Acrylics are a fairly recent medium which came into general use in the 1960s and have become very popular due to their extreme versatility.

They are made from pigment, water and an acrylic binder, which forms a hard, clear film as the water evaporates. It is this transparent film, reflecting light from the pigment inside it, that gives acrylic colour its brilliance.

The biggest advantage of Acrylics over Oils is that they dry very
quickly. Having a cup of tea is mostly just the time needed for one
layer to dry.

The film is more flexible than that of other media and is unlikely to crack. Acrylics are resistant to water once dry, which means they can be overpainted without disturbing the previous colour.

Acrylics can be used in both oil painting and watercolour techniques making this a very versatile medium. They come in a wide array of colours and can be combined with all sorts of materials to create a mixed media art work.

They are also the perfect medium for the budding artist so why not give it a try !