000 ml | 0.5 Gallons | $36.95 | $0.02 | China |
| Apple Barrel Craft Acrylic | 59 ml 236 ml | 2 oz 8 oz | $1.17 $5.97 | $0.02 $0.03 | USA |
| Nicpro | 500 ml 2000 ml | 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | $12.50 $61.50 | $0.03 $0.025 | China |
| Mont Marte | 500 ml 2000 ml | 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | $17.99 $32.95 | $0.04 $0.02 | China |
| Dacryl Kolegial Acrylic | 237 ml | 8 oz | $9.99 | $0.04 | Canada |
| Utrecht Studio Series | 237 ml 473 ml 946 ml | 8 oz 16 oz 32 oz | From: $12.99 $21.99 $37.99 | From: $0.05 $0.046 $0.04 | USA |
| Sargent Art Acrylics | 250 ml 500 ml 2000 ml | 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | From: $13.99 $8.33 $29.17 | From: $0.05 $0.02 $0.01 | Pennsylvania, USA |
| Artist’s Loft Level 1 | 120 ml 250 ml | 4.06 oz 8.5 oz | $5.49 $9.99 | $0.05 $0.04 | China |
| Liquitex Basics | 118 ml 250 ml 400 ml 946 ml | 4 oz 8.5 oz 13.53 oz 32 oz | $5.99 $12.99 $19.99 $44.99 | $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 | France / China |
| Chromacryl Student Acrylics | 75 ml 475 ml 2000 ml | 2.5 oz 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | $4.79 $14.95 $39.99 | $0.06 $0.03 $0.02 | USA / Australia |
| Blick Studio | 120 ml 237 ml 473 ml | 4 oz 8 oz 16 oz | From: $6.99 $12.99 $23.99 | From: $0.06 $0.05 $0.05 | Mauritius |
| Dacryl Professional Acrylic | 250 ml | 8.45 oz | $14.99 | $0.06 | Canada |
| Art Noise | 120 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml 2000 ml | 4 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz 0.5 Gal. | From: $7.40 $9.99 $17.65 $32.20 $58.65 | From: $0.06 $0.04 $0.035 $0.03 $0.03 | Canada |
| Liquitex Basics Fluid | 118 ml 250 ml | 4 oz 8.45 oz | $7.99 $15.99 | $0.07 $0.06 | France / China |
| Pebeo | 100 ml 250 ml | 3.38 oz 8.45 oz | $6.99 $14.99 | $0.07 $0.06 | France |
| Artist’s Loft Level 2 | 75 ml 200 ml | 2.54 oz 6.76 oz | $5.99 $11.99 | $0.08 $0.06 | China |
| Sennelier Abstract Heavy Body Acrylic | 120 ml 500 ml | 4 oz 16.9 oz | $9.49 $30.99 | $0.08 $0.06 | France |
| Artecho | 120 ml | 4 oz | From: $9.99 | From $0.08 | China |
| Arteza | 120 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 4 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.8 oz | $10.99 – $13.99 $13.99 – $17.99 $25.99 $43.99 | $0.09 – $0.12 $0.06 – $0.07 $0.05 $0.04 | China / Korea |
| Colours Art Acrylic | 60 ml 250 ml 500 ml | 2 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz | From: $5.80 $9.99 $20.99 | From: $0.10 $0.04 $0.04 | Canada |
| Chroma Atelier Interactive Arts | 80 ml 250 ml | 2.7 oz 8.5 oz | From: $7.99 $19.99 | From: $0.11 $0.08 | USA / Australia |
| Rosa Gallery Acrylic | 60 ml | 2 oz | $7.00 | $0.12 | Ukraine |
| Rheotech | 60 ml 150 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 2 oz 5.06 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz | From: $7.35 $9.70 $11.70 $20.65 $37.40 | From: $0.12 $0.06 $0.05 $0.04 $0.037 | Canada |
| Winsor and Newton Galeria | 60 ml 200 ml 250 ml | 2 oz 6.75 oz 8.4 oz | $6.99 $12.99 $19.49 | $0.12 $0.06 $0.08 | France |
| Grumbacher Academy | 90 ml 150 ml | 3 oz 5.07 oz | $9.99 $17.99 | $0.12 $0.11 | USA |
| Stevenson | 60 ml 250 ml | 2 oz 8.4 oz | From: $8.99 $15.65 | From: $0.15 $0.06 | Canada |
| Blick Artists’ | 59 ml 138 ml 237 ml | 2 oz 4.65 oz 8 oz | From: $8.99 $13.99 $15.99 | From: $0.15 $0.10 $0.07 | USA |
| Utrecht Artists’ | 59 ml 150 ml 473 ml | 2 oz 5 oz 16 oz | From: $9.50 $14.99 $35.99 | From: $0.16 $0.10 $0.08 | USA |
| Sennelier Extra-Fine Artist Acrylics | 60 ml | 2 oz | From: $9.50 | From: $0.16 | France |
| Artist’s Loft Level 3 | 59 ml 148 ml | 2 oz 5 oz | $9.99 $18.99 | $0.17 $0.13 | China |
| Tri-Art Liquids | 60 ml 120 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 2 oz 4 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz | From: $10.30 $14.60 $23.99 $38.35 $63.25 | From: $0.17 $0.12 $0.10 $0.08 $0.06 | Canada |
| Masterclass Artists Acrylic | 46 ml | 1.5 oz | $7.99 | $0.17 | Russia |
| Liquitex Soft Body | 60 ml | 2 oz | $9.99 | $0.17 | France / China |
| Holbein Heavy Body | 60 ml 330 ml | 2 oz 11.1 oz | $11 + $55 | $0.18 $0.17 | Japan |
| Tri-Art High Viscosity | 60 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 2 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz | From: $11.65 $28.75 $48.90 $92.00 | From: $0.19 $0.12 $0.10 $0.09 | Canada |
| Winsor and Newton Professional | 60 ml | 2 oz | $12.29 | $0.20 | France |
| Liquitex Heavy Body | 59 ml 138 ml | 2 oz 4.65 oz | From: $12.99 $24.99 | From: $0.22 $0.18 | France / China |
| Golden Heavy Body | 59 ml 148 ml | 2 oz 5 oz | From: $12.99 $24.99 | From: $0.22 $0.17 | New York |
| Amsterdam Standard Series | 20 ml 120 ml | 0.7 oz 4 oz | $4.49 $11.50 – $14.50 | $0.22 $0.10 – $0.12 | Netherlands |
| Golden Open | 59 ml | 2 oz | $13.50 | $0.23 | New York |
| Golden SoFlat | 59 ml | 2 oz | $13.99 – $31.99 | $0.24 – $0.54 | New York |
| M. Graham Acrylics | 59 ml 150 ml | 2 oz 5 oz | $14.99 $23.49 | $0.25 $0.16 | Oregon, USA |
| Tri-Art Low Viscosity | 34 ml | 1.2 oz | From: $8.90 | From: $0.26 | Canada |
| Old Holland New Masters Acrylic | 60 ml | 2 oz | From: $16 | From: $0.27 | Netherlands |
| Schmincke Primacryl Finest Artists’ Acrylics | 60 ml | 2 oz | From: $20 | From: $0.33 | Germany |
| Golden High Flow | 30 ml | 1 oz | $9.99-$15.99 | $0.33 – $0.53 | New York |
| Golden Fluid | 30 ml 118 ml | 1 oz 4 oz | $10.99 – $17.50 $25.99 – $45.99 | $0.37 – $0.58 $0.22 – $0.39 | New York |
| Lascaux Artist Acrylics | 45 ml 750 ml | 1.5 oz 25 oz | From: $16.99 $94.99 | From: $0.38 $0.13 | Switzerland |
Acrylic Paints Physically Tested
For each, I will rank their viscosity, transparency, pigment load, finish, and overall quality. I will rank each with the following terms:
Viscosity: Ink-like, fluid, soft body, medium body, heavy body, extra heavy body
Transparency: Poor, Okay, Good, Better, Best
Pigment Load: Low, Medium, High
For “Overall Quality” I will classify it first as Student, Artist, or Professional. Then in that category, I will rank it as: Poor, Okay, Good, Better, Best
DecoArt Craft Acrylic
| DecoArt Craft Paint | 118 ml | 4 oz | $1.25 | $0.01 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Good | Low | Satin | Student – Okay |
The craft paint is pretty much what you would expect. It is very thin coming out of the tube andiIt isn’t a nice thin either. This paint feels very watery when on the brush.
