Comprehensive index for articles and reviews on acrylic artist paint brands.
Read impartial, objective reviews written by working studio artists – NOT employee reps of paint manufacturers!
Note: Craft, student, classroom, and house paint are not included here.
Golden Artist Paints, Inc.
One of the best known acrylic artist paint brands. Golden offers the most comprehensive line of pigments, gels, mediums, etc. Their website contains detailed information about use for each product. Golden does not make a student grade line, all pigments are professional artist grade. Made in USA.
Golden Acrylic Articles:
Liquitex Artist Acrylic
Typically considered the first manufacturer of water-based acrylic artist paint, Liquitex is found in almost every brick and mortar store that sells art supplies. Liquitex is also sold on most art websites. Liquitex offers a complete product line, with a many gels and mediums. Both a professional and student grade paint lines are offered for sale by Liquitex. Made in USA.
Liquitex Paint Articles:
- How good are Liqutiex Heavy Body Artists Colors Paint?
- Extra Large Painting Knives from Liquitex
- Get Started with Liquitex Acrylic Paint Mediums
- Liquitex: the Granddaddy of them all. (company profile)
Winsor & Newton
One of the oldest oil paint manufacturers on planet earth, the U.K. company Winsor & Newton has a full line of acrylic paint. Readily available in most art supply stores in the USA, this paint is a popular brand. Winsor & Newton recently (2009) revamped their entire acrylic line, with new paint formula claimed to be the brightest pigment available with no color shift upon drying.
Winsor & Newton Articles:
- Galeria Black Lava Texture Gel
- Confused about the newest W&N Mediums?
- Winsor & Newton Acrylic Paint for Artists
Chroma
Chroma produces Atelier Interactive, one of the first slow drying professional acrylic paints to hit the market. Chroma has three offices located in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Bolton, Lancashire in the UK and Lititz, Pennsylvania in the USA.
Chroma Articles:
- Chroma Atelier Interactive Acrylic Product Review
- 5 Quick Tips for Chroma Atelier Interactive Acrylics
- Isolation Coats and Varnishing with Atelier Chroma Interactive Acrylics
- How do Chroma Acrylics compare with Oils?
Daler-Rowney
A UK company, Daler-Rowney manufacturs Cryla Artist’s Acrylic and Student Grade Paint brand called System3.
Da Vinci
Acrylic Paint Company founded in California, Da Vinci paints are best known for their fluid acrylic line although they also manufacture heavy body professional artist paint.
Da Vinci Articles:
Holbein
A Japanese manufacturer of acrylic artist paint, Holbein is still considered a speciality paint for professional artists. Not widely available in hobby stores, this brand is available in some art supply stores.
Holbein Articles:
- Guest Blogger: Bob Burridge with Studio Tips for Acrylic Paint
- Artist Review: Bob Burridge thoughts on Holbein Acrylic Paint
- Holbein Acrylic Paint Company Profile
Lascaux
Swiss manufacturer, Lascaux produces professional grade artist’s paint (tubes) , gels, & mediums. Also offer a student grade line of acrylic paint as well as a watercolor / acrylic hybrid paint called Aquacryl.
Lascaux Articles:
LUKAS
Lukas CRYL acrylic paint, both impasto and fluid, manufactured in Germany.
Lukas Articles:
- Lukas CRYL Product Review
- Lukas Acrylic Impasto Paint Review
- LUKAS Artists Acrylic Paint Company Profile
Matisse
Aussie manufacturer, Matisse is made by Derivan offers two main lines of professional artist grade acrylic paint called Structure and Flow.
Matisse Articles:
- Matisse Acrylic New Product: Open Medium
- Matisse Acrylic Paint Company Overview
- Matisse Structure Acrylic Paint Product Review
Maimeri Brera
Italian manufacturer, Maimeri Brera offers acrylic paint in both professional fine art grade and student grade. Available throughout the online art retailer websites.
Maimeri Brera Articles:
- Working Artist Review of Maimeri Brera Acrylic Paint
- Maimeri Brera Acrylic Paint Review
- Maimeri Brera Acrylic (company profile)
M Graham
Based out of Oregon, M Graham has been making professional artists paint in Oregon for 20 years.
Nova Color
Nova Color is a company based out of southern California making acrylic paint since 1965. Not sold in retail stores, the paint is available online directly from the manufacturer or from their factory store in Culver City, CA – greater Los Angeles area.
Nova Color Articles:
Old Holland
Best known for oil paint, Old Holland, a company based in the Netherlands, produces the acrylic paint brand called New Masters Classic Acrylics.
Royal Talens
Royal Talens is a Dutch company founded in the 1899. Corporate headquarters are still based in The Netherlands.
Royal Talens Articles:
Sennelier
A company in France, Sennelier produces artist’s acrylics and mediums called Acrylique.
Tri Art
Canadian paint manufacturer, Tri Art, makes artist’s grade paint, with brand name Finest Quality. Tri Art student grade paint is called True Color. They also produce many value grade brands.
Tri Art Articles:
While this information is interesting, when I read the title “Acrylic Paint Brands Review” I was expecting to hear a review of the products and how they measure up to one another.
Quick Example: I find that Golden Heavy Body Acrylic has a similar body and viscosity to Matisse Structure. Whereas Liquitex Heavy Body (in my opinion) has a thicker, more gluey consistency, etc., etc.
I would find this type of review helpful.
Hope this feedback is helpful.
Hi Latifah,
Thanks so much for the feedback!!
Although I am indeed reviewing actual individual acrylic paint products, it is a slow process. We have only been online for about a month now.
So far we have about 7 product reviews. I try to add 2-3 new products per week.
I hope you will stick with me a bit, the site is new and growing fast.
Thanks again for the feedback, it is encouraging for me to know that folks are beginning to read and respond to the articles.
Cindy / editor
Acrylic Paint Review
Hi Cindy,
I appreciate your comments. I will definitely stick with the blog. It has such potential – and to find out that it is only 1 month old, wow. It seems pretty evolved for being so young. And I appreciate your welcome response to my feedback.
Take care,
Latifah
When I studied materials and techniques with the curators of the Philadelphia Art Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, L’Accademia dei Belli Arti di San Marco, Florence (world’s best restoration center after the flood) and the Boston Museum School, all of them said “beware of mixing different brands, many are incompatible.” Now I don’t remember which could be used together. Liquitex, Hyplar (Grumbacher), Holbein, Lucas, Talens, Da Vinci — there are so many, so I use Winsor Newton, one of the few generally available here in Costa Rica. How does one find out today about their compatibility? Of course this is chemistry between the “vehicles”, but one should sell stable paintings.