Can I Paint Outside [Plein Air] With Acrylics?

[@sidneygage]

way to go amy

[@katpaints]

Interesting! So, is that a Plano box and did you have to glue the dividers in to prevent them from seeping from one compartment to the next? I have gouache in similar boxes but this is a better size!

[@GoldenPaints]

Hi, Kathleen. This is a small part box from a local hardware store. It's similar to this: www.harborfreight.com/large-water-resistant-storage-container-56578.html

[@HondoTrailside]

One thing you should notice online is that there are a lot of videos on the Zorn Palette, and a lot of schools, that also support it. However, there are some problems. No paint company actually makes the paints. Zorn was lead white, old fashioned veridian; a particular variety of yellow ochre; and Ivory black, but it needs to be a single pigment (they all do) that has a blue shade, as none of the current blacks do. I think that a company that actually covers this palette will do well. It is probably not possible to do it exactly. Simulating lead white is just on example of the difficulty. Golden open would be good for this as if you have only 4 colors on your palette, you will be doing a lot of mixing, and it will really help if you have some open time. By the way, there isn't any oil company that I am aware of that does this palette either. The point to the palette is that for serious students you can work your initial way through two colors in charcoal, and paints, and when you get your handling of values, and want to move on to some color, this palette is fun to use, but does not require a lot of sophistication with color harmony. However, Zorrn painted a lot of different subjects with it, while adding the odd accent in other colors.

[@GoldenPaints]

Thank you so much for bringing the need for Zorn palette sets to our attention. We will make sure to pass the idea of having a set related to his limited palette on to the brand managers for Williamsburg Oil Paint and Golden Acrylics.

[@deadlyradiation7977]

Also really depends on the climate you are in. Hot and dry is hard. I know - I've tried 😂

[@myriamcarlyle9554]

I have most of those products and as a matter of fact I did a side by side test of Regular acrylics and Open acrylics of the same painting. The Open acrylics painting had more of a translucent effect. The original did blend a little better, but I had to work faster. I used the retarder if I needed to slow down. Next I'm going to get the gels for the Open paints.

[@ArtelisStudio]

I find that Golden’s Open acrylics work best mixed with regular acrylics. Underpainting of regular acrylics for fast drying, then if you want more blend-ability, mix with some Open acrylic paint in proportion to how quick drying you want it to be. A tube of white Open acrylics is useful for this. It takes a bit of getting used to.

[@myriamcarlyle9554]

@@ArtelisStudio I don't mix with the white much because it hazes my color maybe I use the next color up on the triad. You're right about using regular acrylic for fast drying of underpainting or wash, and then waiting a bit for using the Open, so that my paint won't crack. I will try mixing the 2 acrylics, with a retarder since I live in California where it's always hot. Thanks for the idea artelis. I'll get out another canvas and compare. 👍