Artist Problems - Oil vs Acrylic vs Watercolor 

Noob artist here, gonna list some timecodes for fellow new/inexperienced artists. 1:40 - Pros for Oils 4:15 - Con? (Oil takes long to dry, although phrased like a pro.) 6:05 - Cons (Officially) 8:50 - Basically an explanation on what a ‘pro’ or ‘con’ is, IE: Depends on Bias of Painter, Knowledge etc. Also more cons. 12:05 - Pros for Acrylics 19:16 - Cons for Acrylics 24:10 - Pros for Watercolors 27:20 - Cons for Watercolors As for me? I am an economics and accounting double major. So art for me has always be a less pragmatic venture and more of a personal one. But I never had a bias from my two years of art in high schools. Unlike the other things in highschool I tried and gave up on, only writing has stayed the same. Yet now I have the issue of needing art for my stories. I wanted a medium that was portable as my writing setup. Something I can use to ‘sketchup’ or slowly paint a masterpiece without much hassle in trying to find a canvas. Oh wait, that was Watercolor. I like acrylics and oil, but I don’t have much space. But I do have a lot of time. So my choice was watercolor and considering how generally cheap it is to get started was the biggest factor. I dont even care if it takes a while, since I am doing this for my own pleasure. If you wanted me to give you a sort of economics answer, I say Oil is the best if you wanna make money. If you crunch the data, Oil is the most expensive medium and as a writer, the most expensive for me to commission. Bar Digital which is rarely considered in videos like these but have clearly made an economic impact, Oil is the money maker. I usually spend the most on oil and sometimes digital so there is that to consider. But if this were all about making money, I would say you would be better off doing something else. I say it is best to approach writing, art, music etc on your own terms. IE: Do it because you like it, not because you wanna make money.

“If you are not relaxing you are doing it wrong.” “Don’t take yourself to serious.” Ugh. So true. Words I need to live by.

“Watering down the glue” - excellent example/analogy.

I love using water mixable oils. They are the best of both worlds. Van Gough is my favorite, but nearly impossible to get in states. Drying time is slower than acrylic, faster than standard oil, good color saturation, easily mixed and so easy to clean up. Very little odor.

I love all three of them for different reasons, I also agree with all your prose and cons.

These are the best videos on youtube for learning about artists’ materials. I love you. I said it.

im new to using color so this is helpful. starting with watercolor ,so the pros and cons put it back in perspective . well done tom

Thank you for this video. Very informative and you are fun to watch. I find I smile a lot!! You are definitely fun and helpful!! Thank you for your knowledge!!

More shenanigans please! This was a great video. Look forward to Mike in the raw lol

Wow, this video's really good. Not like that other channel who's talking about acrylic vs oil vs watercolor stuff with an obvious bias and doesn't even talk more of the pros-cons.

As somebody that's been painting for years I would advise anybody to learn about paint and pigments used in them. A lot of people advise against using student colours but for Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna/ Umber some student paints perform well. Also I use Winton Winsor Blue because it's strong enough, I've used the artist quality in this and it's too strong and has ruined a few mixes , so the student one suits me. For most primary colours though artist quality is a different animal altogether and much more preferable. But it's worth buying small tubes of certain paints to see how they work for you, it could save you quite a bit of money.

So funny what you said about watercolor because that’s what I started with, as a *relasxing* hobby lol. But you are so very right about all the pros and cons and about not taking ones self to seriously...... 🤪🤪🤪🤪

Mike: You are really a great tutor and educator. I use all three, and have no favorite media: your pros and cons are the rationale: if i am traveling, watercolor pack better and you don't need an easel; acrylics are my choice when i know i have time to paint when traveling. In the studio i love oils (I use water-mixable ARTISAN and Berlin). Brush care is more time consuming with acrylics.

Love you videos.. and shenanigans ...please don't stop..!!

