FREE GUIDE

How To Make
Acrylics
Work Like
Oils
SIMPLE TRICKS TO GET SMOOTHER
BLENDS, LONGER WORKING TIME,
AND AN EASIER PAINTING PROCESS

WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

This is one of the top questions I get when it comes to painting

realistic wildlife as an oil painter.

CAN I GET THE

SAME EFFECT
WITH ACRYLIC
PA I N T ?

Short answer: Yes. Sort of.

(Helpful, I know. )😄
The truth?
I painted realistic wildlife art with acrylics for years before switching to oils.

So yes, it’s doable. But also—it takes some extra supplies, effort, and tricks to make
acrylics behave like oils.

👇
In this guide (and the video below ), I’ll break it all down for you—so you can
decide what’s best for your painting style, lifestyle, and goals.

VIDEO DEMO:

SEE HOW OILS AND ACRYLICS

LOOK AND HANDLE SIDE BY
SIDE, PLUS SOME OF MY BEST
BLENDING TIPS.

CLICK TO WATCH

Keep reading to learn what the difference is between oil paint

and acrylic paint, and which you should choose.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

🧪 Oil vs Acrylic:
What’s the Difference, Really?
Let’s quickly compare the basics:

Oil Paint Acrylic Paint

Drying Time Very slow (days to months) Very fast (minutes)

Blending Ability Easy and smooth Challenging without help

Cleanup Needs solvents Just water

Can have fumes (minimized

Smell/Fumes Low (but not non-existent)
with modern products)

Matte or plasticky (unless

Finish Rich, luminous
modified)

Learning Curve Steeper at first Easier to start with

The Verdict:
Oils give you more blending time and richer f inishes.
Acrylics are easier to clean up and dry fast—great for quick
layers or tighter schedules.

Want to take a deeper dive into the differences

between oils and acrylics?
Click the button below

OILS VS ACRYLICS: A DEEPER LOOK

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

Why I Switched to Oils

(After Years with Acrylics)
I resisted oils for years. I didn’t think I had the patience, and the idea of solvents
freaked me out. But here’s what changed:

I was already treating my acrylics like oils—adding slow-dry mediums,

misting constantly, and blending section by section.
I wanted smoother blending, less stress about drying paint, and a more
relaxed workflow.
Modern, low-odor solvents and solvent-free options made oils way less
intimidating.

Once I made the switch? Game-changer. No regrets.

But if you love acrylics or aren’t ready to switch—you still have options. Let’s talk
about that.

How To Make Your Acrylics Work Like Oils

USE SLOW-DRYING
MEDIUMS
Adding slow-drying mediums to your acrylics will
drastically extend the dry time, making your paint
wet and workable for much longer.

Winsor &
Golden
Newton Liquitex
Acrylic
Slow Slow-Dri
Retarder
Drying Retarder
Medium
Medium

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

KEEP YOUR PAINTING WET LONGER WITH A SPRAY BOTTLE

By using a spray bottle with a super fine mist and plain water,
you can actually keep the paint you've already applied to your
canvas wet longer so you can blend it before it dries.

Now it's very important that you find a spray bottle with a
super fine mist - any large droplets are going to cause the
paint to pool and run, ruining your hard work.

Very lightly spray the surface of your wet painting to keep it

wet, opting to do multiple thin sprays every few minutes
rather than a heavy layer.

USE THICKER LAYERS OF

PAINT

Thicker layers of paint will take longer to dry,

which can help with blending.

WORK IN SMALLER SECTIONS

TO GET SMOOTH BLENDING

Even with the use of slow-drying mediums, you'll

have to work very quickly in order to blend your
wet paint out.

You can work around this by working in smaller

sections at a time, blending them out before they
dry and then moving onto the next section.

