Beautiful B, and what a lovely frame.

I also started in oils many years ago but just use acrylics now. There never used to be a way to make acrylics act like oils but times have changed and so have painting products. There are many mediums available now to make your acrylics act like oils. I have done wet-on-wet with acrylics on canvas and really like it.

Plaids HD paint is the one acrylic paint that comes the closest to oils without having to add a medium. It stays wet while you work and even has the texture of oil paint.

I have really gotten away from painting these last few months...family stuff going on. I need to get back to it, and soon.

No wonder your sister wanted that painting, PF, it is lovely. Like Kraftymom, so much has been going on here that I've not sit down to paint since before Christmas. I have looked though my books and selected lots of patterns that I'd like to do, so maybe one day soon I'll get back to it. Yes, you do need to take the time to paint the things you always wanted to try--just because you want to. I'm sure that will give you lots more pleasure than just painting things to sell.

Luvs

Paintingfool - Your painting is beautiful! I too used to paint in oils and liked that best. I am no way as good as you are.

I posted earlier about Jerry Yarnell instructions. I would be interested to know if you or kraftymom or Luvs have seen his work and what you think.

Thanks so much for sharing. - Marylee

That picture and frame is beautiful. Hope you start painting some for yourself. Remember, you will have to hide them when DS come to visit or learn to say NO. So glad you shared this with us here.

Punk

I too painted in oil waaay back when, and loved the feel of the paint on the brush. Funny how we are all thinking about going back to it at the same time. I signed up for a couple of refresher classes that will start next week. I want to be sure that I really want to use oils. Several years ago, I gave all of my oils, easles, everything away and it is a big investment if I find out that I prefer acrylics.

Joan

Bebe.....she is lovely! Her dark hair stand out against the background and her shoulder have a very gentle slope to them and you did a nice job of taking her body into the water. As to the bruise....probably a trick of lighting with the camera.

I learned to paint with oils, but found three things I don't like about them, first the smell and I know that they now make odorless oils. The second being the drying time and the third was that I "messed" with them to much and everything became muddy. I have thought about going back and was given about 12 tubes, but still haven't broken the seals.

As to painting for yourself.....go girl! Until the last 2 or so years, I did not have one thing in my home I had painted,(except seasonal decorations) I gave away or sold everything I painted. Not anymore! I want to enjoy what I have made, in my home and not when I go visit someone.

Belle

Lovely painting, Bebe. Belle gave a great description that is just what I would have said.

H2O oils are water soluable, don't smell, and dry much quicker than regular oils, but still give some working time.

cali

Thanks yall.

KM - I love the frame too. I purchased for only $23 from a little convenience store where the owner went to Mexico to pick up his frames. Unfortunately, he died so I can't get anymore. I also tried the HD paints and the tube acrylic and they do take a little longer to dry but I haven't painted with them enough to really know what I am doing.

Luvs, I know you will be painting a lot this year - can't wait to see what you will be doing.

MaryLee, I posted on your Yarnell post.

Punk, it is really hard to say no but I am learning.

Joan, I admire you wanting to take lessons again. But it is a good idea to probably buy a palette from the teacher before you invest in the oils. I still have tubes that are 30 years old and they still work.

Belle, I didn't like the drying time because I would keep going back in to tweek the painting. And I made a lot of mud but I have since learned to lay my colors next to each other and then blend. Sherry Nelson who paints flowers and birds a lot does this and it keeps you from getting so muddy.

Ladies, this is the year to try new things and to try the things we loved but got away from. I think it is going to be very interesting year. I never make resolutions because I don't usually follow through but I want this year to be different. I am retired and I want to do things I love without feeling guilty - so don't come to my house without calling first or you would be surprised how badly it needs a cleaning - I will be painting in my studio and loving it - housework will have to wait. That reminds me of a little painting I did back in the 80's. it still hangs in my little studio. Thought you would like to see it (the pic is not very good, took it under regular lighting).
{{!gwi}}

PaintingFool,

I love Sherry Nelson and have several of her books. I have done her projects as well as other decorative artists who use oils and adapted them to acrylics. I've even done Bob Ross's technique in acrylics. It's all about the mediums and new paints available now in acrylics that can make adapting projects in oils so much easier. I just don't have the patience these days to wait for weeks for a project to dry. lol

"I have since learned to lay my colors next to each other and then blend".

I learned that trick all those years ago when learning to paint in oils. It works great with acrylics too, especially if you are adding mediums. I feel it gives you more control.

Hopefully the rest of us can find our groove again and get back to painting!

Oops forgot....

I have seen of course Bob Ross and have also seen Yarnell. Even though I might not particularly like one person's style of painting I always learn at least one thing new from them that I can incorporate into my own painting whether they are painting with oils, acrylics, or watercolors.
I personally like painting landscapes and wildlife of all kinds. I'll paint some floral but would rather incorporate that into a landscape or a wildlife painting. BUT....I will try just about anything once, that's how I keep learning and improving. For example.....

I had never tried wet-on-wet with acrylics until I watched Bob Ross and thought 'I can adapt that to acrylics' and did.

By watching Susan Scheewe I taught myself how to do watercolor techniques with thinned acrylics.

Franke Clarke (love this guy) is a watercolor artist who does landscapes. I had no idea how to even begin painting a landscape back then and I learned 2 things from him...

1)How to paint a landscape of course by using his simple sentence he teaches his students...Have Some More Fun. The first letter of the four words represents how to build and paint a landscape...Horizon, Sky, Middleground, Foreground. I thought how simple is that! and it stuck with me. The second thing I learned from him is while waiting for your sky to dry enjoy a nice merlot. lol

I've also caught 'Your Brush With Nature' with artist Heiner Hertling and 'Landscapes Through Time' with David Dunlop. I learn something from everybody.

I catch all of these artists and more on CreateTV on my cable service.

You have the right attitude, KM. There are so many wonderful artist out there willing to share their knowledge. That is one reason I have taken so many classes. My husband says "You can already paint that" when he hears I am off to another class - and I tell him you never know what you might learn from that person.

I am going to check on the Create TV. We don't have it with Cox Cable.