Types of Painting Mediums

Though there are many styles of painting art, there are also many different mediums through which artists express themselves. Depending on the technique and effect required, different mediums can be used to heighten the artist’s vision. Here are some of the most popular types of painting mediums you’ll find in the modern day.

Oil

Oil paintings are one of the oldest forms of painting and remain one of the most popular painting medium types to this day. When painting in oils it’s easy to blend colours, but can be difficult to erase mistakes meaning it can be a difficult medium to master. Some of the world’s most famous paintings were painted in oils, with portraits being a particular speciality of many artists who work in this medium.

Watercolour

Watercolour paints tend to be inexpensive to purchase but, similar to oil paints, difficult to master. Paints are diluted with water meaning they can go a long way from a single tube, but once the paints are on the canvas there is little that can be done to correct mistakes. Watercolour paintings work beautifully with light and are often used to paint landscapes.

Acrylic

Only dating back to 1940, acrylic is a relatively new painting medium. It dries quickly, is versatile, and can be very durable. If you make a mistake using acrylic paints you can even scrape them off if you act quickly. Many pop artists used acrylic in their works, with the famous Campbell Soup Can a particular example of acrylic art.

Gouache

Gouache is a form of watercolour which has been modified to be opaque which differentiates it from more traditional watercolour paints. As a painting medium, it dries quickly and dries to a slightly different colour than when it was wet. Many commercial artists work in gouache, as it is vibrant and can block out colours quickly.

Pastel

Pastels differ from many of the other types of painting art mediums in some key ways. Most pastels come in the form of a stick of powdered pigment which is then pressed onto the canvas to apply the colour, with several different varieties available. When using pastels, you’ll get strong colours that are close to the natural pigmentation inside the pastel, and with few barriers to creating art, it’s possible to get a canvas and some pastels and get creating quickly.

Encaustic

Encaustic painting is an ancient method of infusing colour into a surface, usually wood, canvas, or even tile. Pigments are added to a wax which is then heated and added to the surface, giving a luminous colour with strong dimensional qualities.

Fresco

Frescoes are traditionally a quite large-scale painting medium, as they are usually applied over a layer of freshly laid lime plaster. This method allows the paint and pigment to bond with the plater, making the image integral to the surface. Many famous frescoes have been painted throughout history, including The Creation of Adam and The Last Supper.

Spray Paint

Spray paint, or aerosol paint, is a modern form of painting and has become associated with street art or graffiti. The paint is held in a sealed can and released in an aerosol spray, allowing smooth, even coats to be applied to a surface. This makes it ideal when speed is of the essence and allows large areas to be painted in one sitting.

Digital

Lastly, the modern age has brought us a new medium of painting, in digital format. Using digital painting tools which include virtual brushes of different sizes and textures as well as a range of colours that would be difficult to procure in reality, digital artists are able to create paintings that can push the boundaries of their imagination. Digital painting has swiftly become a painting medium all by itself, as digital artists continue to explore what’s possible with this new medium.