USE HIGHER QUALITY

ACRYLIC PAINT
Higher quality acrylic paint tends to be thicker
(which dries more slowly) and has more
pigment, giving it a more oil paint-like look.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

KEEP YOUR PALETTE WET LONGER

It's heartbreaking to set up your palette and have the paint dry
before you can even use it, wasting precious expensive paint.
But thankfully the Masterson Sta-Wet Palette can keep your palette
wet for days, sometimes even weeks.

It has a sponge on the bottom that holds water, and special water-
permeable palette paper that keeps the paint wet without diluting it
or making it watery.

Close the lid tightly after a painting session and keep those acrylics
wet for a few days longer.

A NEW ALTERNATIVE: WATER-SOLUBLE OIL PAINT

The new(ish) kid on the block blends the best of both worlds: water-soluble oil
paint.

I have no personal experience with these, so this information is based on

research but it may be a good option for you.

Traditional oils are not water-soluble (hence the need for solvents for cleaning
brushes), but new oil paints have been developed that are water-soluble (also
called water-mixable or water-miscible).
These are essentially oil paints that can be cleaned with water instead of
solvents due to the modified oil base.

These water-soluble oils dry in two phases:

1st phase - Evaporation (like acrylics)
2nd Phase - Oxidation (like traditional oils)

These water-soluble oil paints tend to dry within a few days rather than a few
weeks/months with traditional oils.

If these sound like the best of both worlds for you, here are a few great options:

Mont Marte Winsor &

Daniel Smith Water Newton
Water Mixable Oil Water
Soluble Oil Paint Mixable Oil
Colors Colour

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

Why You Might Want to Switch to Oils

Look—I’m not here to convince you to toss your acrylics in the bin. (Heck, I still
use mine for occasional things like tinting my canvases.)

But if you’ve been curious about oil paint, or feeling a little frustrated with the
limits of acrylics, it might be time to explore what oils can offer.

Here’s what I wish someone had told me sooner:

Blending Is
Blending Is Way
Way Easier
Easier (and
(and Calmer)
Calmer)

If you love soft transitions, smooth fur, and subtle shadows—oils make that
so much easier. The paint stays wet for hours, even days, so you can work at
your own pace without racing the clock.

No more misting every 15 seconds or panicking because your paint dried

mid-stroke.

They’re Surprisingly
They’re Surprisingly Forgiving
Forgiving

Made a mistake? Wipe it off. Need to rework an area? Go for it.

Oil paint is incredibly workable while it is still wet, which actually makes it a
lot more beginner-friendly than you’d think.

You have time to breathe, correct, and explore.

The Colors
The Colors Stay
Stay Rich
Rich and
and Luminous
Luminous

Oils have this deep, glowing quality that’s hard to get with acrylics unless
you do a lot of layering or glazing.

The pigment load is higher, and the finish is naturally more professional-
looking—especially for collectors or anyone viewing your work in person.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

You Can
You Can Often
Often Sell
Sell Oil
Oil Paintings
Paintings for
for More
More

While skill and connection are bigger factors, the perceived value of oil
paintings is often higher.

Galleries, collectors, and even casual buyers tend to associate oil paintings
with traditional fine art—and that can lead to better pricing potential for
your work.

Is that fair? Not really. But it’s something to be aware of if selling art is part of
your long-term plan.

Oils Age
Oils Age Beautifully
Beautifully

Oil paint has stood the test of time—literally. It dries to a durable, flexible film
that resists cracking, fading, and yellowing (if you’re using quality materials).

Many collectors see oils as more archival, which can be a selling point if
you're creating work meant to last.

You Don’t
You Don’t Need
Need to
to Go
Go All
All In
In Right
Right Away
Away

You can ease into oils with a few basic supplies. You can keep using acrylics
for what they’re great at (like underpaintings). You can even try water-
soluble oils if you’re still unsure about solvents.

You don’t have to “become an oil painter” overnight. Just try it. You might be
surprised by how much you enjoy it.

