Canvas painting?

[Ash]

I use acrylic w/ various gels to build them up and make peaks like oil paint. Trying to get my skill up in blending and stuff before trying oil. Even walmart sells stretched canvas now (well little ones 18x18" ish) and books of canvas paper to practice on. If you watch the craft store Micheal's they put their big ones on sale periodically or you can get their 20% off coupon online. When I draw out my prelimnary sketch I try have it really thorough on on paper first to look at then lightly draw it on the canvas. Art gum works pretty well to get any pencil off the canvas. What kind of subject matter do you like to paint?

How do you like the acrylic? I found different size canvas at target that are not to expensive. I have a micheals I will have to check out. I was going to get it down on paper first and then on the canvas lightly, gald to know I can do this. I actually plan to do a cherry blossom tree painting. I love nature and scenery.

 

[Ash]

I prefer oils. I find acrylic dries too fast and the colors aren't as rich IMO.

Yes that was the one thing I didnt like with acrylic was the fast dry time. I plan to take my time with this and I am afraid the acrylic may dry to fast for me.

I just need to make sure I can mix colors, I know I have to get the right colors and learn to mix them (something that I havent done for over 5 years -_-) I will need shades of pink and grey for sure... so I need to figure that out also.

 

[Blue2Fyre]

Once you start mixing colors it'll all come back

The great thing about oil paint is once you have a bunch of the color you need mixed up you can walk away if needed. When you come back you just peel off the congealed layer (yuck) and you have fresh paint you can use! With acrylic you have to mix it all again and run the risk of not getting it right.

While I use mostly acrylic now, I hope to get back into oils soon. I just need to gather the chemicals I need first(and remember what they are).