Oil

I use oils only when I can work outdoors. That is … Florida in the winter and spring, and Maine in the summer and fall. The fumes can be debilitating although the smell is intoxicating! The work time is so much longer than water based or dry media, and for me the longer the time interval required for oxidation tends to separate me from the powerful beginning inception. I enjoy using oil in combination with other media on heavy gessoed watercolor paper, and on wood panels. It has “body” that doesn’t need additives, as acrylic does with gels. I do use chemicals that speed oxidation and maintain gloss, but again, the fumes are troublesome in any enclosed area, even with good ventilation. That said, the colors are deep and gorgeous!