First Foray

Hi I do like the picture but you seem to have used acrylics like watercolours which is perfectly acceptable if that's what you want to do. Funnily enough I've just done a watercolour course where I felt like a complete novice so I know what you mean. Have you used watercolour paper here? to work with oil and acrylic it seems to be the opposite to watercolour, instead of light to dark its the other way round. Instead of white paper you can now use white paint. That said I do like the dry brushwork and I also like the picture so after so much rambling maybe we should all say that rules can and should be broken if the results are good.

I've never tried using acrylic paint and so far haven't been tempted, partly because I have accumulated so many tubes, pans and brushes, I ask myself can I be bothered and even, do I actually want to?! This piece is very interesting as it's nothing like your usual paintings as it's more abstract. Did you actually enjoy using the acrylics?

Thanks for your comments - actually it was painted mainly with a palette knife on watercolour paper

Well, I like it - and I've painted in acrylics for a very long time; on the whole, I prefer to use them on canvas or board in a fairly opaque way, although glazing is so very much easier with acrylic than with oil: you don't have to wait anything like so long for coats of paint to dry, and there's not the same danger of cracking that you get with oil. I imagine someone who started as a watercolourist, as I did not, will find acrylic very stiff and resistant by comparison (truer of the heavier brands): when I started out, I nearly gave up, as it felt like painting with toothpaste after using oil paint. But you get used to these different handling characteristics.

PS - I like the tower, too - it adds not only a focus, but also a sense of some mystery.

Wow, really good for a first attempt!

Well, this caught my attention. I like it. The tower reminds me of the the palace of many a fairy tale, many of which I am reading at the moment.

How interesting Michael! My first impression too was that you have used acrylics like watercolours and on watercolour paper. The result is unusual and I like it. Now the next step is to try on canvas or board and use thicker paint to see how that feels. Can't wait to see more.

Thanks all - not sure about my using acrylics like watercolour - I've certainly never obtained this sort of effect using watercolours and have never used the same techniques. I didn't use any water at all apart from the sky and the road and allowed the knife to do the work just adding just a few highlights to indicate windows etc. I also used an old stiff Harris brush to 'stipple' some of the highlights - the road for example. Robert - I do like your description of acrylics being like toothpaste - that's exactly how I found them and how I applied them although I scraped them on the paper rather than layered them. This gave the sort of stippled effect and I left plenty of original paper to shine through. I have come to the conclusion that acrylics are best suited for abstracts - they certainly can't compete with the translucent, fluid, sparkling properties of watercolour for more traditional subjects.

Like it Michael! You've got a really interesting technique and I love the colours.

I like this, Michael, it's different and interesting. Thank you for your comment on 'Somerset fields' and my new venture of oil painting. It's fascinating working with such different media. I wonder if starting out in watercolour might be quite a good way round to do it - I found to my surprise when I started this oils class that I'd already learned a lot about tonal values and contrast, because you have to THINK so much with watercolour before actually putting paint to paper. Good luck with more acrylics!

He he Michael, thanks for your comment on my latest pastel 'pet' portraits! That was a really amazing photo of our friend in Thailand in that Tigers cage with his hand resting on it's forehead! The thought that tourists can do that and have photo's taken! It just had to be used in a posting on here, I would think it's probably going to be quite unique! Acrylics are definatly a learning curve aren't they, I have never used them before either, made a start, then noticed a comment on here to someone else who was just starting with them and the comment said they had used them like watercolours as well and used them a bit too thinly, that made me realise it was exactly what I was doing, so I promptly put mine to one side meaning to go over it again but haven't quite got round to it, but will do one of these days, anyway love the colours in this first attempt, keep going, bye for now

Michael - I don't want to influence you, because discovering acrylic is a voyage of discovery, and I wouldn't want to steer you in one direction: you're quite right - acrylic does NOT flow, or mix, or melt, or meld, as watercolour does -- that's one of several reasons why I still use watercolour. Keep experimenting, though, because there's more than one kind of acrylic - I like this painting, as I've said: but you've achieved it using a particular brand and technique. There are many others - give 'em a try (I don't know your financial circumstances, but acrylic is RELATIVELY cheap - certainly by comparison with oil and, these days, watercolour). Have a go with Chromacolour - there's a fluidity there you won't find with may brands; or Cryla by Daler Rowney, which gives a fantastic solidity - you've entered a new world with acrylic: take advantage of ALL it can offer!

Thank you Robert - I do appreciate your comments and advice. I must admit that, after another session just playing around yesterday, I am still finding it difficult - like starting all over again and thus rather frustrating. I am using Atelier which I received as a prize otherwise I probably would never have started. I am still of the mind that they are best suited to abstracts and may have a go at doing some when I have time but it will not be today - got a class this afternoon (watercolour of course) and have to get prepared for it - they want to try out ink applied with a stick - just hope between us we have enough bottles.

Hi Michael thanks so much for your lovely comment on my pastel dog portrait on 'Jinty' pleading to be let in, glad you like as much as I and others do

Just found your acrylic pics..you should decidedly do more of them. Fun.

Well I love this composition and I wouldnt care what you used to paint it with as it works for me

Dawn Broughten pointed out that ,in acrylics, you use white paint instead of "letting the white of the paper show through" thats why it has a watercolour look . There is a lot of white paper showing and the dry brush is a watercolour technique. Dont give up at the first jump. Its just another medium that requires different techniques and a lot of practice before you can master it. In my opinion its a lot easier than watercolours once you get the hang of it.Paint thicker use the white paint , no dry brush and you are there .As a watercolour your picture is very good . Cheers ..Syd

Gosh Syd - this dates back to 2013 - how did you find it? Anyway it was scraped on rather than by dry brush technique but whatever - it sold so can't complain.