Why are watercolors more difficult than oils to work with?
A. They aren’t–they’re just different. Some believe oil paints are easier because you can cover up your mistakes, but it’s just as easy to make mud in oil as it is in watercolor. I believe that our choice of medium is dictated by our personalities. Most watercolor painters are addicted to the spontaneity and splash of moving paint; oil and acrylic painters prefer a more moderate pace and enjoy controlling the paint on the canvas. Watercolors dry lighter than they look when wet, but oils and acrylics dry darker, so they’re even on that score. Q. Do acrylic paintings need to be varnished? A. Yes, they should be varnished, not just coated with medium, unless they are to be framed under glass. Acrylics tend to gather dust, which becomes embedded in the paint film and can’t be washed out. For more information on methods and materials go to the Golden Paints web site. Q. Do the new water-mixable oil paints work the same way as traditional paints? A. Most oil painters have a preference of on