Its transparency was better than I expected it to be. This might have been caused by the amount that I put onto the canvas, but it still surprised me.
The tinting power of this paint wasn’t terrible but it still is not as good as many others.
We just used white for this experiment, but I do have experience using other colours of craft paint as well. Many of them are not as vibrant as artist paint brands once dry. You can see in the example below a comparison of these two paintings.
On the left is Craft Paint and on the right is Liquitex Basics.
Also, craft paint can crack much more easily when dry compared to higher-level paint.
Overall, it is almost tied for being the cheapest alongside Artist’s Loft Soft Body Acrylic Paint. Even though Artist’s Loft gets a bad rap at times, I would choose it over this type of paint every time.
DecoArt does have a variety of products that you can check out on their website: https://shop.decoart.com
Apple Barrel Paint
| Apple Barrel Craft Acrylic | 59 ml 236 ml | 2 oz 8 oz | $1.17 $5.97 | $0.02 $0.03 | USA |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Better | Low | Matte | Student – Okay |
Apple Barrell acrylic craft paint is a very popular brand. I have seen many artists/crafters using it for various reasons. I was happy to try this one out. Overall, it is very liquidy which gives it a low viscosity. However, I was surprised by the opacity level of this. It was one of the better ones on the first canvas that I tested paints on. The mixing test showed that it does not have a strong pigment load compared to its competitors.
They are available in hundreds of colours in all different types of finishes. Big stores like Walmart have them in stock.
The big downside to this paint is that it cracked. There were a couple of thicker spots of paint on the canvas and each of them cracked when dried. If you are planning on selling your artwork, I would probably stay away from Apple Barrell or any other craft paint.
Artist’s Loft Soft Body Acrylic Paint
| Artist’s Loft Soft Body | 946 ml | 32 oz | $12.99 | $0.01 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft Body | Good | Medium | Satin | Student – Better |
Artist’s Loft Soft Body Acrylic Paint is great for educational and classroom use. They are quite fluid but seem similar in pigment concentration to the other Artist’s Loft Basics paint. I have also used this in my art classroom alongside Sargent Acrylics for a couple of years and have been pleased with Artist’s Loft Soft Body. The colours are vibrant and great for learning. I would recommend Artist’s Loft Soft Body over any other bulk acrylic paint for learning in the classroom.
Comes in 7 colours and can be purchased from the following places:
- Michaels: https://canada.michaels.com/en/soft-body-acrylic-paint-by-artists-loft-32oz/10691291.html
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/48C9wRt
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3PKCRjW
Meeden Acrylic Paint
| Meeden Acrylics | 2000 ml | 0.5 Gallons | $36.95 | $0.02 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body/Possibly thinner in bigger bottles | Okay | Medium | Satin | Student – Okay |
I sampled a small tube of Meeden paint though they do have large bottles as well. It was surprisingly thick but I believe in the bigger bottles it would be thinner. It did fairly well with the mixing test and opacity was okay.
11 different colours in the 2L format. 100 colours in smaller tubes. This includes 76 regular acrylic paints, 16 metallics, and 8 fluorescents.
Meeden is very new in the paint industry having been founded in 2015. They are based in China.
There are smaller tubes but they all come in sets.
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/48z2k8R
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3RQJILD
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3ZJvUnY
Check out their website here: https://meedenart.com/?sca_ref=4486141.rKxtE91zUj
Nicpro Acrylic Paint
| Nicpro | 500 ml 2000 ml | 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | $12.50 $61.50 | $0.03 $0.025 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Poor | Very Low | Satin | Student – Very Poor |
If you already watched the video, you’ll already know what I’m about to say. The transparency test was very bad compared to others in its class. The mixing power was not great either. I would recommend other big-bottle/classroom-grade paints over this one.
I do not recommend Nicpro paint.
This paint only comes in sets:
- A set of twenty-four 500 ml bottles is $300
- A set of six 2L bottles is $122.99
- A set of eighteen 250 ml bottles is $44.99
- A set of thirty-three 12 ml bottles is $27.99
You can find them on various Amazon sites:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3F3YneI
- Amazon US:https://amzn.to/3LPk5H3
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/46CIgAG
Mont Marte Acrylic Paint
| Mont Marte | 500 ml 2000 ml | 16.9 oz0.5 Gallons | $17.99 $32.95 | $0.04 $0.02 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft Body | Okay | Low | Satin | Student – Good |
An Amazon special, Mont Marte is perfect for students and artists alike. It comes in multiple sizes and all of the basic colours. It did fairly well in the transparency test and okay in the mixing power. For a student-grade/big-bottle paint, I would also recommend this for classrooms.
Size and Prices:
There are various paint sets that they have available. Here are some sample prices of single paints and sizes.
500 ml (16.9 oz) = $17.99
2 Liter (0.5 Gallons) = $32.95
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3Q1asHP
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3PzIVf8
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3LKOia9
Mont Marte has a variety of products on their website: https://www.montmarte.com
Artecho Acrylic Paint
| Artecho | 120 ml | 4 oz | From: $9.99 | From $0.08 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium Body | Okay | Low | Satin | Student – Good |
Artecho acrylic paint is an okay paint. On the bottle,d you can see it has great lightfastness and it says opaque. However, at the price point that it is, I would recommend other paints over it. Liquitex Basics and Sennelier Abstract are two paints that I would get over Artecho in a heartbeat.
Available in over 25 colours, Artecho acrylic paints are mainly found on Amazon:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3Q2FJtV
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/46gzsQS
Arteza Acrylic Paint
| Arteza | 120 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 4 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.8 oz | $10.99 – $13.99 $13.99 – $17.99 $25.99 $43.99 | $0.09 – $0.12 $0.06 – $0.07 $0.05 $0.04 | China / Korea |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium Body | Good | Low | Gloss | Student – Good |
Arteza acrylics are primarily made in China and Korea. They are a common budget-friendly acrylic paint producer that many people use.
