Aztec Dancer

[Aniz Oniro]

Very nice painting Brian

[KathyKuz]

Brian:  I like your painting.  I have never got to enjoy acrylics.  My favorite is watercolor and oils.

[scouserl41]

Thanks Maria and Kathy,
I can't say I ENJOY acrylics. I enjoy drawing and painting and I'm stubborn enough to keep going back to acrylics!!
Brian

[linley.plester]

Great answer Brian.... I always feel I should be able to achieve things in acrylics that I can't in watercolour, but so far it's been very difficult. I have a stubborn streak too.(or is it: rosepink glasses optimism?)

[scouserl41]

I teach a painting class at RV Rallies and due to time constrains I use acrylics for that. The students always ask if I paint in acrylic and I have to confess that I don't! That kind of makes me feel guilty!!
I have a new "Medium" to try and we're staying in the same place for the next week outside New Orleans LA so I plan on trying it out. It's highly unusual but I'm desperate!
I'll post the results.
Brian

[Val]

  This sounds exciting! Come on.... give us a hint, what is the medium?   

[scouserl41]

Hair gel!
I found a YouTube vid about things you can add to acrylics and it demonstrated using hair gel as an extender and appeared to work very well.
I haven't tried it myself yet (maybe this week, there's an art event at the Abita Brewery on Thursday!)
The nice thing is you can get a travel size tube of clear gel for a couple off dollars. Compare that to the price of extender in the art stores.
Brian

[liz]

  So glad to hear that you ENJOY drawing and painting, Brian!
 I just wrote about 'Why I Like to Paint' on my new blog
http://artwithaloha.wordpress.com


Like you, I enjoy art! I like what you're doing- giving acrylics a try!  I don't use extenders and find that the biggest difference in painting with acrylics is that it forces you to paint faster and you can't 'play' with your paint like oils with blending colors into one another, taking your time, etc.


I mainly like to use acrylics for their faster drying time. But truth be told I paint using the same techniques as oil: prepare ground, underpainting, layering paint, work dark to light, etc. I go with acrylics when I have a deadline to finish a painting.  I often cannot tell what was done in acrylic and oil apart.


With acrylics though, I paint with 3 brushes: 1 to paint in dominant hand' and in other hand a dry brush for lifting off paint, and 2nd brush to dampen with a mixture of medium and water for blending in paint.  This allows me to work faster and 'think on my feet'.   Good success to you with your class! ~Liz

[Val]

  Hair Gel!? Don't think I'd use that on anything I meant to keep or sell. Hair Gel usually contains a number of chemicals, proceed with caution. I do know of a professional artist in England that uses a personal lubricant jelly (K-Y gel in the US) as it is water based, contains no alcohol or perfumes... and apparently works a treat! Says he did get odd looks from the chemist the first time he bought four tubes and told him he used it to extend open times with his paints! 

[scouserl41]

Hair gel apparently is vegetable gelatin with an aroma added. Extender is the same thing without the aroma. I'm crazy enough to give it a try and for a couple of dollars it won't break me.
If it doesn't work I can style my hair instead!
Brian

[linley.plester]

i hope you will report the results of this experiment with the hair gel, Brian.