One of the main reasons for choosing acrylic paints is their ability to dry quickly. This is a guide to Winsor & Newton acrylic drying times.
Galeria Acrylic: Thin films of colour will dry in 10 to 20 minutes, whereas thicker films can take an hour or more.
Professional Acrylic: Thin films of Professional Acrylic will dry in 20 to 30 minutes and thicker films can take an hour or two. This will vary according to environmental conditions.
Professional Acrylic colours remain usable on the palette for slightly longer than many other acrylics. A longer working time allows artists to reduce waste on the palette, and gives them an extended period for blending on the canvas, as colours will remain workable for more than 30 minutes.
The working, or “open”, time can be extended further by mixing the colour with Winsor & Newton Fluid Retarder. And either instead of or in addition to retarder, the Winsor & Newton Acrylics Palette can be used. This is a lidded tray into which a paper membrane is placed and moistened. It keeps colours usable for days, provided the paper is kept moist and the lid replaced at the end of every painting session.