Oil and Acrylic Together

Exploring Concepts

Assignment 3 – Landscape

Oil and Acrylics Together

This subject has infinite possibilities and one needs to consider many different aspects before applying the technique.  Colour harmony, texture, pigment qualities.  I have produced a list of the qualities of my watercolours and using this as a guide it is possible to apply to acrylics and oil paints.  When ordering paints one usually has a guide saying transparent, semi transparent, staining, opaque, or semi-opaque these qualities are particularly important in acrylic (and watercolour) if using washes, likewise in oil.  When applying glazes it is the transparent paints that produce the best “glow”.  Scumbling and glazing are features of the works mainly of pre 20^th century artists, although they can be applied today and produce interesting effects.  Indeed the application of a glaze can sometimes bring a picture together if it is looking “jumpy”. It is not always necessary to glaze the whole painting, some areas can be left “raw”.

It is important therefore to know what you are doing, or attempting to do, when it comes to this form of colour mixing.  The application of two colours separately can be different depending on which colour is applied first.  It is only with trial and error and experience that one can begin to know the vast range of effects that are achievable and I know from the work of other artists that I am only scratching the surface.

I have in the past invested in a whole range of transparent oils because of the interesting effects that glazing can produce, and was quite excited to buy Indian Yellow, one of the few deeper yellows with transparency.

Watercolours	Make	Properties
Alizaron Crimson Hue	Cotman	Transparent
Aureolin Lake	Old Holland	Transparent+ Staining
Burnt Sienna	Cotman
Burnt Umber	Cotman
Burnt Umber	Holbein
Cadmium Red Hue	Cotman	Staining
Cadmium Yellow Hue	Cotman
Cerulian	Winsor & Newton	Semi-Transparent
Cerulian Hue	Cotman	Semi Transparent
Chinese White	Cotman
Cobalt Blue	Old Holland	Transparent NS
Cobalt Violet	Winsor & Newton	Transparent Not Staining
Cobat Turquoise	Winsor & Newton	Transparent
Crimson Lake	Holbein
Davy's Grey	Hobein	Sp. Mixing
Indigo	Winsor & Newton
Ivory Black	Cotman
Lemon Hue	Cotman	Vivid
Naples Yellow	Winsor & Newton
Olive Green	Schminck
Oxide of Chromium	Winsor & Newton
Peacock Blue	Holbein
Permanent Madder	Oil	Semi Transparent
Permanent Yellow Deep	Holbein	Vivid Tangerine
Permanent Sap Green	Winsor & Newton
Potter's Pink	Winsor & Newton
Prussian Blue	Cotman
Pthalo Turquoise	Winsor & Newton	Transparent & Staining
Raw Sienna	Holbein	Transparent
Raw Umber	Holbein	Transparent
Rose Doré	Winsor & Newton
Rose Madder Genuine	Winsor & Newton	Transparent
Terre Verte	Sennelier	Sp. Mixing Transparent
Ultramarine Deep	Cotman	Transparent
Ultramarine Deep	Holbein	? Transparent
Veridian Hue	Cotman
Veridian Hue	Holbein	Transparent
Vermilion	Holbein
Viridian	Holbein	Transparent
White	Winsor & Newton	GOUACHE
Winsor Orange	Winsor & Newton
Yellow Ochre	Cotman
Indian Yellow	Oil, Acrylic	Transparent
Transparent Oxide Red	Oil	Transparent
Transparent Oxide Yellow	Oil	Transparent

I almost invariably use acrylic under-painting in my oils.   This is because it provides instant cover of white, which is always good, plus it is possible to block in using acrylics and in some cases use special affects, such as the application of plastic cling film, sponging, scraping and various other techniques. Leaving hints of the transparent colours underneath gives a glow not quite achievable with oil, which is akin to the glow of a watercolour wash.  For me oil is the king of mediums though so to be able to use the attributes of both acrylics and oil together is the best possible combination.

This painting was underpainted in acrylics then painted over with oils in some places.  I then applied a red oxide glaze to pull the whole thing together in the non-sky area.  This is a chapel in Normandy occupied by the German Forces during World War II, until the US forces liberated Normandy.  The commanding position is one of the highest points in Normandy, and has great atmosphere.