Artists have a dizzying number of choices to make when selecting materials to use. Nowhere is this more true than with paint. At its most basic, paint is simply colorful pigment suspended in a liquid binder, a definition which leaves a lot of room for variation. And artists have taken advantage of this variability over the millennia, using and experimenting with a number of pigments and binders in that elusive search for the perfect color, consistency, and permanence for their art.

Fortunately, some of these paint combinations have been more successful than others. These can generally be grouped into a few major categories:

Acrylics—Developed in the 1920s, acrylics are a relatively new painting medium. Acrylics are also one of the most popular, as they are both cheap and easy to use.

Acrylic paints mix their pigments with a liquid plastic binder. They are water soluble when wet and water resistant when dry. Acrylics dry very quickly when compared to oil base paints and, upon drying, become remarkably flexible and durable. See Acrylic paint.

Oils—The standard medium for painting, oil based paints have dominated the art world for centuries. Oil paints are made of pigment combined with a drying oil binder such as linseed, safflower, walnut, or poppy.

Quality oil paints possess excellent color depth and resonance. They are also extremely durable and fade resistant. Highly versatile, oil paints can be used for a variety of effects including thin washes or thick impastos.

Oil paints can also be difficult to use, especially for beginners. Because they are water insoluble, oil paints require solvents like turpentine for thinning and cleaning. They also dry very slowly, and large or complex paintings can often take months to complete. See Oil paint.

Watercolors—These paints combine pigment with a light binder of gum Arabic and glycerine. When the paints are mixed with water, the binder dissolves and the pigment particles become suspended.

Watercolors come in either tubes or pans. Tubes contain watercolor in a thick paste. Tubes are great for when you need a large amount or high concentration of color. Pans consist of dry cakes held in small trays, or "pans." They are more expensive than tubes but are easy to use and make little mess.

Watercolors possess a rich, moist color. They can vary in transparency from opaque to virtually clear when mixed with enough water. Opaque watercolors are referred to as gouache or tempera. See Watercolor paint.

Casein—Pronounced "kay' seen," this water-based, quick drying paint is made using casein as a binder. Casein is a protein precipitated from milk and it has been used in painting for thousands of years.

Casein is water soluble when wet, easy to dilute and clean up. When dry, however, it becomes extremely water resistant. Casein dries quickly, so brushes and other materials should be cleaned soon after use.

Because it can become brittle with age, casein works best with extremely rigid supports such as wood, plaster, metal, stone, and canvas board. See Casein paint.

Enamels—Paint that provides an especially hard and glossy finish is often referred to as "enamel." While originally oil-based, today's enamels are often made with acrylics or latex. Enamels are perfect for crafts and models that require a durable, high-gloss finish. See Enamel paint.

Whether your next masterpiece is in oil, acrylic, or watercolor, MisterArt.com carries just the right paint for you. For crafters, MisterArt.com supplies paints for decorative, face and body, and glass and tile painting. We even carry an array of paints just for kids.

MisterArt.com also has all the painting supplies and materials you need. We can help you with palettes for mixing your paint; tools for applying, lifting, and scraping; bins, boxes, and cups for storing; and then solvents, wipes, and cloths for cleaning.

For those who'd like a little guidance, we have a huge variety instructive books, DVDs, and videos, as well as paint-by-number sets for both beginners and advanced painters.