Besides the characteristics of the different types of paint, there are also a few other considerations:
Cost: Top-quality paint and canvas is expensive but dirt-cheap paint won’t give you good results when mixing colors. You need to find a balance between paint that’s of a quality to give good colors but cheap enough that you don’t worry too much about using it up (or wasting it). Poison hazards: If you’ve small children, you may not want to have the solvents used in oil painting lying around. Some people are also allergic to the solvents, in which case you might investigate low-odor versions or are water-based oil paints. Soft pastels can product a lot of dust; be careful to minimize the amount you inhale. For example, don’t blow on your work to remove loose pastel. Poisonous pigments, such as cadmium red, are usually available as a non-toxic hue. Not that any paint is made to be eaten! Personally I think acrylics are the best choice for beginners as they’re easy to learn to use, dilute and clean up with water, and there are brands available that are a good balance between quality and price. So let’s look at the Advantages of Acrylics.
Water-Soluble Oils
A relatively new alternative to traditional oil paint is water-soluble oils. These are formulated to thin with water, and can be mixed with traditional oils. If you like different things about different paints, you could mix them — then you’ll be working in what’s called mixed media. If there’s an art college near you, see if they offer an introductory course on a particular medium. You get to try the paint among other novices and will learn basic skills. It may also provide you with a contact for cheaper art materials. Pastels and watercolor pencils are popular cross-over drawing/painting mediums; painterly effects can be achieved with them while retaining the immediacy of drawing. Other painting media are gouache, tempera, and encaustic. Special paints are used for painting on silk or fabric, which are heat set (usually with an iron) to stop them washing out.
