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Artists

bif

(24,454 posts) Sun Sep 1, 2019, 12:32 PM Sep 2019

Is there an oil vs. acrylic snobbery? [View all]

When I talk to other painters I often hear, "I used to paint with acrylics, but I'm into oils now." I get it. Some of the oil colors seem to be richer and the fact that they take longer to dry, is great for subtler shading. But I'm an impatient painter and like the fact that acrylic paint dries quickly. In fact, I often use a hair drier to speed up the process. And I love the cleanup--soap and water!

Your thoughts?

10 replies

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Is there an oil vs. acrylic snobbery? [View all] bif Sep 2019 OP

Depends on what you want to do. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2019 #1

Try retarder medium and/or neo megilp. Also cover your pallet with foil overnight... brush Sep 2019 #5

i think it is a part of the artist as hero syndrome. mopinko Sep 2019 #2

Yes. Important info. There is also the story, maybe apocryphal, of the artist who died... brush Sep 2019 #4

i'm sure it has happened to many. clay artists poison themselves mopinko Sep 2019 #6

Actually, that happened to my dad womanofthehills Sep 2019 #9

At some point you might want more texture than you normally get from quick drying... brush Sep 2019 #3

When I was studying back in the 70s there was definitely oil snobbery. Gidney N Cloyd Sep 2019 #7

Oils have a greater transparency LunaSea Sep 2019 #8

There are no hard fast rules ... Silver1 Sep 2019 #10