Begining Steps for a Step painting: Seagull at Gairloch Steps, Oakville

Normally an oil painter, I  have heard good things about Golden's open acrylics. "Seagull at Gairloch Steps, Oakville" copy right Christine Montague

In my post about my painting  "GR33N" I gave them a go for the first time, but not in my usual more realistic style.  I have now started the painting "Seagull at Gairloch Steps" Gairloch is a beautiful garden  park in Oakville, Ontario. A beautiful  heritage home, now a gallery, sits on a hill overlooking the great Lake Ontario. These old stone steps and wall, now just a picturesque resting place for winged and biped visitors are one of my favorite parts of the park.  I have at least three paintings in mind involving this wall.

But what I thought would be the first quick go at the mini series, is taking me much longer. This is not the finished painting. Although I like the open acrylics, they just do not respond to how I like to paint. No glazing for example.  So what should have been a quick study, isn't, as I figure out this new medium.

I'm attempting to keep an open mind about these new open acrylics, which stay wet remarkably long and feel a little more like oils in weight... but for my next paintings.. back to oils!

Have you tried open acrylics? What did you think of them?