Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Oil and Acrylic Mask

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message

Habba

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1
Posted
Hi everyone, This is my first post to the forum! would be great to meet like-minded people for a chat now and again. I'm currently looking to paint with both oils and acrylic so any tips on that would be great (like if I can paint oil over acrylic and vice versa). I saw a painting technique in a video once where areas of a painting were masked over with something that looked like a waxy paint, then other parts of the painting were painted - running over the waxy paint, and when the artist was done they peeled back the waxy paint to reveal the image underneath. I was wondering if anyone knew what the product was and where I can get some!! Many thanks.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20411
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7156
Posted
You can paint with oils over acrylic - though be careful if using a flexible surface like canvas, because there is a danger of cracking if the acrylic is painted thickly. You can't paint with acrylic over oil, because it'll just peel off - in unlovely strips. I don't know what was used in the technique to which you refer, but it could have been a number of things - possibly masking fluid, which is a form of latex and more often used with watercolour - though can be used with acrylic: the snag with the latter is that acrylic dries to an insoluble film; while I've not tried masking fluid with it (hate the stuff, to be honest) it might just rip that film - but it depends on the surface to a great extent. If it wasn't that, I don't know what it was but a bell is ringing in one of the more distant chambers of my mind - I may have seen that video myself, but long, long ago.... I have seen washing-off techniques, but you say the paint was peeled off: it's hard to think what would allow you to do that; but someone else might know.

Alan Bickley

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 9081
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 3432
Posted
Masking fluid would be expensive and largely ineffective at any decent size, and has to be rubbed off rather than peeled. Your answer is liquid latex, different to masking fluid in its raw form, it spreads easily and peels off in one strip and is available in large tubs, used mainly in theatrical design for mask making, check Google for a supplier. Oh, and good luck with it, sounds interesting, let us see the results.

Edited
by alanbickley

Usman Bin Tariq

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 26
Posted
It looks different but okay it's you own desire how you want's to see the things. Just can't figure it out any specific one.

Adele Elgood

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 886
Posted
Hi Habba. Started painting with oils about 8 years ago. Loved them but they took a long time to dry and the fumes were too strong. Tried water-mixable oils but I didn't like them. Use open acrylics now which means they stay workable longer than ordinary acrylics. The downside is that they are thinner, but you can build up the layers. I have also just started adding texture gels to them to make them thicker so that I can use them impasto. Looking forward to seeing some of your experimental works.

Derek Snowdon

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 849
Posted
Latex as masking good idea if needed - mybe I will. Robert is correct on the acrylic over oil DON'T