I have just read in the Drawing 1: Drawing Skills materials about paper not being available before 1300AD, and here in the Painting 1 introduction, there is reference to the cave paintings – some, remarkably, between 10,000 and 40,000 years old – being made with earth pigments.
We are incredibly lucky today to have so many versatile materials at our disposal, with the need to mix our own pigments rendered almost obsolete. Of course, the craftsmanship seen here is astounding, considering the final result and the strength of the colours.
I have never really considered in depth the properties of the paints I have used over the years, so it was interesting to read about and compare the characteristics here. I would agree that oils – by far my favourite medium – are easier to manage, with a satisfying malleability that lends itself well to creating shape and texture. Oils also retain their original, applied colour, whereas acrylics and watercolours dry darker and lighter respectively. Many of the portraits I have painted have been undertaken in oils, purely for the ease of blending to acheive translucent flesh tones. I use water-soluble colours now, however, and I love how they act like traditional oils whilst putting my mind at rest that they wont affect me or my children when used in large quantities! I admit to not having used watercolours and gouache extensively in the past, therefore I am keen to experiment further with these and look at the work of other artists who use them exclusively with impressive results.
I am ready and eager to being now, so once I have purchased the necessary paper and sketchbooks (tomorrow hopefully), I will be diving straight in and getting started with my first assignment.
My BA (Hons) Creative Arts Journey with the OCA 