Acrylics vs Oils: 7 Key Differences Every Painter Should Know

If you’ve been painting with acrylics and have ever wondered what it would be like to switch to oils, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions I hear from landscape painters—especially those who want more control, smoother blends, and less pressure to rush.

In the video below, I walk through the 7 biggest differences between acrylics and oil paints, based on my own experience working extensively in both. If you’re curious about oils but unsure what to expect, this will help you make an informed decision—without the overwhelm.

1. Oil Paints Stay Workable Much Longer

The biggest adjustment for acrylic painters is time—or rather, the lack of urgency.

Acrylics dry fast, which often puts painters into a constant race against the clock. Oils, on the other hand, stay workable for hours, sometimes days.

Why this matters:
Remember, you don’t have to get everything right on the first pass. Oils give you room to relax and enjoy the process.

2. Blending Is Easier (and More Forgiving)

Because oil paint stays wet longer, blending comes more naturally—especially for skies, soft transitions, and atmospheric effects.

Common beginner mistake:
Over-blending. Just because oils allow blending doesn’t mean you should keep brushing forever. That’s how colors get muddy.

If it starts to go wrong, stop. Let it dry. Tomorrow is part of the process.

3. Soft Edges Come More Naturally

With acrylics, achieving soft edges takes practice and speed. With oils, soft edges are simply easier to control.

You can still paint crisp, sharp edges—but oils make it much simpler to soften transitions where you want depth and distance.

This often shows up when painters want to:
Create distant trees, rolling hills, or cloud edges that feel airy instead of cut out.

4. Colors Don’t Shift as They Dry

If you’ve painted with acrylics, you’ve probably noticed that colors often dry darker than they appear when wet.

Oils don’t do that.

What you see is what you get. The color you mix and apply is the color it will remain once dry.

Why this helps:
It makes color mixing more predictable and builds confidence in your color decisions.

5. Some Earth Tones Can “Sink In”

While oil colors don’t shift, darker earth tones can sometimes appear dull after drying. This is called sinking in and happens when the oil binder is absorbed into lower layers.

Good news, this is easy to fix. A small amount of oil or medium restores the original richness.

This isn’t a mistake—it’s just part of how oils behave.

If you’d like to see this demonstrated step by step, I walk through this exact issue in more detail in this short video.

➡️ How to fix dull areas in your oil painting

6. You Use Mediums Instead of Water

With acrylics, water does most of the work. With oils, it’s the medium that controls how the paint behaves.

Mediums can:

• Speed up or slow down drying time

• Increase transparency

• Improve flow and handling

Keeping things simple:
I primarily use Liquin (an alkyd medium), which speeds the drying time to overnight. Which means I can keep painting the following day and not waiting on my paint to dry. That’s also what I recommend my students use in all of my courses.

If you’d like a deeper explanation of common oil painting mediums—and which ones I actually recommend—I’ve written a on that.

➡️ Why You Should Use Mediums in Oil Painting

7. Brush Cleaning Is Different (But Not Complicated)

Oil painters clean brushes with solvents rather than water—though you don’t need to constantly rinse while painting.

Most of the time:

• Wipe paint off as you work

• Rinse with solvent only when drastically changing colors

• Clean thoroughly with soap at the end of a session

If solvents concern you, there are non-toxic options and even water-mixable oils that provide the benefits of oils without traditional solvents.

If you'd like to see how I clean my brushes, watch this short video.

➡️ How to clean your paint brushes

Final Thoughts: Don’t Be Afraid of Oils

Oil paints often get an unfair reputation for being difficult, dangerous, or intimidating. In reality, the pigments are the same across all paint types. It’s the binder that changes. (The binder in oil paint is commonly linseed, poppy, safflower or walnut oil.)

When I switched back to oils after many years in acrylics, it was a game changer. I hear the same thing from many painters who make the transition.

Your Next Step

If you’re curious about oil painting—or want a clearer, more structured approach to landscape painting—I invite you to start with my free workshop:

👉 Secrets to Painting Beautiful, Realistic Landscapes

In this workshop you’ll learn my four-stage approach that helps painting feel simpler and more enjoyable—regardless of the medium you use.