It was very glossy when dry which surprised me. Its opaqueness was good but pigment load wasn’t the best. They do offer a few types of acrylic paints on their website. When purchased in higher volumes, these paints are a decent deal for the quality. I would still classify them as student-grade paint compared to the other paints we tested.
You can find them on Amazon below:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/46dgKcF (Will take you to Arteza Shop on Amazon Canada)
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/48iSU0N (Will take you to the Arteza Shop on Amazon US)
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3rAxuMd (Will take you to the Arteza Shop on Amazon UK)
You can also see all of the products available on their website: https://arteza.pxf.io/k0QR4N
Sargent Art Acrylic Paint
| Sargent Art Acrylics | 250 ml 500 ml 2000 ml | 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | From: $13.99 $8.33 $29.17 | From: $0.05 $0.02 $0.01 | Pennsylvania, USA |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft Body | Poor | Low | Satin | Student – Okay |
Sargent Art was founded in 1930 and is based in Pennsylvania, United States. They specialize in paint for educational purposes.
I have used them in my art classroom for a few years and find them to be good for learning purposes. They are a little more fluid-like so aren’t great for painting texture, etc. However, they mix great and are good for students as they come in large quantities.
When doing a direct comparison to other similar paints in this test, I found Sargent Art paints to not be as high of quality. It was more transparent than others and had a weaker mixing power. I would recommend Artist’s Loft Soft Body over Sargent Art.
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3RLOGJo
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/46hYrDp
Here is a link to their website: https://sargentart.com
Chromacryl Student Acrylics
| Chromacryl Student Acrylics | 75 ml 475 ml 2000 ml | 2.5 oz 16.9 oz 0.5 Gallons | $4.79 $14.95 $39.99 | $0.06 $0.03 $0.02 | USA / Australia |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium | Okay | Medium | Satin | Student – Good |
Based in the United States. Chroma Acrylics was started by a High School Art teacher back in the 1960’s. A passion for quality student paint is what started Jim Cobb’s journey. Available in 30 colours and three different sizes.
I found Chromacryl to be a nice paint to work with. The paint flowed nicely and it rivaled every other student-level paint that I tested. This paint is also very budget-friendly, especially the larger sizes.
I would recommend this paint for students, new artists, and for practicing.
Chromacryl acrylic paint is available in various art stores across many countries. You can do a search on their website to see if a store near you carries their products.
Here is a link to their website: https://chromaonline.com
Colours Artist’s Acrylic Paint
| Colours Artist’s Acrylic | 60 ml 250 ml 500 ml | 2 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz | From: $5.80 $9.99 $20.99 | From: $0.10 $0.04 $0.04 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium | Good | Medium | Satin | Student – Best |
Colours is a Canadian-made acrylic paint that boasts high quality for a reasonable price. These paints are made with artist-quality materials but with a reduced pigment load compared to traditional artist paint. This differs from student-grade paint which has a reduced pigment load as well as the use of extender pigments and low-cost polymers.
I quite enjoyed the results of Colours Acrylic Paint. Their larger-sized paints are quite affordable which I would recommend.
Available in 34 colours.
You can find them here: https://www.artistsupplies.com/triart-manufacturing-colours-artists-acrylic.html
Dacryl Kolegial Acrylic Paint
| Dacryl Kolegial Acrylic | 237 ml | 8 oz | $9.99 | $0.04 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra Heavy Body | Better | Low | Satin | Student – Better |
Dacryl Kolegial Acrylic paint is a Canadian-made high-viscosity paint. They claim it is an excellent choice for both students and artists. 32 colours. Comes in one size, the jar you see above.
If you watched the video, you’ll see how shocked I was at how thick this paint is. Holding the jar upside down and nothing even budged on the inside. The transparency test was pretty good but I did expect a little more from the tinting power test. I think it shows that there are some additives in it which make the paint so thick and weaken its pigment load. However, it was fun to work with and I can see the benefits of working with something so thick to create some amazing textures.
I would recommend this paint if you want to have some fun with texture but don’t want to add a lot of your own mediums/gels.
Available through DeSerres website: https://www.deserres.ca/products/dacryl-kolegial-acrylic?colour=multicolor
Liquitex Basics Fluid Acrylic Paint
| Liquitex Basics Fluid | 118 ml 250 ml | 4 oz 8.45 oz | $7.99 $15.99 | $0.07 $0.06 | France / China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Okay | Medium | Satin | Student – Better |
I will introduce Liquitex here as it is the first one on the list but I won’t again for each of the other Liquitex paints tested in this article. Liquitex started in 1955 and was the first to create an acrylic gesso and the world’s first water-based heavy-body acrylic paint. They haven’t looked back and have been creating quality paints and products for the past seventy years. Read their full story here: https://www.liquitex.com/en-ca/pages/our-story-since-1955
Liquitex Basics Fluid paints are made with the same pigments as the Liquitex Basics Acrylic Color, Liquitex Basics Acrylic Fluid offers a permanent, water-resistant finish with a more flowing consistency. It has a satin finish when dry.
Liquitex Basics are some of my favourite more cost-effective paints. These fluid basics resemble the Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint but just a different consistency. All Liquitex Basics have the same lightfastness as their professional line. They have a lower pigment load than the professional line but are still a quality paint. These paints are vibrant and don’t fade over time.
These come in 48 different colours in their 118 ml (4 oz.) bottles and 12 colours in their 250 ml (8.45 oz) bottles.
Liquitex Basics Fluid is great for covering large surfaces quickly, adding fine detail, and mixing with fluid mediums to do acrylic pours.
You can find these at many art stores or on Amazon below:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3rqKCDO
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3F2mcn8
See all of the available colours here: https://www.liquitex.com/en-ca/collections/basics-acrylic-fluid
Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint
| Liquitex Basics | 118 ml 250 ml 400 ml 946 ml | 4 oz 8.5 oz 13.53 oz 32 oz | $5.99 $12.99 $19.99 $44.99 | $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05 | France / China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | Good | Medium | Satin | Student – Best |
I have used Liquitex Basics quite a bit. I use them in my Paint By Number Kits that I design and sell.
Coming out of the tube they have a great feel for being “Level 1” at Michaels. They hold their shape pretty well on the canvas.
The transparency test showed it was similar to many of the artist-level paints. I would classify it as the best of the student-level acrylic paints. I included it on the canvas with many Artist Level paints to show how it matches up.
It feels great on the brush and doesn’t feel cheap.
Liquitex Basics Titanium White had similar tinting power to Artist’s Loft Level 1.
As mentioned before, I have used a lot of Liquitex Basics. I find them very vibrant and of great quality for the price.
It comes in 72 different colours in a few different sizes.
If you are looking for paint with decent texture to practice with, I would recommend Liquitex Basics over any other budget paint out there.
You can see all available colours on their website: https://www.liquitex.com/en-ca/collections/basics-acrylic-paints
Artist’s Loft Level 1 Acrylic Paint
| Artist’s Loft Level 1 | 120 ml 250 ml | 4.06 oz 8.5 oz | $5.49 $9.99 | $0.05 $0.04 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium Body | Okay/Good | Medium | Satin | Student – Good |
Artist’s Loft Level 1 is the lowest tier in the art supplies section at Michaels. It is classified as “Student” grade paint and comes in 49 different colours.
