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  • #451748
    jnicholes
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        Hello,

        I have an interesting situation. I am normally an Oil painter that uses Bob Ross Wet on Wet technique, but because of something that happened, I am unable to get a hold of the right Oil paints I need to do the technique. This is one of my Oil paintings.

        This is why I want to try something new while I wait for the Oils to be available in March. I want to try Acrylics. I have a many questions.

        Are Acrylics hard to use compared to Oils?

        How do you paint with Acrylics?

        Is it easy to transition from Oil to Acrylic?

        Any help will be appreciated.

        Jared

        #570072

        Are Acrylics hard to use compared to Oils?

        Yes – and no! They’re different – but – you can use them thickly or you can dilute with medium to use in a similar way to watercolours – so they’re versatile.
        The main difference you’ll find is the drying time – it can be almost instant depending on temps and humidity.
        You also MUST NOT leave brushes lying around with paint on them – they’ll be ruined, so clean off paint immediately you’ve finished with a brush, rinse and leave until it’s needed.

        How do you paint with Acrylics?

        – in much the same way as with other wet mediums – how well-loaded a brush is will determine length of stroke etc.
        One of the hardest techniques/difference is blending – takes time to learn and many people use a lot of dry brushwork for it.

        Is it easy to transition from Oil to Acrylic?

        that depends on the individual! Just don’t expect them to be the same as oils – experiment to find out what kind of mark-making you like to do.

        Any help will be appreciated.

        Tips thread
        Information Kiosk

        Apart from that – welcome to the forum and I hope you enjoy your foray into this medium!:)

        Cheers, Maureen


        Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .

        #570080
        jnicholes
        Default

            Hello,

            Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.

            I did a painting after I read this post, it’s very simple, but something to get me started. Can’t post a picture now because I am on my phone. I will post when I get a chance.

            One thing I forgot to ask, with acrylics, do you let the paint dry and then paint over it with another color, or do you do wet on wet?

            Jared

            #570075

            One major difference is that wet on wet might not be the best approach with acrylics on large surfaces. Acrylics dry very very quickly. You cannot hope to paint a canvas the size of your example half blue then only later get some white to blend with the blue.. half the blue will be dry at that point.

            Golden Open acrylics extend that time, but it is still not as oils.

            Acrylics usually push to a wet on dry painting when on larger surfaces. Not that it is a problem, since you do not need to wait for the next day. Some 5 minutes is enough to get a layer ready to be revisited.

            "no no! You are doing it all wrong, in the internet we are supposed to be stubborn, inflexible and arrogant. One cannot simply be suddenly reasonable and reflexive in the internet, that breaks years of internet tradition as a medium of anger, arrogance, bigotry and self entitlement. Damm these internet newcomers being nice to to others!!!"

            "If brute force does not solve your problem, then you are not using enough!"

            #570078

            I have become more and more convinced that layering and optical mixing are the way to go.

            I slow things down with Liquitex Slow Dri blending medium, then use a hair dryer to lock things down for the next layer.

            This with transparent pigments.

            A painting is never really done as long as I can get my hands on it.

            #570073
            ~JMW~
            Default

                I suggest watching some Jerry Yarnell beginner videos on you tube for acrylics …
                He shows and explains nicely.. much easier than typing it out here.
                You might find you like Jerry’s style more than Bob’s..
                I did do some of Bob’s mountain /knife effects with acrylics in the past when I was starting out.. But knowing your paint first is the trick, and practice..
                I’m not a fan of the fan brush trees .. Other brushes can make a more real look..
                https://www.google.com/search?q=Jerry+Yarnell+beginner+videos&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

                ~Joy~

                #570077
                oldnmartist
                Default

                    I paint in both oil and acrylics. Sometimes when I am about to address an unfinished painting, I have to take a touch of alcohol to the paint to see if it comes off and hence is acrylic! For me, they are not that much different, but I like to paint in a flat style. I feel that oils are a bit richer, and perhaps have more depth, but I think one could paint in either medium and achieve about the same results.

                    Everything else being equal, I would rather be in the painting zone.

                    Website: www.mikesartshack.com

                    #570079
                    fedetony
                    Default

                        I really like that oils seem to keep blending during the drying time so you get a more realistic border or edge than with other media. Also their blend-ability makes it easier to get nice results with the use of brush, combined with enough time to correct any mismatch or error. Yet oils smell terrible, they are toxic and need handling in a correct way. Additionally, they need lots of time to cure. There is a buttery feeling on oils that is very nice in the application, I give them that.
                        Pigments used on both Acrylics and oils are the same in most cases, so all colors can look the same and can be indistinguishable one from the other. Techniques and tools may vary to get the same results.
                        Acrylic’s blending is very difficult to achieve in the same way as oils. Thats why oils look a bit more natural. Yet, for excellent blurs and blending and degrade you can use an airbrush, which would be very dangerous for your health to use it with oils… so both of them have a way to achieve the best results, its just on the hand of the artist what they do with the tools and materials provided… :)

                        Federico Garcia
                        My Blog
                        C&C always welcome :D

                        "...when someone gives a critique of your work, fear not. It usually means they like or care more of your work than when they just pat your back." - Tiago

                        #570076
                        bvanevery
                        Default

                            Are Acrylics hard to use compared to Oils?

                            They work differently. You’ll probably adapt.

                            How do you paint with Acrylics?

                            Quickly. I started life as a watercolorist.

                            Is it easy to transition from Oil to Acrylic?

                            Couldn’t say. I did some oil in high school, enough to basically understand it. But for practicality reasons I ended up spending the bulk of my time doing acrylics and that became my life pattern. I haven’t sunk piles of my life into oils the way I have with acrylics. Personally I think other issues are more important, like “why am I painting this at all?” I know I could paint oils just fine if I wanted to. It’s paint.

                            #570074
                            NeilF92
                            Default

                                I used oils for many years before switching to acrylics to avoid smell/mess. Acrylics dry darker than when applied but yo get used to judging that. Folks seem to stress about the lack of blending time but again you adapt to acrylics ways. I paint wet into wet as long as it works,,then when. it starts to dry I wait and over paint with another layer till I get what I want. That’s the secret really, find out by experiment then start to make the paint do what you want.

                                #570071

                                Acrylics take more effort to paint loosely with than oils. I am trying not to maintain a hard edge with acrylics.

                                #1300958

                                What’s hard is wetCanvas. To complicated for me I guess.  I don’t know if I loaded pictures or not. I started painting with acrylics because I’m afraid of oil mud.

                                 

                                #1301203

                                Welcome to WetCanvas “Began Painting”.  The site is a real challenge at the moment as it was recently moved to a new platform and the move has broken some features.  There is a thread pinned at the top of the page with some FAQs about the new site and some information about ts functions (disfunctions) including uploading images.  I have done so successfully using the little mountain icon on the mini toolbar at the top of the open post.  But it has taken me time to figure things out and I have been on the new site almost daily.   :lol:

                                 

                                "None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." - Henry David Thoreau

                                Moderator Acrylics Forum~~~Reference Image Library

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