Can you paint with Oil Paint over Acrylic Paint?

The answer is YES!

Many, many fine art professionals use acrylic paint as an undercoat or underpainting for their oil paintings.  Acrylic dries much faster than oil paint.

Therefore it is possible to sketch and shade your underpainting in a matter of minutes or hours with acrylic paint.  Oil paint takes several days to dry to the touch; and several years to completely cure.

Tone your Canvas with Acrylic Paint

Another old studio trick that many painters use is “toning” the canvas with red or orange acrylic paint before beginning their oil painting.  This is especially popular among landscape artists.

After the painting is completed, tiny – almost microscopic, areas of red paint will show through.  This creates cohesiveness throughout the entire painting, and also make the green hues in the landscape paintings sparkle and pop.

Let it Dry and Don’t Mix Brushes

Make sure your acrylic paint is complete dry before applying oil paint over it.  Also, don’t mix your brushes.

Keep a set of acrylic brushes with synthetic bristles, and save your natural hair brushes for oils only.  Not only will your brushes last much longer, but if you mix your brushes, acrylic paint will pick up remaining oil in your brush and will not adhere well to the surface of your canvas.

see Best Brushes for Heavy Body Acrylic Paint

One rule about Acrylic and Oil Paint

Never, ever, ever, in a million, zillion years should you paint acrylic paint on top of oil paint.

Acrylic and Oil is a one way street.

Acrylic applies over oil paint will not adhere well, will peel, crack and generally wreck havoc on your painting surface in no time at all.