Coming out of the tube the paint felt ok. I would classify it as soft/medium body paint.
The transparency test wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t the best either.
The tinting power of Artist’s Loft Level 1 was actually quite impressive. It was similar to many artist-level paint.
Considering my other experiences with Artist’s Loft Level 1, I would say the same thing as I said with the craft paint. It is not as vibrant as I believe it should be. Though it is more vibrant than the craft paint, it is still not up to par with its main competitor Liquitex Basics. Even some of the Artist’s Loft Soft Body paints are more vibrant.
If you want a budget-friendly paint, I would choose Liquitex Basics over the Artist’s Loft Level 1.
See all available colours here: https://canada.michaels.com/en/acrylic-paint-by-artists-loft-4oz./M10134990.html
Art Noise Acrylic Paint
| Art Noise | 120 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml 2000 ml | 4 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz 0.5 Gal. | From: $7.40 $9.99 $17.65 $32.20 $58.65 | From: $0.06 $0.04 $0.035 $0.03 $0.03 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Okay | Medium | Matte | Student – Good |
Art Noise was established in 2015 so it is a very new competitor to the market. It is a flagship retail outlet for Tri-Art. The Art Noise Acrylic Gouache is the only paint with the Art Noise label on it. This is the only acrylic gouache on the list that I am testing. The gouache gives it a matte finish. It is a student-grade paint that is great for teaching and trying out new things.
It performed as an average paint across the board for a student-level paint. If you are looking for a gouache paint that won’t break the bank, this would be one to consider. It is great for covering large spaces.
It is available in 50 colours.
Find all of their paints on their website: https://shop.artnoise.ca/collections/art-noise-acrylic-paint
Rheotech Acrylic Paint
| Rheotech | 60 ml 150 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 2 oz 5.06 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz | From: $7.35 $9.70 $11.70 $20.65 $37.40 | From: $0.12 $0.06 $0.05 $0.04 $0.037 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium | Okay | Medium | Satin | Student – Great |
Rheotech is a full-bodied student-grade acrylic paint made in Canada. It boasts to be the best paint in its class. Giving professional results as a student grade paint. It has a creamy, workable consistency.
Though classified as a “full-bodied” paint, I would call it a medium-bodied paint at best. Its pigment load and transparency test were on par with others in its class. There definitely wasn’t anything wrong with it and if you have it available locally, I would recommend trying it out!
Available in 71 colours.
Find all of their paints on their website: https://tri-artmfg.myshopify.com
Dacryl Professional Acrylic Paint
| Dacryl Professional Acrylic | 250 ml | 8.45 oz | $14.99 | $0.06 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Okay | High | Satin | Professional – Good |
Dacryl Professional Acrylic is another Canadian-made acrylic paint. These colours are loaded with pigment and don’t have any fillers or extenders in them. They dry to a natural gloss finish. Available in 69 different colours.
Though not top of my list for fluid paint, it offers a good quality for the price. It is much cheaper than Golden Fluid which I ranked at the top. If you want to try some fluid paint but don’t want to spend a lot at first, I would recommend trying Dacryl Professional Liquid acrylic paint.
Available through DeSerres website: https://www.deserres.ca/products/professional-liquid-acrylics?colour=white
Artist’s Loft Level 2 Acrylic Paint
| Artist’s Loft Level 2 | 75 ml 200 ml | 2.54 oz 6.76 oz | $5.99 $11.99 | $0.08 $0.06 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Body | Good | Medium | Satin | Artist – Good |
Artist’s Loft Level 2 is just that, a “Level 2” paint. It says medium viscosity on the bottle.
Putting it onto the canvas, I wasn’t surprised that it was a little thinner than some other paints. It was thicker than Winsor and Newton Galleria paint. Being “medium viscosity” means that it isn’t super thick.
In my tests, the transparency and tinting power of the Artist’s Loft Level 2 paint seemed to be better than the Artist’s Loft Level 1. The brush strokes did remain more in this one than the level 1.
If you look at the price points, it really isn’t that much more expensive than Level 1. For the little extra texture, maybe that is worth it.
I don’t have much experience with other colours of Artist’s Loft Level 2 but the ones I have used are a bit more vibrant than Artist’s Loft Level 1.
It is available at Michael’s Art Stores in over 30 colours: https://canada.michaels.com/en/medium-viscosity-acrylic-paint-by-artists-loft-2.54oz/M10553367.html?dwvar_M10553367_size=2.54%20oz&dwvar_M10553367_color=Titanium%20White
Pébéo Studio Acrylic Paint
| Pebeo | 100 ml 250 ml | 3.38 oz 8.45 oz | $6.99 $14.99 | $0.07 $0.06 | France |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | Okay/Good | Medium | Satin | Artist – Good |
This was my second time using Pébéo Studio. Coming out of the tube, it holds its shape fairly well. It was definitely thicker than Winsor and Newton. It says it has a satin finish and can be used for creating texture. I would argue that other paints are much better for creating texture. There are over 50 colour options.
It is very similar in price point to Winsor and Newton, Liquitex Basics, and Artist’s Loft Level 1.
The transparency test was about what I expected. A little better than Winsor and Newton, and definitely better than Artist’s Loft Level 1.
Its mixing power was similar to that of Artist’s Loft Level 1 and Liquitex Basics.
I don’t have experience with other colours of this brand, but I have heard good things about it from other artists. I would place it alongside Liquitex Basics in quality.
Check out more on their website: https://en.pebeo.com
Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylics
| Winsor & Newton Galeria | 60 ml 200 ml 250 ml | 2 oz 6.75 oz 8.4 oz | $6.99 $12.99 $19.49 | $0.12 $0.06 $0.08 | France |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft/Medium | Good | Medium | Satin | Artist – Better |
Winsor and Newton paints are also among the lower-priced paints. Especially when you get the 200 ml size. It is considered “Level 2” or “Artist” level at Michaels. Winsor & Newton acrylic paint was actually the first set of paints that I bought myself after I stepped up from the lowest-end paint.
Their transparency test was good and the pigment load was good for its class. The price point of the 200 ml size is a good choice for the quality.
It comes in 57 different colours and various sizes.
Check out the Winsor & Newton website for more info and where to purchase: https://www.winsornewton.com/na/paint/acrylic/galeria-acrylic/
Grumbacher Academy Acrylics
| Grumbacher Academy | 90 ml 150 ml | 3 oz 5.07 oz | $9.99 $17.99 | $0.12 $0.11 | USA |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Body | Better | High | Satin | Artist – Best |
Grumbacher Academy paint is a collegiate-grade paint that comes in 48 different colours. The paints are made in the United States.
I found Grumbacher Academy to be great quality paint. The feel of these paints was silky smooth and probably my favourite overall feel. The price range has moved up from the student-grade paints but you won’t be disappointed with the quality.
I have had experience with a few other colours by Grumbacher and have enjoyed using them.
