Welcome to Polly's Blog

Welcome to Polly's Blog
Watercolour, humour, this and that

Friday 8 August 2014

ACRYLICS WITH RELUCTANCE

Last week we had a kind of workshop at our Art Club.   The tutor just explained the pros and cons of Acrylics and then left out lots of pictures for us to work from.  No demo for those who have never used it, which I thought was a shame. I don't like acrylics and still don't so I just experimented and played, but using them was a change and a challenge, and here is what I did.

I don't do muted colours often, as you can see!  Mostly stippled with a brush for the trees and finger spread the rest of the paint and wet my fingers in water and wiped paint on on the paper. Of course the people were done with a proper brush.

Done conventionally with a brush on paper

Again played around with finger and water, palette knife for steps (actually looks like snow to me) restricted palette.  The sign says the only two food words I know in Spanish - Paella and Helados (Ice cream).  I am so chuffed that this painting, done on a board, has gone to a lovely home, much to my astonishment.(despite the wonky windows)  Thanks Sue!

17 comments:

  1. No demo? What a shame, but you did very well with your experimental methods. I think the last one, in particular, is great. Simple and rustic - would go well in our holiday home!

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    1. Glad you like it! Thought it was odd no demo :(

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  2. I have some acrylics I bought a couple of years ago, used them to letter a sign (as in a poster)… otherwise they are still in the tube. I really don't have a clue what to do with them… and I LOVE watercolors and figure I don't have time to learn too many things… so I want to concentrate on what I love.
    PS… how lame not to do at least a small demo.

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    1. Yeh, a whole day to just walk around the room saying aren't they doing well! I too love w/c and nothing could replace it. Acrylics are at the bottom of the list

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  3. Having a demo would have been useful but you did well on your own anyway! I use them for creating texture quickly in backgrounds or underpainting an oil painting, but they dry too quick for any detailed work. I admire artists that create wonderful things with acrylics, looks easy like a lot of things but it's not.

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    1. Never thought of combining them with w/c. Will remember that just in case I fancy playing

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  4. You certainly did well Polly, I don't like Acrylics and use them sparingly and always complaining about them. I find they are always blobby, I am happy to leave them to others

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    1. Thanks Lorraine! Didn't mind playing for a day, but that's it for a long while.

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  5. ...acrylics are huge fun, I love me watercolours, but acrylics are lovely too, you are obviously having fun. Nice work on the 'finger' street scene and park walk, and the sunflower has a happy feel. My first sunflower has bloomed today in the garden, in spite of all the rain...

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    1. How lovely to have your own sunflowers! They are such a happy flower. Nice to hear someone who likes acrylics, poor things, they sound neglected :(

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  6. They look great, Polly! I did a workshop for acrylics once, but I did not like them either. I like to have another go at them some time, but a demo would have been very helpful.

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    1. Thank you Judy. Your w/c are so lovely I can see why you wouldn't like acrylics, not happy accidents and free flowing paint. A demo would have been good especially for those who had never used them before.

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  7. Dear Polly - for not caring for acrylics - you did some lovely work. Congratulations on the painting that went to a new home. Hope you are having a great day. P.S. Thanks for welcoming me back too.

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    1. It's always a joy to read your posts, even though I don't comment every time. And thank you for the congratulations. I was really surprised that someone liked my acrylic enough to want it.

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  8. You are brilliant even with acrylics, dear Polly !!! Painting with acrylics can be so varied ... someone said that acrylic is the great imitator ... can be used as tempera or watercolor like oil or discovering the unique qualities (work with texture materic, with items including ...).
      I have these colors and sometimes I try to paint with these ... to return to watercolor with more love for this medium.

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    1. Nothing will ever excite me as much as w/c. But it is a challenge to try something new for a change and explore the versatility of acrylic.

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  9. I've never wanted to paint with acrylics, but on my current course (thank you for your visit and comment!) I've found them terrific for underpainting oils and splashing around freely or in layers - for texture and basic structure. As a medium on its own I much prefer watercolours and oils, they have so many more subtleties and depths to them. Love the snowy steps painting - no wonder it found a home!

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