Which Paints Are Easier to Work With, and Which Are Harder?

My personal difficulty ranking

In the world of painting, not every paint is "friendly." Some cooperate with the artist, others put up resistance. Here's my personal ranking — from the hardest to the most "forgiving."

🥇 1. Watercolour — beautiful and merciless

If I had to name the hardest technique, watercolour would win hands down. Why?

Because it doesn't forgive mistakes. You paint in one go — and it has to work out. There's no fixing it, no painting over it.

Instead of control — intuition. Instead of layers — transparency. Sometimes it's a miracle, sometimes it's frustration. But the result? Often magical.

🥈 2. Acrylic — lightning on canvas

Acrylic is my choice, even though it's not easy either.

The drying speed can genuinely bring you to tears — literally!

You won't have time to blend, you won't have time to mix — it's already setting.

It needs pace, layering, a good plan. And on top of that: heavy material consumption. But in return — it's rewarding in texture, saturation, and expression.

🥉 3. Oil paints — (almost) perfect comfort

In third place — oil paints.

For me, this is the most "forgiving" technique. You can correct, move things around, paint for hours.

Nothing dries in a panic, nothing runs away. You can think, breathe, search.

One downside: the smell of solvents, but it's survivable.

Every technique has its own character — like a person. Some demand caution, others energy, and still others — patience.

And even though I love acrylic, I know it won't suit everyone.

So it's worth trying, testing, and finding the paints that "speak" to your hand and your heart.