They’re Ideal
They’re Ideal for
for Layering
Layering and
and Depth
Depth

Want that soft-focus background? Wispy fur? Glowing eyes? Oils let you
build up transparent and semi-opaque layers over time without muddying
things.

You can really sculpt a painting with subtle transitions and depth—especially
helpful for wildlife details.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

Frequently Asked Questions

But I’m Still Nervous About Switching to Oils…
Totally normal. If you're used to acrylics, oils can feel like this big, mysterious
leap. But I promise, it’s not as scary (or smelly) as it sounds.

Here are a few common worries I hear—and some honest thoughts from
someone who’s been there:

Q: Aren’t
Q: Aren’t oils
oils super
super toxic
toxic and
and full
full of
of fumes?
fumes?

They can be, but they don’t have to be.

These days, you can paint with oils using low-odor thinners or even solvent-
free mediums. I use an odorless paint thinner and keep the lid sealed when
I’m not using it. I also open windows or use a fan/purifier when I can, but the
fumes are minimal compared to what they used to be.

And if you want to avoid solvents completely, water-mixable oils are a great
option—they clean up with water!

Q: Do
Q: Do I
I have
have to
to wait
wait weeks
weeks between
between every
every layer?
layer?

Nope! That’s one of the biggest myths about oils & their modern mediums.

While oils can take a long time to fully cure, that doesn’t mean you have to
wait forever to keep working. There are drying mediums you can add that
speed things up a ton. Unless you really love working with extremely thick,
textural oil paint, you don’t have to wait weeks to months for things to dry.

Q: Should
Q: Should I
I throw
throw out
out all
all my
my acrylics
acrylics if
if I
I switch?
switch?

Heck no! I still keep a few tubes of acrylic paint on hand—especially neutral
colors like burnt sienna or burnt umber—for tinting my canvas before I start.

That underpainting layer dries instantly with acrylics, which is way more
practical than waiting a few days with oils. The result looks and feels exactly
the same once the oil painting goes on top.

So even if you switch, your acrylics can still be part of your toolkit.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

Q: Is
Q: Is oil
oil painting
painting messier
messier or
or harder
harder to
to clean
clean up?
up?

It’s just a different kind of cleanup. Instead of water, you’ll use a brush-
cleaning jar with odorless thinner or brush soap. It takes a few extra steps,
but it’s not hard.

And honestly? I’ve found oils way less stressful because I’m not constantly
rushing before things dry.

Before I started with oils, I thought the entire clean up process was too
intimidating but now that I’ve been painting exclusively with oils for years, I
realize how silly that was. Instead of having a jar of water and a rag next to
me to clean acrylics off my brushes, I now have a jar of odorless paint thinner
and a rag beside me.

The biggest difference is not dumping the fluid down the drain at the end of
the day - with oils now I just close the lid on my jar of odorless paint thinner
and call it a day, knowing I will be reusing it again tomorrow (and for the
next few weeks/months).

Q: Is
Q: Is oil
oil painting
painting really
really that
that much
much better
better for
for realism?
realism?

It’s not outright better, it’s just...easier in some ways.

The slower drying time gives you more freedom to blend and refine edges—
especially helpful for fur, feathers, and soft shadows.

But I created realistic paintings with acrylics for years. It's possible either way
—it just depends on what kind of process you enjoy.

Q: Will
Q: Will switching
switching to
to oils
oils make
make me
me a
a better
better painter?
painter?

Only time and practice will do that. 😉

But oils can make your process feel more relaxed. Less rushing, more
blending time, and often fewer “fights” with the paint.

If your current workflow feels frantic or frustrating, switching mediums

might smooth that out—but it won’t replace the fundamentals.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

 What If You Had
Step-by-Step Support
for Every Animal You Paint?
If this guide helped you feel even a little more confident with fur, you’d
probably love what we’re doing inside the Wildlife Painting Academy.

It’s a come-as-you-are membership for artists who want to get better

at painting animals—without overwhelm or pressure.

