Tempera vs Acrylic Paint: How Are They Alike? Different? Which One Should You Use?

The straight dope is that tempera vs acrylic paint is not really a contest – but you have to know how each of them perform differently.

When thinking of temperas you may find yourself waxing nostalgic about time spent blissfully finger painting, however there’s a rich history behind them.

At one time, temperas were mixed by hand and even a part of ancient cave artwork! Pretty cool right?

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They were the preferred medium until oils were developed. But after reading this you may have second thoughts and want to stick with acrylics – it all depends on what kind of techniques you want to master.

The Makeup of Tempera Paint vs Acrylic Paint

For starters, the two mediums have one shared common denominator – that is being water-based. However the similarities end there. Let’s talk chemistry for a minute here!

Temperas have a unique composition of color pigments, H20, egg yolks (yes, the literal egg itself) or in some cases, casein which is milk-based.

You’ve probably seen a painting somewhere in which the medium listed is “egg tempera” and that’s why – the yolk is part of the binding material.

Acrylics, as you may recall from my earlier post, about “professional acrylics” have a synthetic polymer compound makeup and gum arabic binder which gives them their flexibility and permanence.

Poster paint vs Tempera – Are They the Same Thing?

You may have heard someone refer to “poster paints” and wondered what that is exactly – yes, poster paints are a type of tempera. They are made with a glue-based binder as opposed to the food-grade ingredients mentioned earlier.

They are very popular among kiddos who want to finger paint, and are recommended highly for parents and teachers as they wash out easily and are non-toxic. The “poster” part may have derived from the fact that paper products are the main surface in which they are used on. Here are some good examples:

Tempera Paints, 8 fl oz, Set of 6 ColorsSargent Art Art-Time 16oz, 6-piece SetSargent Art Jar Poster Paint Set 3/4 Ounce

That’s a big advantage for classrooms, and perhaps one big reason poster paints are the tempera of choice….they’re free of those potential allergens in addition to being easier to clean up.

The temperas of way back when are the ones that are made with the egg or casein compound. What’s called “poster paint” is also a tempera paint, but it’s got a different makeup and does not contain those same ingredients.

What’s the Biggest Difference in Acrylic and Tempera Paints?

In a nutshell – their permanency. That’s one big reason that I have always preferred acrylics – once they’re dry and on there they are on there. Tempera paints are re-soluble (much like watercolor paints) which makes them only semi-permanent.

I guess I figured that out on my own one time when an accidental spill of water created an unwanted “oopsie” on my material.

Have you ever been to a certain venue and seen art on the windows…like holiday-themed pictures? Odds are that’s tempera paint, which is perfect for this purpose; after the said holiday is over all the shop owner has to do is get a scraping tool and bucket of water.

Acrylics vs Tempera Paint: General Use Compared

The approach is pretty similar, but wait til you start cleaning up. Generally, one reason you don’t see acrylics in many elementary school classrooms, despite them too being water-based and non toxic for the most part – the fact that they can mess up drain pipes because of the way they dry and form a kind of skin that has to be peeled off.

I know this from extensive use with plastic palettes, when they dry on there they have to be peeled off before I would rinse the palette. Temperas wash down the drain easily and don’t cause those kinds of problems 🙂

Now the art masters of long ago, did not use this kind of tempera. Their arsenals no doubt included the egg and casein-based formulas, and they were mixed by hand (which must have been messy no doubt)  Paint mixing was a serious affair and often contained toxic materials.

Thankfully now, you can buy them in tubes, or check into the powders and binding agents sold separately! Did you know that tempera paints also come in cake and stick form too? Nothing to pour, just add water.

Jack Richeson Giant Tempera Cakes in TrayPRANG Gallery Classic Tempera Paint Cakes, Refillable, 9 Color SetPencil Grip Kwikstix Solid Tempera Paint 144ct, Quick Drying

In professional grade art color pigments are available in a dry powdered form, in which binding emulsions (usually the egg/casein formula) can be mixed and thinned accordingly. This lets there be some degree of flexibility when working with temperas.

Tempera Vs Acrylic Applications

Application is another way you will see big differences. Acrylics through their viscosity can vary from medium to thick, are opaque and it is possible to come up with some good layered effects. These below come in tubes and small bottles for your convenience.

Acrylic Paint Set, Shuttle Art 30 x12ml TubesDecoArt Acrylic 2 oz 12 Count Brights Craft PaintAcrylic Paint Set 12 Colors by Crafts 4 ALL

However color saturation is more minimal with temperas which might lead you to believe you need to apply more layers – however the layers may crack in the middle. They do dry quickly as acrylics do, but with a chalky finish and matte appearance.

Temperas are suited best to paper, masonite board, wood and cardstock, but they lack the kind of binding makeup to be able to stick well to canvas.  Artist canvases have a slight “tooth” to the surface making this difficult. If this is a deal breaker for you definitely stick with acrylics.

Can You Mix Tempera and Acrylic Paint?

I suppose you can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. With differing compositions, like egg/casein/polymers, I don’t think you would get the desired consistencies, despite them all being water based. Also consider the fact that when they both dry, they look very different too.

Conclusion

So…to recap – “poster paints” are ideal for classroom settings and the egg/casein temperas for more professional grade work. You’ll have to apply them to smooth paper but don’t forget that you can also use them to make seasonal window art as mentioned earlier.

However if you really need permanent results you need to go with the acrylics as you will be much more satisfied with the results. Good luck and happy painting to you!