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Peter Smith

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I was wondering about painting over some of my old acrylic canvases but on refection it's probably not a good idea.  Thanks for letting me pick your brains!

Alan Bickley

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Being able to work into wet paint can and often is advantageous for portrait painting - in fact any subject! So oils are the obvious choice when compared with acrylic. Easier to demonstrate the multiple reasons than explain them, but it’s a well known fact. Not always of course, there are times when you need to work over a dried surface. Obviously, this method won’t suit everyone, trial and error is the name of the game here.
Waddesdon Grotesque

Andrew Roles

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The one on the left reminds me of someone - a US or Canadian comedian working in Britain, and of course - I've forgotten her name.  Someone might know. 
Robert Jones, Napa on 12/05/2025 14:29:55
Robert - Are you thinking of Katherine Ryan ?

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by Andrew Roles

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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I was indeed.  Well spotted. 
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Peter Smith

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It wasn't meant to but I can see your point.

Norrette Moore

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The le Brun portrait is now right next to Ruben's Portrait of Susanna Lunden "Straw Hat' as part of the National Gallery rehang, which I managed to pop in and see before I went away for a few days. Apparently she painted it in response to the Lunden as it wasn't really a straw Hat in the Ruben's picture. Great to see your own interpretation Peter. I think hers' is the better of the two in the National

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by Norrette Moore

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Peter Smith

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I've stuck with the oils and have now done three landscapes and three portraits but once they are dry for the life of me I can't tell the difference between them and similar pictures done with acrylics. They take for ever to dry and have to be stored somewhere while they are doing it and yet there seems to be no advantage in using them.  Before I give them away to members of the art group on Thursday can someone tell me why I should keep them? I must be missing something!  These are the most recent oil paintings I've done. Frankly I could have done them just the same in acrylics. I have straightened the church since taking the photo!

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by Peter Smith

Norrette Moore

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My guess is that the blending of colour is better in your oils than your acrylics, Peter

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by Norrette Moore

Alan Bickley

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There’s fundamental very little difference between the two medium - I’m referring to the finished product here of course, visually that is - it’s the application of paint during painting that is the difference! I often like to work into wet paint, so obviously I can do that more easily with oils, and this is the main difference for me. But, I’m equally at home using acrylic, but I do have to adjust my style of painting and I probably subconsciously work more quickly… I paint fairly thinly so I don’t have to wait too long for my layers to dry, but that’s normally near the end of a painting, when I like to add minimal but necessary detail over a dry surface.
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Peter Smith

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I'm the opposite Alan, I paint quite thickly. I suppose it all boils down to what suits you and what you enjoy. I didn't find blending any easier with oils Norrette but that's just the way I paint. I think my oils can go to someone else who will get full use out of them. I'm glad I tried but they are not for me.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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Peter - have you tried interactive acrylics?  They have the advantages of regular acrylics, without the very quick drying time - or at least, the drying time can be adjusted (they tell me:  I've not used them).  You might find them a half-way house between acrylics and oils.  I don't want to add to your art expenditure, because as I remember, they're not especially cheap - but maybe if you have a windfall, or have run out of everything else, they'd be worth trying.   I like to use oils, acrylics, watercolour, occasionally gouache, and more recently pastel (still hate the dust).  I wouldn't claim to be a Rembrandt in any of them, but I do find you get acclimatized eventually - you fight them, struggle, get frustrated, then one day, bingo!  You get it.  But I admit there's no point in flogging away at a medium you're really not enjoying. 
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