What is the difference between acrylic and watercolour tube paint?

I normally use acrylic, I tend to buy the sets with the little tubes in. However, somebody recently bought me some watercolour paints (also in little tubes, like acrylic) and I'm not sure what the difference is! Do I have to add water to the palette before using them? Help!What is the difference between acrylic and watercolour tube paint?
With all due respect to other answers, here is the difference: Watercolor paint uses a binder (what holds the pigments together) which is water soluble and can be re-suspended by re-wetting when dry by water.


In other words, not water proof.


Acrylic paint uses a synthetic plastic binder which once dry can not be re-suspended.


Water color techniques can be used with acrylics to a limited extent, but usually oil painting techniques are used.


Most artist grade watercolors do come in tubes but some brands also have blocks as well.What is the difference between acrylic and watercolour tube paint?
Hi,





Watercolors come in two different formats: either in little tubes like acrylics, as you rightly say, or in ';pans'; ( this is when they are solid ). There is no difference in the quality of the paint.


Artists use them indifferently. It is just a matter of habit and personal likings.


You use the solid ones by taking some clean water in your brush and then gently passing it over the color in the pan.


Do not rub hard. It should be more like a caress.





Make sure you do not flood the pan with water.





To understand the difference between watercolors and acrylics, you have to know and understand the chemical composition of the colors.





Paints comprise four principal ingredients:





!- colorant, commonly pigment.


2- binder, the substance that holds the pigment in suspension and fixes the pigment to the painting surface;


3 -additives, substances that alter the viscosity, hiding, durability or color of the pigment and vehicle mixture; and


4- solvent, the substance used to thin or dilute the paint for application and that evaporates when the paint hardens or dries.





Originally (16th to 18th centuries) watercolor binders were sugars and/or hide glues, but since the 19th century the preferred binder is natural gum arabic, with glycerin and/or honey as additives to improve plasticity and dissolvability of the binder, and with other chemicals added to improve product shelf life.





In acrylic paint the pigment is suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. This kind of paints were first manufactured in the 1950s, then arrived on the market in the 1960.


Basically, they have nothing organic in them. They are all plastic.





This is in no way meant disparagingly. Acrylics can be used with beautiful results.








Enjoy your new watercolors and good luck with your painting!
Two very different media. Yes use water with watercolor, you can vary the intensity of the pigment (';washes';) build layers of color (allow color to dry then reapply more), wet on wet, lots of differences.





http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=water+c鈥?/a>





http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=acrylic鈥?/a>





Experiment, have fun, that's what art is about.