Check out their website here: https://grumbacher.chartpak.com/product-category/painting/acrylic-paint/grumbacher-academy-acrylic/
Rosa Gallery Acrylics
| Rosa Gallery Acrylic | 60 ml | 2 oz | $7.00 | $0.12 | Ukraine |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Body | Good | Low/Medium | Satin | Artist – Good |
Rosa Gallery Artists’ Acrylics are developed and made in Ukraine. They are available in 56 colours.
The transparency was good but I found the mixing power to be lower than others in its class. Their price point puts them on par with many artist-level paints. I would recommend some others over Rosa Gallery though like Grumbacher and Winsor & Newton Galeria.
They do have some other lines of acrylics you can see on their website as well: https://rosa.ua/en/30-acrylics
Available in Canada here: https://artmaterials.ca/product/rosa-gallery-acrylic-paints-60-ml/
Sennelier Abstract Heavy Body Acrylic Paint
| Sennelier Abstract Heavy Body Acrylic | 120 ml 500 ml | 4 oz 16.9 oz | $9.49 $30.99 | $0.08 $0.06 | France |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Better | Medium | Satin | Artist – Better |
Made in France, Sennelier is the result of years of research by the Sennelier team. They believe it meets the stringent quality demands that put their paint top tier. It has a creamy-to-thick consistency.
There are 60 colours available. 34 are made from single pigments. 36 have a satin finish. 12 have a high gloss finish. 6 iridescent colours. 6 fluorescent colours.
I like their paint containers as it makes it quite easy to get all of the paint out. They do have a “professional” line as well but I haven’t tested it and it seems harder to find in North America.
I was quite surprised with how thick this paint was. Not only that, but the opacity level and tinting power were also very good. Its price range puts it more in the range of a student-level paint, but the quality is that of a better artist-grade paint. I am definitely going to be purchasing more of this paint to try out.
Available in many art stores and websites.
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3F2voI2
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3LJrwj0
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3LImIun
Check out all of their products on their website: https://www.sennelier-colors.com
Stevenson Acrylic Paint
| Stevenson | 60 ml 250 ml | 2 oz 8.4 oz | From: $8.99 $15.65 | From: $0.15 $0.06 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Heavy Body | Best | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
This was my second experience with Stevenson acrylic paint. It is classified as professional paint so that is how I was rating it.
Coming out of the tube, it was very thick. It held its shape better than all the others and was similar to Liquitex Heavy Body in that aspect.
After the transparency test, I was not disappointed. After just one layer, you couldn’t see the black underneath.
Its tinting power was similar to Golden, Artist’s Loft Level 3, and Grumbacher. Not bad but I expected slightly better.
For the price of the larger bottles, it is an amazing deal. The smaller bottles make it almost comparable to Golden and Liquitex Heavy Body. The only downside is that they are getting hard to find. Not many chains carry them and from what I read, the main producer closed down a few of years ago. If you can find these paints for a decent price, I would highly recommend them!
Artist’s Loft Level 3 Professional Acrylic Paint
| Artist’s Loft Level 3 | 59 ml 148 ml | 2 oz 5 oz | $9.99 $18.99 | $0.17 $0.13 | China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium/Heavy Body | Better | Medium/High | Satin | Professional – Good |
Artist’s Loft Level 3 is meant to be the professional-grade version of Michael’s acrylic paint. It has a high viscosity, which means it is meant to be a heavy body paint.
Coming out of the tube, it is definitely thicker than Artist’s Loft Levels 1 and 2. However, it isn’t as thick as Stevenson or Liquitex Heavy Body. It seemed similar but slightly thinner than Golden Heavy Body.
In terms of transparency, it beat its precursors and came close to Golden.
The tinting power was similar to Golden, Stevenson, and others.
The price of Artist’s Loft Level 3 is about two times the price of the Artist’s Loft Level 2, but still cheaper than other professional brands like Golden and Liquitex Heavy Body. I have used a few colours of Artist’s Loft Level 3 and wasn’t disappointed with the quality at all. Definitely one to consider if you are trying to save some money but stay with professional quality paint.
I’ve noticed at my local Michael’s store that they aren’t selling these paints individually anymore. They only sell them in packs with other colours.
You can find them here: https://canada.michaels.com/en/professional-acrylic-paint-mixing-set-by-artists-loft/10552983.html
Masterclass Artists Acrylic
| Masterclass Artists Acrylic | 46 ml | 1.5 oz | $7.99 | $0.17 | Russia |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Good | Medium | Satin | Professional – Good |
Masterclass Artists Acrylics have a heavy-body consistency that is suited for professional artists. They are manufactured by Nevskaya Palitra in Russia. They have a slower drying time than many competitors for a longer work time.
I found the transparency to be average for heavy body paint. The tinting power didn’t seem quite as good as others. For the price point, I would recommend other professional heavy body paints.
Available in 48 colours.
Available in Canada here: https://artmaterials.ca/product/masterclass-artist-acrylic-46-ml/
Amsterdam Standard Series
| Amsterdam Standard Series | 20 ml 120 ml | 0.7 oz 4 oz | $4.49 $11.50 – $14.50 | $0.22 $0.10 – $0.12 | Netherlands |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Body | Good | Medium/High | Satin | Artist – Good |
Amsterdam was founded in 1976 in Apeldoorn. They started with many different types of art products but in 2006 decided to focus and specialize just in acrylic paint. They offer acrylic paints as spray paint, markers, ink, different mediums to add to acrylics, and a variety of levelled acrylic paints.
The standard series is a medium-viscosity paint that is filled with high-grade pigments.
The standard series of acrylics that we are testing here are available in 90 colours. Their expert series is available in 70 colours.
Amsterdam Standard Series is a decent artist-level paint. I had heard some raving reviews about it so was really interested in testing it. I found the tinting power to be good for this level of paint. The transparency wasn’t anything special though. I might use this over Winsor & Newton Galeria but not over Grumbacher Academy.
You can find it in many art stores or on Amazon here:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3EXlVBI
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3FiT4bz
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/46du3dr
Here is their website: https://www.amsterdam-acrylics.com/en/about-amsterdam/
Golden Open Acrylics
| Golden Open | 59 ml | 2 oz | $13.50 | $0.23 | New York |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Body | Better | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
Golden Open series acrylics are slow-drying paints that also have a softer consistency than their heavy body paints. The name “Open” refers to their ability to stay workable for much longer than the usual acrylic paint allowing for more traditional techniques only possible with oils. They can be mixed with other acrylic paint but the drying time will then be faster.
They boast the ability of the paint to stay wet for weeks on covered palettes or sealed containers. The idea is that it would then help you waste less paint.
There are 80 colours available in this line of paints that come in 59 ml (2 oz.)
I found the thickness of this paint to be more of a medium body. Its transparency and tinting power were just slightly below their heavy body line. The increased drying time is very nice to work with. It is a more expensive paint but worth it if you want an increased drying time without having to add any extenders or retarders yourself.
