What type of paint should I use if I am painting scenery on canvas?
If its a small area, matchpots are great. Or those small tins you get from the Dulux paint machine at big DIY stores, or the stores own brand matchpots. Any emulsion or water based paint such as acrylic artists paints are good. But I'd avoid poster paint, it will fade quickly compared to wall paint. Anything you use to seal it will show up against the wall; and since its not washable, when you paint the varnish over the top it can streak.
Acrylic paint will work nicely&,if you want the paint to have a moreoil paintinglook,mix in a bit of gesso to give the paint texture
Acrylic is fast drying, relatively inexpensive, but also pretty unforgiving. Oils take a long time to dry, are more expensive, but allow more leeway for modification, since they do take so long to dry. I favor oils. I like the texture, and the process of painting itself is more enjoyable. But it's a personal preference. Try a few things out, then go with what feels right to you.
It depends on what medium you like. I use oil based paints, but acrylics can also be used. Oil can be applied by many different kinds of bushes or pallet knife. It can be thinned to create a wash or used at any thickness to achieve different textures. It stays pliable for a long time, so it can be worked with for several hours. I cover my pallet so that it is air tight and put it in the freezer so that I can continue at a later time and not have to remix the paints. Many art stores have classes to do a painting at a minimal cost. This is fun and gives one on one help and suggestions.
A painter's basic dilemma is oil vs acrylic paints. Oil paints are made of dry pigments suspended in an oil, often mixed with a thinner, a waxy stabilizer, and a drying agent. Oil paints date back to the 13th century. Benefits of painting with oils: * Your paint stays wet for a long time; you can work on the same painting for a long stretch of time * Greater range of colors available * Far easier to manipulate colors (eg, blending, shading) * More transparent (ie, better for glazes) * Can make your own paints * Greater sense of richness to the color, texture and depth of your final work Two worthwhile cautions about working with oils: Be smart about working with solvents (eg, turpentine) and have a firm understanding of your paint's drying time (some oils take weeks or months to dry). Acrylics are much more recent option; they were developed in the 1940s. Acrylic paint consisting of pigment suspended in a mixture of synthetic binder and mineral spirits. Benefits of acrylics include: * Faster drying time * Dried surface is more flexible * Resistant to aging * Cheaper (usually) * Water soluble when wet, but water resistant when dry * More versatile (can be made to replicate the look of watercolors, for example) * Easier to mix * Easier to layer paints Other options to consider: oil-paint sticks, gouache, egg tempera, chroma A note on canvas: If you're buying a ready-made support, make sure to buy one prepared for the type of paint you decide on. Look to see if it is primed for acrylics or oils. A note on brushes: For oil paints, invest in durable, flexible brushes that can withstand the cleaning process. For acrylics, consider synthetic bristles developed specifically for acrylic paint and be vigilant about paint drying on your brushes!
