Do latex and acrylic paints work together?

August 12, 2008 4:53 PM

When painting, is it okay to use different types of paint (specifically latex based and acrylic) at the same time? I am painting primed plywood and need to use a lot of colors, but I have a wider selection of acrylics than latex. The reason I don't use acrylic entirely is because it is not always as opaque as I would like. When the piece is finished it will be covered with polyurethane to make the surface smooth and shiny. Will the paints react to each other over time, or should the top coat hold everything together?
posted by catertot to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Latex and acrylic are pretty similar in chemical make-up. Latex is going to be a lot less archival and lightfast than acrylic though - so be sure to use a polyurethane with UV blockers. I'd use a water based urethane as well. You should be ok with that combination of media though - they shouldn''t react adversely
posted by leslies at 6:28 PM on August 12, 2008

I agree with leslies that they shouldn't react much, although I would not suggest mixing the 2 types together.
Alternatively you could get a gel medium to mix into your acrylics to make the colors more opaque--Pearl Paint has many different types.
posted by beckish at 6:39 PM on August 12, 2008

I've created artwork on canvas for my daughter's room using a background color of latex with the top details painted in acrylic. No problems.
posted by Ostara at 8:23 PM on August 12, 2008

Latex and acrlic are perfectly fine. I know from experience and many, many 8'x4' paintings.

The only problem with latex is that's it's kinda fragile. If you put it on something smooth without priming first, it can come off, get ripped (yeah, ripped), etc. Leslies is also right about it being less lightfast.

I don't know if there are any long-term problems, but I certainly haven't seen any, and my latex-and-acrylic paintings are all around 6 years old.

Other than that, have fun!
posted by flibbertigibbet at 9:12 PM on August 12, 2008