It is available at many art stores but can be found on Amazon as well:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3RJgRc6
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/45g2UW3
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/46fdsGe
You can check out all of the Golden Open colours on their website: https://goldenartistcolors.com/products/golden-artist-acrylics/open
Golden SoFlat Acrylics
| Golden SoFlat | 59 ml 473 ml | 2 oz 16 oz | $13.99 – $31.99 $44.20 | $0.24 – $0.54 $0.09 | New York |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid/Soft Body | Best | High | Matte | Professional – Better |
Golden SoFlat acrylic paint offers the matte finish and opacity of gouache paint with the benefits of acrylic paint of mixing with mediums, solid coverage, and more. SoFlat has a flowing consistency that is made for solid coverage on your canvas. It has great levelling capabilities to create intense colour coats. These acrylic paints are more opaque than traditional acrylic paints. This means many of the usual transparent colours will be more opaque when used.
It is available in 60 colours in 2, 4, and 16 oz. Jars.
These paints are available at many art stores but can be found on Amazon as well:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3EYImqv
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3PI3XYW
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3ZNNPd9
You can check out all of the Golden SoFlat colours on their website: https://goldenartistcolors.com/products/golden-artist-acrylics/soflat
Golden Heavy Body Acrylics
| Golden Heavy Body | 59 ml 148 ml | 2 oz 5 oz | From: $12.99 $24.99 | From: $0.22 $0.17 | New York |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Best | High | Satin | Professional – Best |
Golden heavy-body acrylic paint. I have used Golden paint for many years now and do like the feel and quality.
Coming out of the tube, it is thick but not as thick as Stevenson or Liquitex Heavy Body. On the brush, you can feel the texture and quality.
The transparency test resulted in it being one of the most opaque.
The tinting power was also one of the best.
As you can see, some of the results show that it really isn’t that much better than some of the other “professional” paints. Long-term results may show something different, however, this is also a pat on the back to Artist’s Loft Level 3 and others like Stevenson. It almost comes down to reliability and community respect. Golden has been a respected producer of high-quality acrylic paint for a very long time and this is why it is so trusted and used by many artists.
It isn’t cheap, being tied with Liquitex Heavy Body for the price of most colours. So I think a lot of it comes to personal preference. If you like a more fluid heavy body paint, Golden is the way to go. If you want more texture, Liquitex Heavy Body is the way to go in my opinion.
You can find this at almost every art store for purchase.
Check out all of the Golden Heavy Body colours on their website: https://goldenartistcolors.com/products/golden-artist-acrylics/heavy-body
Liquitex Heavy Body
| Liquitex Heavy Body | 59 ml 138 ml | 2 oz 4.65 oz | From: $12.99 $24.99 | From: $0.22 $0.18 | France / China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Heavy Body | Best | High | Satin | Professional – Best |
Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paints are some of the best heavy body paints you can find. Their opacity, transparency, and thickness are all top-level. They come in 116 different colours to match your every need. Their quality is reflected in their higher price point.
I regularly use this type of paint in my artwork. I recommend it if you are looking for professional-level heavy body paint. Liquitex is a world-renowned company that is known for its quality of products.
Read more about their heavy body paint on their website here: https://www.liquitex.com/en-ca/collections/professional-heavy-body-acrylics
Winsor & Newton Professional Acrylics
| Winsor and Newton Professional | 60 ml | 2 oz | $12.29 | $0.20 | France |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Best | High | Satin | Professional – Best |
Originally founded in 1832 by William Winsor and Henry Newton, Winsor and Newton’s art products have been a staple in the art society for over a century. Using the latest resin technology, Winsor and Newton Professional Acrylics claim to have no colour shift when drying. Boasting amazing opacity, viscosity, and specific gravity, these acrylic paints are at the top of the list.
I was very impressed with this paint. In my opinion, the Winsor & Newton Professional is the best heavy-body acrylic paint. It had the highest opacity rating, was a great thickness, and was right up there in terms of mixing power.
Available in 80 colours.
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3LKai56
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/45jBrme
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3F2vjUV
200 ml and 237 ml available on their website: https://www.winsornewton.com/na/paint/acrylic/professional-acrylic/#product-info-colours
Old Holland New Masters Acrylics
| Old Holland New Masters Acrylic | 60 ml | 2 oz | From: $16 | From: $0.27 | Netherlands |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Best | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
Old Holland New Masters Acrylic Paint has high light-fastness, the same colour strength and intensity as their oil colours, and a very high viscosity and pigment load.
They established themselves in 1664 in the Netherlands. Many of the same recipes are used today just with new technologies as things have advanced.
Comes in 168 colours.
Old Holland is a quality heavy body paint. Its transparency was very good and mixing power was also very good. Both seemed slightly worse than Winsor & Newton Professional but very similar to Golden. It is a bit more expensive than many other professional acrylic paint lines though so that needs to be taken into consideration.
Available in Canada here: https://artmaterials.ca/product/old-holland-new-masters-acrylic-paints/
Or check out their website here: https://www.oldholland.com
Holbein Heavy Body Acrylics
| Holbein Heavy Body | 60 ml 330 ml | 2 oz 11.1 oz | $11 + $55 | $0.18 $0.17 | Japan |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Better | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
Holbein acrylic paints are named after the famous European painter Hans Holbein. The paints are currently made in Japan but with distribution across Southeast Asia, North America, Australia, and Europe.
I’ve seen prices for these paints vary by quite a bit depending on where you find them. These prices were from a main art supply store in Canada.
The transparency for Holbein wasn’t quite as good as some others but the pigment load seemed high. It is similar in price to Golden and Liquitex Heavy Body paints. Its consistency was similar to that of Golden.
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3LKahy8
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/45kjCUa
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3RAxzKy
You can read all about their paint here: https://holbeinartistmaterials.com/about-us/
Tri-Art High Viscosity Acrylics
| Tri-Art High Viscosity | 60 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 2 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz | From: $11.65 $28.75 $48.90 $92.00 | From: $0.19 $0.12 $0.10 $0.09 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Body | Better | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
Tri-Art High Viscosity acrylic paint is Canadian-made just for artists. It has high pigment loading, high-quality pigments, high solids content for tensile strength, and high viscosity for a thick buttery consistency.
The viscosity of Tri-Art High Viscosity paint is similar to that of Golden Heavy Body. The transparency was good but not as good as some other heavy body paints. The tinting power was excellent and earned itself the top position in that category. In higher quantities, this professional paint is actually a great deal and can be much cheaper than other brands. If you have it in your area, this is definitely one to consider.
Available throughout various art stores in Canada and the Tri-Art website directly: https://tri-artmfg.myshopify.com/collections/high-viscosity
Tri-Art Liquid Acrylics
| Tri-Art Liquids | 60 ml 120 ml 250 ml 500 ml 1000 ml | 2 oz 4 oz 8.45 oz 16.9 oz 33.4 oz | From: $10.30 $14.60 $23.99 $38.35 $63.25 | From: $0.17 $0.12 $0.10 $0.08 $0.06 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Good | High | Satin | Professional – Good |
Tri-Art liquid acrylic paints have a lotion-like consistency that is perfect for mixing. Loaded with the highest quality pigments, these paints are made for professional artists.
When comparing these with other fluid paints, I found them to be middle of the pack in terms of quality. They weren’t as good as Golden Fluid but were better than Liquitex Basics Fluid and Dacryl Professional Fluid. However, the price of these is much more favourable than Golden.
