by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: June 24, 2008

Acrylics are versatile and are comparable in makeup to oils. Cleanup is easy. Add to that the fact that they make multiple-media art possible. As an example, you can use it with colored tissue paper as an in-depth enhancer, use pieces of threads or even snippets of cloth, or add sand or salt for texture. If you are thinning the acrylic with water and painting on heavy watercolor paper you can sprinkle a little salt to give an effect of snow. The effects you can create with this medium is limited only with your imagination,

Oils are slow drying, must be used in well ventilated rooms since the smell of turpentine and linseed oil permeates the area when oil painting is being done. They are, however still considered the standard of great paintings and many artists prefer them for their potential longevity. Another good point is if a mistake is discovered the next day it can be readily corrected by removing a little paint with a little linseed dabbed on a sponge and repainted. This is not possible with acrylics. You can, of course, paint over the area with acrylics but that will add extra thickness which may not be desirable.

Both media can be used with multiple thin layers. If oil is being used it must be diluted to the desired consistency with linseed oil; if acrylics are the medium, mix a dab with water to get the desired dilution. Both types of media work well with canvas, on a wooden board and on other surfaces that have been prepared accordingly. Acrylics can be extended further by using them on heavy paper. Any kind of heavy paper will do as long as it properly prepared; naturally heavy watercolor paper is recommended. These must be prefixed with gesso to prevent the paint from soaking into the paper. Layering the paint gives a dimension to the art work since underlying color often shine through the preceding layer.

Layering is often an excellent way to assure less cracking of the paint as time and exposure usually begin its degenerative process. If a painting has been layered most likely it will crack layer by layer; it will not be as obvious as it will be if the paint was smeared on in one thick layer. Of course, some paintings get their charm from heavily laid on paint with painting knives and such. One must expect these not to have the longevity of carefully wrought oils that have been layered.

How does the longer drying time of oil get in the way of the layering of many coats of paint? If one paints one painting at a time, acrylics are the choice, of course.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>