What Are Acrylic Paints?
A water-based medium, the usual texture and consistency is similar to oil paints. However, unlike oils, you can get acrylics in various densities. These range from an ink-like consistency thin enough to be used in airbrushes through various degrees of ‘flow’ very much like oil paints, to the consistency of soft cream cheese. This allows really heavy 3D (impasto) effects. Various substances are available to be added to the paint to create all sorts of textures. Or you can use your own, such as plaster or sand, for a further variety of textured effects. All the brands and thicknesses can be thinned back down using water. Some artists I know actually use thinned down acrylic in a pure watercolor style.