It comes in 103 colours in a variety of sizes.
Find all of their paints on their website: https://tri-artmfg.myshopify.com/collections/liquid-acrylics
Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics
| Liquitex Soft Body | 60 ml | 2 oz | $9.99 | $0.17 | France / China |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid/Soft Body | Better | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
Liquitex Soft Body I would classify more as a liquid paint than a soft body. It did well in the transparency test and well in the mixing test. I have used this paint for a while and is great when you want a thinner consistency but don’t want to give up quality. It is basically as expensive as their heavy body paint line.
It comes in 100 colours in one size.
Read and see all of the colours on their website: https://www.liquitex.com/en-ca/collections/professional-soft-body-acrylics
Golden Fluid Acrylics
| Golden Fluid | 30 ml 118 ml | 1 oz 4 oz | $10.99 – $17.50 $25.99 – $45.99 | $0.37 – $0.58 $0.22 – $0.39 | New York |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid | Great | High | Satin | Professional – Best |
Golden Fluid Acrylic Paint has the same intensity as the Golden Heavy Body Acrylics but with a more flowing consistency. It is thicker than the High Flow Acrylics but still suitable for spraying. It can be combined with an Airbrush Medium to help with flow. You can use it for fine details, pouring, and more.
I found the Golden Fluid to be the highest quality of fluid acrylic paint there is. It has the best opacity and best mixing power of fluid paints. However, the price point is the highest as well.
The Golden Fluids blend easily with other acrylic paints, gels, mediums, gessoes, and more.
They come in over 93 different colours.
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/46w4ZOH
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3PyW0oQ
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3thL4Vn
Read more about them on their website: https://goldenartistcolors.com/products/golden-artist-acrylics/fluid
Golden High Flow Acrylics
| Golden High Flow | 30 ml | 1 oz | $9.99-$15.99 | $0.33 – $0.53 | New York |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ink-like | Good | High | Satin | Professional – Better |
Golden High Flow Acrylic Paint is an ultra-thin acrylic paint that has an ink-like consistency. These paints can be used for airbrushes, refillable markers, dip pens, or just as a standalone paint itself. It is filled with high-quality Golden pigment that it uses with all of its paints.
Out of the two high-flow paints that I tested, Golden definitely had a better transparency and pigment load.
For more info, instructions for using, and more, check out this article on the Golden website: https://www.goldenpaints.com/technicalinfo/technicalinfo_highflow
It comes in 86 different colours.
Find them at your local art store or on Amazon below:
- Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3tmXlrn
- Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3PHb0B5
- Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/46kro1F
Read more about Golden High Flow and see all available colours here: https://goldenartistcolors.com/products/golden-artist-acrylics/high-flow
Tri-Art Low Viscosity
| Tri-Art Low Viscosity | 34 ml | 1.2 oz | From: $8.90 | From: $0.26 | Canada |
| Viscosity | Transparency | Pigment Load | Finish | Overall Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ink-like | Poor | Poor | Satin | Artist – Low |
Tri-Art Low Viscosity paint is a water-like flowing paint. This allows for fine strokes and easy detail work. You can use it for fine brushwork, large washes, glazing, and airbrush applications.
I expected a similar result to the Golden High-Flow but was a little disappointed. It didn’t leave much of a trace on the canvas and didn’t tint the magenta very well at all. Though the price is much lower, I would recommend Golden High-Flow.
It comes in 72 different colours.
See all of the colours and read more on their website: https://tri-artmfg.myshopify.com/collections/low-viscosity-acrylics
Acrylic Paints Not Tested But Worth Looking At
Utrecht Studio Series
| Utrecht Studio Series | 237 ml 473 ml 946 ml | 8 oz 16 oz 32 oz | From: $12.99 $21.99 $37.99 | From: $0.05 $0.046 $0.04 | USA |
Utrecht Studio Series Acrylic Paints are made with the same pigments and binders as the artist-quality Utrecht paints but their medium viscosity formula makes them more economical. Great for educators, students, and budget-friendly artists. They are also made in the U.S.A.
Available in 32 colours.
Read more about them here: https://www.utrechtart.com/about/
Blick Studio Acrylic Paint
| Blick Studio | 120 ml 237 ml 473 ml | 4 oz 8 oz 16 oz | From: $6.99 $12.99 $23.99 | From: $0.06 $0.05 $0.05 | Mauritius |
Blick Studio Acrylic Paints are great for students, hobbyists, and professionals on a budget. They are produced with the same process as professional paints which gives them a great consistency and texture. It is made in Mauritius.
Read more about them here: https://www.dickblick.com/about-blick/
Chroma Atelier Interactive Acrylic Paints
| Chroma Atelier Interactive Arts | 80 ml 250 ml | 2.7 oz 8.5 oz | From: $7.99 $19.99 | From: $0.11 $0.08 | USA / Australia |
Chroma was founded in 1965 by the artist Jim Cobb. Chroma Atelier Interactive Artists’ Acrylics are unique because they dry very gradually not creating a film on top. There is a minimal colour shift when they dry. This paint has a smooth, buttery consistency and it dries to a satin finish. You can use the Atelier Unlocking Formula to reopen and rework touch-dry sections even days later.
It comes in 83 colours.
They are based in the U.S. and Australia.
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3LIjuGY
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3PIUuRl
Read more about them here: https://chromaonline.com
Blick Artists’ Acrylic Paint
| Blick Artists’ | 59 ml 138 ml 237 ml | 2 oz 4.65 oz 8 oz | From: $8.99 $13.99 $15.99 | From: $0.15 $0.10 $0.07 | USA |
These acrylics are said to have outstanding pigment strength, good-to-excellent lightfast ratings, and high viscosity. They are made in the U.S.A.
Read more about them here: https://www.dickblick.com/about-blick/
Utrecht Artists’ Acrylic Paint
| Utrecht Artists’ | 59 ml 150 ml 473 ml | 2 oz 5 oz 16 oz | From: $9.50 $14.99 $35.99 | From: $0.16 $0.10 $0.08 | USA |
Utrecht Artists’ Acrylic Colors have a buttery texture and are made from 100% pure acrylic polymer. They have been around since 1949 and are made in the U.S.A.
Read more about Utrecht here: https://www.utrechtart.com/about/
Sennelier Extra-Fine Artist Acrylics
| Sennelier Extra-Fine Artist Acrylics | 60 ml | 2 oz | From: $9.50 | From: $0.16 | France |
French-made, Sennelier was the supplier to Monet, Gauguin, and Picasso. These modern acrylics mimic the qualities of oil paints. Only the highest quality pigments are used.
They come in a variety of 120 colours.
Read more about them here: http://www.sennelier-colors.com
M. Graham Acrylics
| M. Graham Acrylics | 59 ml 150 ml | 2 oz 5 oz | $14.99 $23.49 | $0.25 $0.16 | Oregon, USA |
Founded 25 years ago in Oregon, M. Graham creates high-quality acrylic paints. They say their acrylic stays open longer than other traditional acrylics to increase your work time. Being similar in price to other top acrylics, they could be worth a shot. From reading many Amazon reviews, it sounds like they are really high-quality paints.
