Not all oil paint pigments are available in acrylic and vice versa, as each medium has a different chemical sensitivity. Some base pigments are sensitive to alkalis and therefore cannot be made into an acrylic emulsion. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to dry one to two coats of acrylic paint. Acrylic does not need to be “boldly applied directly to the canvas,” the canvas also needs to be primed, as before painting with oil. But the composition of the soil will be different. The primer is applied to improve the adhesion of the paint to the surface. Acrylic primer is used to work with acrylic.