8 Ultra-Inspiring Acrylic Paint Artists

Artists working with acrylic paint today are quite prevalent, as acrylics are such a user-friendly medium. If you’ve read my other posts on acrylic paint and acrylic art, no doubt you’ve noticed I am a rabid fan.

Having used acrylic paints myself for over 3 decades, I can attest to their brilliance. How could you not like a paint that is safe, dries quickly, comes in tons of colors, mixes beautifully, is mind-bogglingly versatile, etc etc etc?

With that, I shall present you with 10 Contemporary Acrylic Paint Artists so that you may get all sorts of inspired.

Contemporary Acrylic Paint Artists

The following 10 people are examples of artists using acrylic paints in different styles and techniques today. Acrylic paint has been around since the 1950’s (widely used starting in the 60’s) and was quickly adopted by artists as an oil paint alternative. In fact, I wonder if more artists are working in acrylics than oil paints today.

I am opening myself up to being yelled at by oil painting enthusiasts, but I feel like acrylics are similar to moving to digital photography from film photography. I know that there are techniques and the ‘paint feel’ that are unique to oils, but a huge number of artists have embraced the ease and safety of working with acrylic paints.

And now let’s shut me up and get on to the acrylic artists!

Abstract Acrylic Artists

These are my favorites! I love abstract painting, and working in acrylic paints abstractly is rife with possibilities. Acrylic paint the perfect medium to experiment with, based on the seemingly limitless number of techniques to which it lends itself.

Angela Johal is the master of precision with these abstract acrylic paintings on canvas. Her color sense is masterful, as is her hard edge technique. She creates her paintings while she listens to music, pulling from its emotional power to inform her art. Website | Instagram

It may seem like an easy thing to pull off paintings with words and numbers, but most of the time it looks kind of random. Ward Schumaker’s acrylic paintings contain letters/numbers/words over the years and they work perfectly as part of his abstract visual language. Website

Also see: abstract acrylic painting ideas

Photo Realism Acrylic Artists

Lisa Ericson’s eye-popping photorealistic acrylic paintings are made even more striking by her subject matter. Flora and fauna are piled in surreal, dreamy combinations that normally would not co-exist, but do so beautifully on the panel. Website | Instagram

Self-taught acrylic painter Nick Sider will astound you with his talent. Giant hyper-realistic paintings of lions and tigers are what he’s known for (check out his portraits as well), and I can only imagine how breathtaking they must be to experience in person. Website | Instagram

Nature

Wong Chun Hei paints landscapes from his surroundings in Hong Kong, and infuses them with the most saturated colors, which gives them the most wonderful paint-by-numbers feel. It’s fun to see them all together here, where they take on a landscape quilt vibe. website

Surreal

Delight in the pop surrealism of acrylic artist Brandi Milne. The colors! The brushstrokes! The completely weirdly magical expressions! I love it all. But of course I have a weakness for art that is simultaneously surreal, cute, and uncomfortable. Website | Instagram

Graphic, full of mysteries and symbolism, oozing spirituality – Paul Lewin’s acrylic paintings come from a deep energetic connection to his ancestors. It’s easy to feel the joy that permeates each piece as he works on it, and I’m fascinated by just how real and powerful each of his subjects is. Website | Instagram

I suppose I’ll put Yvette Mayorga’s acrylic piped paintings into the ‘surreal’ category, but I think I would classify them more as over-the-top, unapologetically girly explosion. With thick, decorated icing-like sections, she creates paintings that speak to the idea of the American dream, her childhood, and also go deeper into issues faced as a Mexican-American. Website | Instagram