Oil Paint vs Acrylic Paint: Which Is Better for NZ Artists?

The Great Debate: Oil Paint or Acrylic Paint?

If you’re stepping into painting as a hobby or developing your practice, the oil vs acrylic question is one of the first decisions you’ll face. Both are brilliant mediums with devoted followings—but they behave very differently. This guide compares them honestly so New Zealand painters can make the right choice for their goals, space, and budget.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Why Choose Acrylic Paint

What makes acrylic paint good for beginners?

Acrylics are the most forgiving painting medium. Fast drying means you can paint over mistakes in minutes. Water cleanup keeps things simple. Minimal fumes make them safe for any room in your home. And the cost of entry is genuinely low—our 12-colour starter set is $9.99. Read our complete acrylic guide for everything you need to know.

What are acrylic paint’s strengths?

• Versatility: Use thick (impasto), thin (washes), or poured. Acrylics do it all.
• Speed: Complete a painting in one session. Layer without waiting days.
• Easy cleanup: Soap and water while wet. No toxic solvents needed.
• Surface flexibility: Paint on canvas, paper, wood, glass, fabric—almost anything.
• Affordability: Individual 75ml tubes from $2.49, complete sets from $9.99.
• Safe for home studios: Non-toxic, low fumes—paint in any room. Perfect for home studio setups.

What are acrylic paint’s weaknesses?

• Fast drying can make blending challenging (use retarder medium to slow it down)
• Slight colour shift when drying—colours darken slightly as water evaporates
• Can’t be reworked once dry (unlike oils, which stay workable for days)

Why Choose Oil Paint

What makes oil paint special?

Oil paint has been the gold standard for fine art for centuries. The Mona Lisa, Starry Night, and virtually every Old Master painting was created with oils. The medium offers unmatched richness, depth, and blending capability that many serious artists find irreplaceable.

What are oil paint’s strengths?

• Superior blending: Slow drying gives you hours (even days) to blend, adjust, and perfect
• Colour accuracy: Minimal colour shift—what you mix is what you get when dry
• Richness: Higher pigment load creates deeper, more luminous colours
• Reworkability: Scrape off and repaint days after application
• Proven longevity: Oil paintings have survived centuries in galleries worldwide

Browse our oil paint range if you’re ready to explore this classic medium.

What are oil paint’s downsides?

• Slow drying (days to weeks between layers)
• Requires solvents for cleanup (turpentine, mineral spirits)
• Good ventilation essential due to solvent fumes
• Higher startup cost than acrylics
• More complex techniques and materials to learn
• Not ideal for small apartments or shared spaces

Which Should You Start With?

Should beginners start with acrylic or oil?

Start with acrylic. The vast majority of art teachers and experienced painters recommend acrylics for beginners. The fast drying, easy cleanup, low cost, and forgiving nature let you focus on learning fundamentals—colour mixing, composition, brush technique—without battling the medium. Once you’ve built confidence and technique, transitioning to oils is natural and rewarding.

When should I try oil painting?

Consider oils when you’ve mastered basic acrylic techniques, you want extended blending time for realistic work, you have a well-ventilated studio space, and you’re ready to invest more in materials. Many Kiwi painters work in both mediums, choosing acrylics for speed and experimentation, and oils for special projects requiring finesse.

Can You Use Both?

Can you paint oil over acrylic?

Yes—this is actually a popular technique. Paint your underpainting in fast-drying acrylic to establish composition and values, then finish with oils for fine blending and detail. The rule is “fat over lean”: oil (fat) over acrylic (lean) works perfectly. Never paint acrylic over oil—it won’t adhere properly.

Get Started Today

Whether you choose acrylic, oil, or both, Handy Mandy has you covered. Browse acrylic paints, oil paints, brushes, and canvas—all with free shipping over $75 and same-day dispatch. 100% New Zealand owned.

Frequently Asked Questions