What is the difference between acrylic and oil paints? Oil paint has been in use for a very long time and is the medium used by many famous painters such as Van Gogh and Michelangelo, however, acrylics are much newer and were only recently developed. Although they both can create very beautiful paintings, acrylic tends to dry much faster, making paint manipulation a bit more difficult. Oil paints also tend to fade over time, while acrylics keep their color much longer. Acrylics are also much easier to experiment with in regards to art style and pigmentation while oils typically follow a tried and true style. Which one will you use in your next work of art?