What do you think of Artist’s Loft acrylic paints? It’s the Michaels store brand. How does it perform? Have you used it on your fine art pieces?
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As Kathleen Grace said, they are below student grade paints. Sometimes you can buy some Artist Loft brand stuff, like the basic gloss medium or something, and maybe mix it with higher quality paints and make it work somehow.
Paints are a mix of pigment and a binder. In cheap Artist Loft paint, the paints mix differently than higher quality paints and are more sheer/thin. There is more binder and less pigment, and the pigments are not high quality. The paint tends to be plastic-y and you need many layers to cover a surface.
My own 2 cents? Liquitex BASIC line is the step above Artist’s Loft. Windsor & Newton’s Galleria student line is better than both. There are other student lines that are on par with W&N or better, but my Michael’s mainly had W&N.
You don’t really use generic or student brand paints in “Fine Art” pieces that are gallery/archival quality. Professional quality paints have better pigments that are made from actual minerals and metals, which makes them expensive but beautiful. They also have better binders. They last longer and resist things like weathering and yellowing. Those qualities are expected of professional artwork that is to be sold.
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I’m an Artist. I use Michaels brand a lot. I have spent a lot of money on expensive brands . I use them if I am doing detailed work that I want to get a more sense depth. They are thicker than Michaels. I use then even when I enter an Art Contest. I have won contests using Michaels. Good Luck in your Art
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There are four levels of paints. Kids, student grade, mid-level, and professional. They are generally numbered 1, 2, and 3 in the adult paints. Professional level 3 paints have a higher amount of pigment, better quality binders, and consistency of coverage. Student grade paints are for kids who are more serious about their art but are not ready to start spending a lot on paints. Artist Loft is more what I would consider a craft paint rather than an artist paint. It has almost no pigment, the binders are not long lasting, and if you get it too thick it will crack. Hues are not necessarily lesser quality. Many of the professional grade paints have hues because the minerals normally used to make a particular color are toxic and people don’t want toxic to deal with. I regularly use hues in place of a pure cadmium or cobalt simply because I use my hands to do some things and get effects and do not want to have toxic paint on my skin. They still have good coverage and use the same binders as the real cadmiums. Go with the quality brands. If you want a good quality paint that is less expensive I would recommend Liquitex or SoHo brands.
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I allowed this question to get to me.
I was sure that more expensive acrylics were not worth it maybe even a scam for snobs —without trying them!
When I saw the question I was going to respond that among brands of cheap acrylics they are all the same. I have found that it’s true. For example when I didn’t like the texture of a specific color I would try another brand of cheap acrylics and found it to be exactly the same. I guessed that they used the same pigments and that that was why. The only difference seemed to be the size of the hole. I hate the big holes. Won’t buy those. YUCK.
Ok so I’m painting almost exclusively on wood. All kinds of wood
These earrings were painted with cheap acrylics. (Full disclosure the dark blue is airbrush paint)
When I painted on canvas/gesso I felt that the results were great.
I’ve been doing this for 17 years.
Now, getting to this question. I didn’t feel that I could respond until I gave more expensive acrylics a try.
I bought these.
I have been working with them for a few hours.
My thoughts so far. The packaging is superb. I love having the control over amount and airtight tubes.
The texture is… different. consistent across colors as cheap acrylics are definitely not. Is it better? I can’t say yet. I’m perhaps too used to cheap acrylics. I’m having trouble making it smooth. I’m not finding thinning to be easy. I’m not able to cover colors which are underneath as easily. I’m not finding mixing as easy. I don’t feel like I have as much control.
All this could definitely be that I’m not used to these.
If my findings change I will add.
EDIT
Many hours later now and I’m a convert. Just had to get the feel for this. I find that I need to thin before starting, this takes care of the texture and control issues. Blending colors together works fine. Not sure what the issue was before. Also I wonder if it wasn’t covering because I was trying to cover cheap acrylics.
So bottom line, more expensive is nicer. I’m such a skeptic.
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As a professional I purchase paint that I know can perform at a high level. In my opinion a paint that is sold as a store brand is not a professional grade paint and thus I would have no use for it not would I take the chance with it.
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Frequent artist, long time painter, I used student, store brand and other cheap paints for several years (over 10) started airbrushing and used Createx (Wicked & Illustrator), Golden and Iwata Com-art for brushing as well as airbrush and never looked back! You actually get more value out of the more expensive brands!! Better binder, finer ground pigment etc. (with the possible exception of the “Blicks” brand) Give the artist’s Lot to your kids (between 5 and 12 YO) and buy the good stuff.
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Most beginning acrylic artists start with Artist Loft, as did I. I was surprised when I made my first painting that I had to go over every area twice to cover the canvas. It does NOT have good coverage at all, and the consistency of it is not reliable, some of it is very gummy. The one time I would recommend it is if you need to cover a large area in metallic paint. The metallics aren’t too bad, although they can be gummy and thick. Also the iridescent medium is ok. If your budget allows, Liquitex basic is not great, but bet…
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They’re cheap paints, below the quality of student paints. They’re okay for kids and for playing around, but if you want better quality and affordable, buy student grade paints. They work well enough for doing quick sketches or studies but not for serious work.
I use some of them just for quick sketches sitting in the car- they serve the purpose for cheap. I’d never use them for fine work, never.
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