It was out of stock when I was making this video. Hopefully, they are back in stock if you want to try them.
Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3LGgM4L
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3tmknP8
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3tgNoMp
Here is their website: https://mgraham.com/artists-colors/acrylics/
Schmincke Primacryl Finest Artists’ Acrylics
| Schmincke Primacryl Finest Artists’ Acrylics | 60 ml | 2 oz | From: $20 | From: $0.33 | Germany |
These are said to exceed even the most rigorous professional expectations. The Titanium White in particular is supposedly unparalleled for its opacity, mixing capabilities, and covering power.
They have other varieties of acrylic paints on their website as well, which you can check out.
Website: https://www.schmincke.de/en.html
Lascaux Acrylic Paints
| Lascaux Artist Acrylics | 45 ml 750 ml | 1.5 oz 25 oz | From: $16.99 $94.99 | From: $0.38 $0.13 | Switzerland |
Lascaux paints are made in Switzerland where they have been based since 1963. They are intensely pigmented with extraordinary lightfast ratings. They are made to have the body and texture of fine oils, including an oil-like viscosity that allows the full range of traditional painting techniques.
Read more about them here: https://lascaux.ch/en/about-us
Awards and Recognition
Here are the categories that I decided to give awards for. I’m not going to give a long description for each here. I talk about each award in depth in the video that you can watch.
The Thickest Paint
- Dacryl Kolegial
- Winsor & Newton Professional
- Stevenson
The Paint Thickness award was pretty easy to tell. Dacryl Kolegial easily took the top place here. Some runner-ups included Liquitex Heavy Body and Sennelier Abstract.
The Most Opaque Paint
- Winsor & Newton Professional
- Golden Heavy Body
- Stevenson/Liquitex Heavy Body
There were quite a few that were similar in opaqueness. However, the top spot seemed quite obvious. Winsor & Newton Professional was the most opaque titanium white.
The Strongest Pigment
- Tri-Art High Viscosity
- Stevenson
- Holbein
The Strongest Pigment was a very difficult category to decide. The top paint like Winsor & Newton Professional, Golden Heavy Body, and Liquitex Heavy Body were all very strong. I wanted to give some other paints recognition as doing just as good.
The Most Surprising
- Sennelier
- Dacryl Kolegial
- Apple Barrell
The most surprising is plainly what acrylic paint surprised me the most. Sennelier Abstract surprised me with how thick it is and how high quality it is for the price. This was the first time I’d seen paint come in a bag like this as well.
Dacryl Kolegial surprised me with how thick it was.
Apple Barrell surprised me with how opaque it was and the coverage it had. I was disappointed when it cracked though.
The Best For Art Classes/Bulk
- Artist’s Loft Soft Body
- Mont Marte
- Meeden
Artist’s Loft Soft Body easily won the Best in Bulk or Best for Art Classes award. It is the cheapest paint on the list and it performed better than any other big bottle paint. Very impressed.
The Best Fluid Paint
- Golden Fluid
- Liquitex Soft Body
- Dacryl Professional Liquid
Golden Fluid paint was the most opaque of all the fluid paints. It also had great coverage and tinting power.
Best Budget-Friendly Paint
- Liquitex Basics
- Colours
- Sennelier Abstract
- Grumbacher/Winsor & Newton Galeria
We saw a lot of good options for budget-friendly paints that are still good quality. Liquitex Basics comes in first place. Very vibrant, good opaqueness, decent tinting power all at $0.05 per ml. Colours was new to me but I was impressed with it. I would be interested in trying more colours with it. With a price of $0.04 per ml, it is very affordable. Sennelier Abstract is third on this list but ranks very high as well. I plan to get more of this paint to test. Winsor & Newton Galeria is slightly more expensive than the others on the list but a great paint. Grumbacher Academy is a bit more than all of them in this list but it is still a great option as it is cheaper than some others for great quality.
Best Feel
- Grumbacher Academy
- Golden Open
- Winsor & Newton Professional
The Grumbacher easily took first place in this category. Its silky smooth application was awesome to work with. Maybe not the best for creating a lot of texture but it was enjoyable. Golden Open was thinner than their heavy body line which was actually a nice medium-bodied paint. The extra working time is also a nice tough. Winsor & Newton Professional was slightly thicker than Golden but still very smooth and nice to use.
The Cheapest Paint
- Artist’s Loft Soft Body
- DecoArt Craft Paint
- Meeden Acrylic Paint
Just going by statistics, these were the three cheapest paints.
The Most Expensive Paint
- Old Holland New Masters
- Golden SoFlat
- Golden Open
I did want to mention that I didn’t include all of the fluid and high-flow paints in this because I didn’t think that was fair. It is hard to know how far 60 ml of fluid paint will go. It might last much longer than 60 ml of medium or heavy body paint.
Paints to Stay Away From
- Nicpro
- Tri-Art Low Viscosity
- Craft Paints
Nicpro was a big fail in terms of opacity and mixing power. I was very disappointed with it compared to others in its class. Tri-Art Low Viscosity just seemed off as well. Maybe I was expecting too much but compared to the Golden High Flow it really didn’t stand a chance. Craft paints are on this list because of how they will crack when trying to apply thick paint. Be aware and be mindful of what your end goal is.
Best Overall Acrylic Paint Brand
- Golden
- Liquitex
- Winsor & Newton
In my opinion, there are three top brands in the acrylic paint world. Golden is one of the best overall brands of acrylic paint. The quality is top across the board and the variety of kinds of acrylic paint is great. They have a heavy body, matte, open, fluid, and high-flow. On top of that, they have great mediums and gels as well as varnishes. The only thing they are missing in my opinion is a student-grade paint.
Liquitex is top quality across the board and is right up there next to Golden for the best acrylic paint brand. One could easily argue that it is above Golden. They have a wide variety of types of paints and also offer different mediums and varnishes. They have a soft body, heavy body, gouache, ink, markers, basics fluid, and basics medium body. They also offer tools, brushes, and surfaces to paint on.
I chose Winsor & Newton as the third because they have a very strong student/artist grade paint and one of the best heavy body paints on the market. That is it for acrylic paint but then they have watercolour paint, oil paint, various mediums, varnishes, surfaces, tools, brushes, and more.
Best Specialty Acrylic Paint
- Golden Open
- Golden SoFlat
- Dacryl Kolegial
I chose Golden Open as the number one specialty paint because of its extended drying time while not losing quality level.
Golden SoFlat is a great matte paint that lays itself down very well.
Dacryl Kolegial has shown up a lot on this page but the thickness of this paint allows for some fun to be had with texture.
Artist’s Choice
- Winsor & Newton Professional
- Sennelier
- Grumbacher
- Golden Open
Winsor & Newton Professional is the top acrylic paint in this list in my opinion because I like painting with heavy body paint. The opacity, thickness, and tinting power are amazing.
I chose Sennelier second because of the high quality for the cheaper price point.
I chose Grumbacher because of the silky smooth texture and great opaqueness.
I chose Golden Open because of its longer drying time.
If you enjoyed this article and video and want to help me continue to make more quality content, please consider donating to the cause below:
Thanks for watching and don’t forget to give a thumbs up and subscribe!