As a beginner, I find that I have more joy in painting with Acrylic because I have more sense of control compared to using watercolor paints. Also, I get excited that I can create texture with it using palette knives. On the other hand, I am in love with the final painting using watercolor-it gives me this warm nostalgic feeling after looking at it-which is less when I look at final painting using acrylic paints. Now, I don‘t know what medium to prioritize to further increase my painting skills. Advise is highly appreciated!

I really enjoy your videos! 🤩 Thanks a bunch for doing this. 😁👍🏽🖌🎨🖼

Okay! I’ve done them all but currently I’m in an oil obsession! I’m achieving effects I never imagined. It’s taken me 6 months of constant work, however I’m a little worried about toxins. I’m also using cold wax with my oils. Thanks for the video. I will never leave oils.

I just love your personality so much❤

Thanks Mike. Love those Turners watercolors. Affordable and vibrant. Lukas are good just different. A more muted less vibrant old fashioned classic type result. But color perception differs person to person.👍

I prefer acrylics and watercolour for the ease of use and drying time. I don't have the patience for waiting a long time between layers and then even longer for it to dry. Plus, the one time I did try oils, I got nauseous despite being outdoors. And then there's the cost...

I roared laughing through this and so loved it as always, Cheers from Canada xoxo

Thank you for this: illuminating!

This was funny and understandable! Thanks for the info and your great personality!

Thank you so much, this is exactly what I was looking 4.

Would like to see more of artist problems talks.

Also remember acrylics are great for painting on non canvas substrates like mailboxes, milk cans, saws... Where watercolors and oils just don't work or can not survive the weather like acrylics

Very enlightening. Thank you for the information.

good information, Mike. I like the facial hair.

Came here for the fly attack, stayed for the artist problem. Aww I'm kinda sad that you're gonna end the series. But look forward to whatever you have in store. 😊

Mike: You should consider a Jerry's Artarama paint along session in Boston, MA: would you come and lead a day (or a half-day) where amateur and professional artists can paint with you and your team using acrylics (or allow people to test WMO or watercolors)? It would be a nice event in Boston/Cambridge perhaps next Summer (2020)?

Sounds like acrylics are best medium for me. I live in small apartment. I'm very critical of my own paintings. I love your videos. Best of luck to you.

Got me with looking around 🤣

Yeahhhhhh glad you gonna fix it !!!! So far, I have used soft pastels and acrylic and dabbled in water color pencils. I work in a small garage , oils would kill me lol acrylics are just as versatile all in all and I too old to wait for oil to dry. I may try some in the spring when I can work outside If you don’t have a shop inside with ventilation you have to be crazy to use oils. By the way I am from the old days , we used to paint with fumes all the time , it was normal in those days. So, I am not over reacting. Super video !!

Loves your videos. Only reason I subscribed to jerrys artarama.

What about rabbit skin glue as medium? Could u do an episode about it?

"I can put an entire watercolor studio in my pants" 🤣 🤣 I love it. Usually I cite the "magic fanny pack" (it's totes magic since you fit so much in there!)

Great overall review

I have enjoyed this series and am a follower over on Itsmikenotjerry. I think you could continue this and show how different papers show up differently with a certain brand and how they are affected by different brands of watercolors. Or sanded papers for Pastels, different grits and how that effects your pictures. there are many combinations we would like to experiment with, but lack funds to try them all, why not do this for us? I know it maybe a bit repetitive and maybe not great theater but as a learning or advice tool it would be invaluable for your customers too. Well maybe you want everyone to buy multiples of product but there is a lot of choices and sometimes we just stick with what we know instead of branching out and trying the new paper or paper we know nothing about except what some other uninformed RU-vidr has said. Well I hope someone reads this and passes the idea of continuing this series with the plethora of subjects and combinations to be experimented with/on there are plenty of topics to cover!

Awesome tips. Great video 🌸 Big like 🎨 Stay connected 🎨

oil colours is my fav medium 😊

Watercolor be my jam!

BIG 3

So can you explain acrylic gouache? It seems to be in the middle of acrylic and watercolor, but the lightfastness claims are interesting. Thanks!

