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Acrylic Paint Drying Time

A list of acrylic paint drying time by brand, from slowest to fastest time.

By , About.com Guide

Acrylic Painting Drying Time

Most acrylic paints have a short drying time.

Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.

Most acrylics dry very quickly, within minutes in a hot studio, but some brands are specially formulated to dry more slowly without having to add retarder medium. This is a list of different brands of acrylic paint, arranged by drying time.

Always remember though, environmental factors also influence the drying time of acrylic paint. If it's very hot and dry, or if there's a breeze (or draft from an air conditioner or fan), then the paint will dry faster. Working in a cooler or more humid location will slow drying.

Acrylic Painting Drying Time:
Very Slow: Golden Open Acrylic, up to two days.

Slow: M Graham Acrylic, up to an hour.

Slowish: Winsor & Newton Acrylic, up to 30 minutes.

Fast: Most brands, including Golden (excluding Golden's Open Acrylics), Liquitex, Matisse, Sennelier, Daler-Rowney, Utrecht, Amsterdam, Maimeri, Tri-Art, Winsor & Newton Galeria, etc.

Slow or Fast: Atelier Interactive is in a category by itself, as the paint is formulated to dry by thickening not skinning over, and can be reactivated by spraying with water or unlocking medium.

Fluid Acrylics and Acrylic Inks: Both these forms of acrylic paint dry fast.

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