New paints really work!

[Steven Sweeney]

I grew up in pursuits that bathed me in fuels and solvents and, thankfully, I seem not to have suffered effects or developed aversions or allergies.

That said, acrylics intrigue me greatly for the simplicity -- I paint outdoors a lot, and would be happy not to drag along medium and solvent containers, with the attendant clean-up.

I've never quite made my peace with the brief open time of acrylics, or the change in value upon drying. Friends I painted with around Sydney Harbour all acknowledged this but were happy to accept the challenge.

I also do a lot of block printing, and you don't get to do "overs" in that medium. You just live with the result, or modify the block somehow, or start over.

My challenge is that I rarely get anything right -- or more truly: as good as I can get it -- the first time, and I always appreciate the opportunity to come back and scrape off and get it right.

Perhaps I need to change perspective a bit, though, as well. I studied Chinese brush painting, while living in Taiwan, where the idea was to hold the result in your mind first, and then just lay that down with a brush stroke, unrevised.

Mastery of all three modes is still in my future. I'm working on it, but isn't life busy in these times . . .

[Richard Monro]

David,

Your are correct on all counts. However, the color choices are extensive enough that any artist should be more than satisfied.

Steven,

There will still be a slight color shift as the paint dries, although I seem to have automatically adapted to this change. Other than that I have found the Open Acrylics to be quite amazing. You will probably love them for your outdoor painting. Even when the paint appears to have dried on a brush, an application of open thinner and a swish in water cleans it all off. No more heaving the brush in the trash because of being absent minded.