“Let’s not talk about the fly” Me:It’s not my favorite Jeff Goldblum film either

Acrylic is thermoplastic. On average it takes 1000 years for plastic to decompose. If you painted it properly, cracking is rare. M. Graham has probably the maximum amount of pigment load. Keep all your paintings out of UV light (even CFL) no matter the medium, and they should last. Besides, you'll be dead in 100 years, you won't care what happens to your stuff. Protip: Buy a sta-wet palette. The paint will stay wet and you'll save a lot of money.

Well I've driven past you for years and might just have to stop by soon.

hi v nice video..do u mean watercolors sell less than oils and acrylics...pls guide me..tx a lot

Been using acylics for over 30 years had no problems with water as medium mediums tend to whiten the colors a little when they are wet ya they dry clear but when wet they are milky white

no link :( and yes I want too see it :)

You have to put finishing spray on cheap Acrylics. But that's cool

I like acrylic best because I’m 1. Broke, I don’t have the money and space for oils 2. Impatient, I don’t want to wait a week to move on to the next layer and 3. I like the versatility and control i have over it. With oil you have to work a certain way and use certain techniques but with acrylic you can rarely go wrong. And with watercolor, it’s very hard to control for me. I like the freedom acrylics provide.

I like watercolour best, then oil and, to a large extent, acrylic. In the case of watercolours, the pigments can show what they can do, in other media granulation can hardly be seen. A watercolour palette is available in large and small and can be quickly set up for painting and the materials last a long time. 2. Oil paints are good for intense, bright images on wood, canvas, and painting boards. The colors do not dry on the palette or on the background of the picture and this gives me a lot of time to paint. The brushstrokes are showed if I don't dilute the paint very much. The look is just totally different from watercolours. I like that light shine. I use several brushes and change while painting, so I don't have to wash the brushes often, I wash them with soap and water. Medium I need very little, a two drop if my blob of paint is a too firm. I mixed medium from linseed oil and gamsol myself. 3. Acrylic paints dry very quickly and blending is relatively difficult if I do not dilute the paint with retarder. I need a lot more media than I do with oil paints, if only to make the colors usable for longer. Acrylic paints have very different surfaces, with oil and watercolours the paint look very similar between the manufacturers, apart from the colour tones of course. I have to look carefully beforehand what kind of colors I am using. But unfortunately many acrylic paints look very plastic-like matt and I felt that the colors were constantly working against me. I have found that I can paint well with student quality paints in oils and watercolours, but that student acrylic paints are often difficult, even if the pigment load is good. I also like to use hobby / student grade watercolours from the supermarket for my sketchbook.

Gouache is a big boy too

You didn't read the Golden report on diluting acrylics with water. They specifically addressed both adhesion and sensitivity to water and other products down to 100 parts water.

I tried oils and the looooong drying time drove me nuts...that and the smell.

I like gouache

Haha... Oils are pregnant women of paints

Think he needs a “right you are’ counterpart. I ACCEPT! Call me. 🤙 This is the icon suggested when typing, call me? Is this a new thing, like Epic Legit Bras. What do these bras look like? I cant find them anywhere!

Your ear was tripping me out until I realized it was a mic. Good video though.

Water based oil paint is like acrylic.

Maybe it's because they are newer I can't feel that acrylic paints are more than craft paints. I've seen gorgeous paintings in acrylic but I can't see myself paying the same as I would for an oil or watercolor painting. Just my opinion.

Helpful, but should have been 15 minutes long

But you are not going to glue things together.. you are just painting I have paints that I’ve done for years using water as medium plus I usually use house paint to do my art which is the same as acrylic paint .. and they still perfectly fine...unless you are going to become a Picasso that you art will be in the planet for thousands of years then yes you need to use other mediums 😂

"...can't say with authority..." Then why should anyone watch these videos? I sure quit at that point and won't watch another of yours or Jerry's.

Well it doesn’t seem clear why you are taking the trouble of making such wacky vlog! The information you are vomiting is either obvious or irrelevant to the subject.