January Afternoon

8x6, acrylic/birch panel

An acrylic plein air painting today. Why the switch from my usual oil paints and does it make any difference? Well, for one thing it's fun to switch back and forth between mediums and it keeps you sharp. Different mediums present different challenges and require different approaches. The results can be satisfying with with either medium. Serious art collectors tend to shy away from acrylics, preferring oil paintings. I think that's a bum rap for acrylics which have a lot going for them in the areas of permanency and durability over time, as well as, intensity of color. Acrylics also have a wonderful range of techniques from transparent washes like a watercolor to thick impasto like a Van Gogh.