We take our time. We break things down.

And we cover way more than just fur.

Inside, you’ll find full-length oil painting lessons, detailed demos,

reference photo libraries, and tons of practical support to help you
paint with more confidence and joy.

👉 You can peek inside or join us below.

No pressure—just know you’re welcome anytime. 🐾
LEARN MORE HERE
ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

Oils vs Acrylics: A Deeper Dive

Oils & Acrylics - What Are They?
Oil Paint Acrylic Paint
Oil paints are slow drying paints that Acrylics paints are fast drying paints
consists of pigment bound in an oil base. that consist of pigment in an acrylic
The oils used in the base are those that polymer emulsion, often with added
will actually dry and harden fully in time, stabilizers and other products.
which commonly are linseed oil, walnut oil
and safflower oil these days. Acrylics dry through evaporation (water
shifting from a liquid phase to a
Oil paint doesn’t “dry” quite like acrylic gaseous phase and leaving the paint).
paint, or how we expect things to
traditionally dry. The oils react with oxygen They’re water-based, which means that
in the air over a period of a few days to a brushes can be washed with
few months and harden completely. water(rather than solvents), yet they
become water-resistant when dried (as
Since oils are made with oils, they aren’t opposed to watercolor paint which can
water soluble so in order to clean the be rehydrated and reworked after they
paint from brushes you’ll need to use have completely dried).
solvents.

PIGMENT BOUND IN AN PIGMENT BOUND IN AN

OIL BASE ACRYLIC POLYMER EMULSION

DRIES BY OXIDIZING, DRIES BY EVAPORATING

NOT EVAPORATING

NOT WATER SOLUBLE WATER SOLUBLE

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

How Are They Different?

OIL PAINT

Oil Paint Is Slow Drying

Oils take a lot longer to dry
compared to acrylics, anywhere
from a few days to a few months.
This means you can blend them
beautifully & easily. Their long
drying time also makes working
wet-into-wet easier, since you can
continue to for a longer period of
time.
You’ll also find yourself wasting less
paint on your palette since it won’t
dry on you before you’ve had a
chance to use it.
The slow drying time means you
will have to wait a few days in
between layers, but thankfully ACRYLIC PAINT
there are mediums that will
drastically increase the drying time.
Acrylic Paint is Fast
Drying
Due to the fact that acrylics are
fast drying (sometimes drying
within minutes), it is much harder
to blend acrylic paint in
comparison to oils. Once the paint
is dried, it won’t budge and you
will potentially have to paint over
it.
You can work around this by
using slow-drying mediums or
keeping your paint and palette
wet longer (more on this below).
A bonus of the fast drying time is
that you won’t have to wait days
between layers of your paintings.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY

ACRYLICS THAT ACT LIKE OILS

How Are They Different?

OIL PAINT

Oil Paint Requires the Use of

Solvents
Since oil paint isn’t water-soluble,
you obviously can’t clean your
brushes with water. This is where
solvents come in.

Solvents used to be incredibly

volatile, but thankfully modern
solvents are much easier and safer
to use. Odorless paint thinners
make it easier and safer for artists
to use these solvents in their
homes.

There are also a few new solvent-

free mediums that are coming to
the market which further reduces
the amount of potential fumes
from working with oils.

Even though the use of odorless

paint thinner and solvent-free
mediums helps to reduce the
fumes associated with oils, it’s still
very important to ensure that you ACRYLIC PAINT
have good ventilation in your
favorite painting space.
Acrylic Paint is Water-
I use an air purifier in my studio, Soluble
and open the windows as much as
I can to get the air flowing. Acrylic paint is water-soluble,
which means no need for
I also keep the lid on my jar of solvents. The evaporation process
odorless paint thinner closed of acrylics drying tends to
whenever I’m not using it to produce much less fumes than
reduce the fumes.
oils.

DANI TRUDEAU | WILDLIFE PAINTING ACADEMY