How to paint with acrylic vs. water-based oils

For those of you out there that have some artistic ability(or not) and have actually drawn a picture of your choice here are some practical applications of acrylic paints vs. water-based oils. Hopefully, you have already drawn your image on canvas or some other non-porous board, as in masonite board. Next, some tips on recognizing the difference in the two substances themselves: acryclics can be applied with a good brush with or without polymers, the colors are just richer just mixing with a bit of water. They are thicker than water colors and can dry quickly. Water -based oils are just that, water based and not linseed oil mixed. Just use water and they work pretty much like water colors. These oils, just like the others are much more forgiving as to committing erros because they take longer to dry, although a bit faster drying than linseed oil mixed oil paint. The reason I switched to water-based oils was that I had an aversion, perhaps an allergy to linseed oil itself, plus I had trouble mixing them all along. What a heaven sent substance for me: water-based oils, virtually odorless. Just like any painting where you have first drawn the image on the board or canvax or not, simply apply light layers of the desired color from the top of the canvas or board down. I do this because I usually paint without an easel but on a flat table and my elbow migbt get in the way. This enables me to have more control of the brush, usually camel hair, where I can gently place brush strokes on the desired surfaces to paint. Little by little depending on your skill, just apply layer after layer on the images until you can reach a point where you have to stop for the day. Myself, I usually paint a complete picture in 2-3 hours, many times without a pre-drawn image, and come back the next day or two for touch ups and all the details with a fine point detail brush. That is about it for today on this lesson about acrylics vs. water-based oils.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Acylic paints
• , water-based oil paint,some camel hair brushes small for details, medium and wider(usually 3) a small glass of water, paper towels to wipe your brushes clean with hot water and detergent soap afterwa

1. Here is a description of the differnces between acrylic paints and water-based oils and how to apply them to canvas or masonite board. Note the basic difference in substance and how to apply them. Use one or the other, not both on the same painting in order to avoid drying complications and the adherence of the paint to the surface.
2. Select good quality acrylics and water-based oils, not linseed oil based if you have an aversion to the smell of the linseed oil(like me) and proceed to apply your thin layers from top to bottom of your already drawn image, keeping in mind that with acrylics they do tend to dry more quickly than oils.
3. Your job is to paint either with the idea in mind to cover your drawn images with the paint of your choice, acrylics or oils, do not mix the two as problems will arise that you may not be able to undo,especially if the drying process occurs too quickly. At that juncture stop painting until the next session which would be just to apply the details with the detail brush. Afterwards, make certain that these water-based brushes are washed in hot water and dish detergent and dry off with a paper towel. Treat your brushes with high regard and respect as you clean them daily and they can last well over ten years, for me over 20 years. I have some brushes that have lasted at least 30 years, especially if I did not use linseed oils or made the mistake of applying varnish and not clean with turpentine, without which the brush is pretty solid hard and perhaps lost forever without solvent treatments.