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Do mostly men paint in acrylics?
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Message
Posted
Helenmelia,
Please forgive me if you felt it was my post that "put you in your place". I did not intend to. Im stuck in a hotel whilst working and spent a bit of time the other day mooching through old papers and articles on line and it seems (though I cannot offer fresh evidence) that amateur painting is done more by women than men. I have no idea why, I merely suspect that more men than women are out watching footie or something. I dont know that either, as I have never watched footie, but I would still be shocked if the stadia werent overwhelmingly full of chaps.
As for it being the soft option, I didnt say that. I said "soft". Think 'Billy Elliot and his fathers initial thoughts! Neither do I regard art as soft, I just wondered whether it might be so perceived by the hoards of men NOT doing it. The reasons why people do not, as groups, do things are complex. I'm just taking up painting but have enough life experience with other manual skills to know that every skill is very much harder than it seems, all illusions are shattered as soon as the novice practitioner first attempts it!
I have started watercolour not because I feel it is somehow easier or simpler, but because I love water colours. I am new to painting as a fine art, but not to art per se. I delight in the way an artist takes the viewer somewhere other, somewhere new, through the medium and for me this happens most when I engage with a watercolour, it happens least (every time) when I gaze upon an acrylic. I have no idea why but am open to suggestions. As I said I find acrylics jarring, and when I see mixed media pictures they always seem to be acrylic. I really dislike mixed media too, again because I find it jarring and so disruptive of the journey I ought to be on. Understand that my finding these things jarring does not mean I can't appreciate that they are well done! I hate Jazz too - but I know good jazz when I hear it!
Helenmelia, again, my apologies. This reply has been long because, as a newcomer to the site, I wanted to explain where I am coming from, lest I annoy far too many people who have already shown me kindness!! Next week I shall start painting and you'll see my level! (It's low)
Best wishes
David
Posted
The original question was about acrylics and an apparent gender imbalance in their use, which is why the thread took on the shape it did. It's probably true that more women paint than men - certainly it seems to be anecdotally true: I don't suppose anyone has ever stopped to count. However, what interested me was why - if it's the case - women might be more inclined to watercolour and resistant to acrylic; apart from anything else it's probably a consequence of the number of classes available, but then that's a circular argument - WHY are there more classes in watercolour, and even oil, than in acrylic?
How much it matters and how interesting it is depends on a number of factors - including whether you sell art materials or not, and the interest you take or don't take in painting trends.
Leaving all that aside, we have now moved on to the look of acrylics as opposed to other media - I think that acrylics lend themselves to so many things that inevitably they will be used in ways one doesn't like: but it's the format, style or whatever that's the issue there, rather than the materials used. If you want to, you can make acrylics (partially depending on brand) look like watercolours (fairly easily) or oils (perhaps with the help of varnish). I like to think I can always tell, and I usually can, but it can be very difficult (especially on screen). Many of course will seek to use acrylics in their own right - and might even push them as hard as possible to be recognizably different; some could perhaps push that much too hard, which may be what David recognizes and doesn't much care for. There was a time when acrylics were fairly crude and brash - a very few brands still are, a bit; the best, however, are easily as subtle as more traditional media. Although Daphne Todd (judge on the recent BBC painting show, and oil painter) wouldn't agree with me. And who would want to cross Daphne Todd.....?
It was Hockney who pointed out that acrylics come into their own with the traditional oil painting technique of glazing - because any number of glazes can be added, and added fast; whereas with oil one has to wait, sometimes for a week or so, for previous layers to dry. I'm not so sure that most people who paint in acrylic do use them that way - it's the immediacy of the Impressionist, alla prima technique that seems to attract them. But glazing and scumbling with acrylics is my preferred method, which I find very satisfying - and that can be why I take a good deal longer over the "quick" medium of acrylics than I normally do over oil paintings.
Posted
Our local art club is very heavy on the female side, in the nicest possible way and when I was muscled on to the committee lately I was greeted with solid welcomes by the two blokes on a comm of 11 (far too many).
I started in watercolour, then oils and now acrylicis but I don't think it matters and also can't see the problem with a gender split.
Just paint!
Posted
I , am a man, and yes I like acrylics! I started in Gouache however, acrylics were a necessity to me as they dry quick,which is essential for the work I do. I also like the way acrylics dry like plastic and that gives them a robustness :-)
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Posted
I haven't seen a kerned gap is use of any medium in my art classes, Men and women alike use pastels watercolour and acrylic. Few use oils in these classes because 2 hours is too short for most to produce an oil painting.
I get frustrated with acrylic though, because of the colour shift when they dry.
Posted
To the extent that there really is a colour shift - what brand are you using? - colours can be brought back with a thin coat of varnish. Often, the colour shift is due to evaporation of water in the paint - ie, it's just the drying process. This can be overcome by using a gloss medium - I have to say though that in the acrylics I use (Daler Rowney Cryla, System 3, Winsor and Newton, and Chromacolour) I've yet to see any colour shift that causes me any worry at all - perhaps I've just got so used to it that I don't notice it any more?
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Posted
I tried oils a number of years ago with not much success so then went on to acrylics but I couldn't seem to get the delicateness of watercolours which was my first love. So since revisiting painting last year I've stuck to watercolours and have bought a number of books on techniques. I am hopefully gaining more knowledge, and taking some of this and some of that and getting my own style eventually. But I can say I have tried the main three mediums, I have yet to try pastels, maybe in the future...
Posted
I am trying a few acrylics tomorrow ,but the price of them is ridiculous ,My friend Dave uses a mix he buys lots from Wilko,s £1,50 for a large drop top closing tube ,
and some Winsor and Newton to work with those ,,,,I watched Arnold lowery doing a video the other day ,and he did a bit of a rant, saying why are they so expensive ,
I think Arnold dose use a few !!,,,,,,,,he certainly doesn't skimp on paper size when painting,(splashing it on) 90 lbs paper I heard,//
Edited
by alanowen
Posted
If you have to buy a lot of tubes at once, then yes, they're expensive - especially W & N acrylics. But the paint does go an awfully long way - pound for pound, it's much cheaper than watercolour. I'm just starting an acrylic with System 3 as a base - whether I end up using it throughout I don't yet know. The cost compares well with oil paint, too - although there's such a range with oil paint that you can lay hands on quite a bit, the metallics aside, for reasonable cost.
Inevitably, the price is going to keep creeping up; don't know if Brexit will affect it, but I wouldn't be surprised .... it'll get the blame, anyway.
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http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk