Just catching up on this post Robert. Lots of reasons to love Acrylic. Above all for me it is the convenience. I don't have a large studio and Acrylic is much easier to work with in a smaller space. If you have any issues re. breathing its also much easier to work with as there are no turpentine fumes to deal with. Its also incredibly forgiving and whilst I agree with you that it is not necessarily "easier" than other media it is very very good for those who do not have experience.

Just catching up Robert, really enjoyed this post. I did use oils for a while but migrated back to acrylics a couple of winters back when I couldn't get the wretched paintings dry! I agree with your comments, good quality acrylics are a joy to use. And when looking at paintings in exhibitions I have mistaken acrylic for oil (and vice versa when a rather "dry" technique has been used.

A good read, Robert. I don't use oils or acrylics for failings on my part (my messiness, impatience etc), not the mediums. I've promised myself to try acrylics this summer...when I can get out into my dilapidated shed. A few paint splashes in there would be an improvement. There's a certain general 'sniffy-ness' in some circles about art. One wonders if they ever make any. The acrylic naysayers are similar to those who knock digital. We all have preferences, but that doesn't make everything else rubbish. A cracking painting by the way.

I have found oil easier than acrylic, because the acrylic dries so quickly it is hard to blend. I use oil but because I dont like the smell of even the lo odor thinners I use baby oil to clean my brushes. Does anyone else do this I wonder?

The inability to use paragraphs - or anyway for them to be included in the final formatting - is indeed a perishing nuisance, Alan. Particularly when you CAN paragraph the Comments!

I’ll be brief Robert, interesting thoughts here, difficult to digest it all in one go, particularly as it’s a swine to read without paragraphs (I know it’s the new site, not you!). I’ve never considered them inferior, I love all medium but I’ve settled on oils as my main armoury. Unlike most of the complaining on here regarding the slow drying time of oil paints, this is what I like most about them, not to mention that gorgeous, nostalgic aroma that permeates my studio! A reminder of my best early days which were at college. Going back to acrylic, my preferred way of working is actually exactly the same as with oils, nice thickish mixes which show my brush marks and so on. Definitely not an inferior medium. Love the painting by the way!