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Different Types of Craft Paint
By: Linda Hollander for FaveCrafts.com
Have you ever stood in the paint aisle of your favorite craft store totally confused over which paint to buy for your project? It’s no wonder with the myriad of products on the market today…a dozen or more brands, hundreds of bottles, jars, spray cans, and all those specialty finishes!
Let’s try to make some sense of the different types of craft paint here.
Craft paint is now formulated to adhere to just about anything and everything including wood, metal, glass, glazed ceramics, plastic, fabric, leather, Styrofoam, paper, artificial flowers and more! It seems there is nothing that cannot be painted these days…..as long as it doesn’t move too fast!
The type of surface you are painting on is key to choosing the correct product.
First determine whether your surface is porous or non-porous. Regular acrylic craft paint will adhere well to porous surfaces such as bare wood, paper mache, and chipboard easily but may peel or chip from a non-porous surface such as glass, ceramic, or bare metal. Special surfaces such as fabric or leather require specialized paint formulas to resist cracking and hold up during repeated use and washing.
Different Types of Craft Paint
Acrylic craft paint such as DecoArt Americana, Delta Ceramcoat, and FolkArt Acrylics are good choices for porous surfaces such as bare wood, paper mache, medium density fiberboard (MDF), chip board, and primed canvas. These paints are offered in the widest array of colors of all craft paints and are readily available in craft stores and online.
Acrylic craft paint is the most economical of all the craft paints on the shelf today. Cost ranges from $.75-$2.00 for a 2 oz. bottle. Price determines quality, however. It may be worth paying an extra 25- 50 cents for a bottle of premium paint which will have better binders and more pigment and thus provide better coverage and adhesion.
Acrylic craft paints can be brushed on, sponged on, rolled on, and stenciled on. They dry to a flat finish and should be varnished with brush-on or spray-on acrylic topcoats to protect the finish and add sheen if desired. Avoid using polyurethane varnishes as they will most likely yellow over time.
Adhesion Mediums
If you have a nice stash of acrylic colors, adhesion mediums can save you the cost of investing in special paints for slick surfaces or fabric.
DecoArt’s Adhesion Medium expands the types of surfaces you can use acrylic paints on. Mix it with acrylic paint to improve adhesion to slick, porous surfaces.
Fabric painting mediums offered by DecoArt and Delta make acrylic paint flexible and washable on textiles.
Looking for the best craft paint for your project? We’ve got you covered. We have all the paint info you need to make your craft amazing.
Understanding the different types of craft paint and make or break your craft project. We are going to break down the different types of craft paint below.
Crafting makes us HAPPY! To help in making sure you are all set when crafting, we have put together a few other guides to help with crafting including: 101+ Easy Craft Ideas for Kids, How to Pick the Best Craft Glue For Your Craft Project, Different Types of Craft Paper, Different Types of Scissors, Best Markets For Coloring, and 25+ Must Have Craft Supplies.
Paint Finishes
Before we get into each of the different types of paint, we should talk about the finishes of paint. Paint finishes range from a flat or matte finish to high gloss. There are typically five different paint finishes.
- Flat or Matte – Is the least reflective of light which means that it holds more of the the color or pigment of the paint.
- Eggshell – This a low light reflecting paint that is not totally matte, but covers imperfections or blemishes.
- Satin – This is a smooth paint and most popular finish of craft paints. There is a bit of reflection of light.
- Semi-Gloss – This is a more reflective paint and is used on more slick surfaces that may need to be cleaned.
- Glossy or High Gloss – Highest reflective paint and is super shiny. Great for surfaces that may have some moisture or need to be cleaned.
Craft Paint Resources
Just like there are different types of paint, there are different ways to apply the paint and supplies that you can have on hand for when you are creating your masterpiece paint craft.
Paint Brushes
One thing I have learned over the years is that it is important to make sure that you are using the correct paint brush for the correct type of paint. There are specific paint brushes when it comes to oil paint, acrylic, tempura, or watercolor. Its always a good idea to make sure you have a wide variety of brushes in your craft kit.
Here is a variety pack that I have in my craft bin that the kids can grab for their latest project.
Paint Accessories
When it comes to crafting or painting in general, there are always accessories to make sure you don’t make a mess and that you are completely organized too. Here are a few of my favorites when it comes to paint.
- Plastic Paint Tray Pallets
- Kids Art Smock
- No Spill Paint Cups
- Kid’s Art Easel with Paper Roll
- Small Tabletop Wood Easel
- Plastic Art Box For Storage
