SOFT PASTEL
I did much of my earliest work using pastels, but only rediscovered them in 2020. Once again, pastel has become one of my favorite mediums.
ACRYLIC
By painting in multiple thin layers and using glazing techniques, acrylic paintings can have the depth ordinarily associated with oil paintings. Alternatively acrylic is ideal for painting a la prima (all at once), with the entire painting completed at one sitting, or for impasto, which is very textured work, often done with a palette knife.
OIL
As a child I watched my elderly cousin painting in oil. Since the smells and cleanup were not pleasant, I spent most of my life thinking I couldn't use oil paints. I assumed it was the smell of the solvents, but recently tried water-miscible oil paints (which clean up with water) and discovered it was the smell of the linseed oil that is used as a binder in most oil paints. Again, I assumed I'd never be able to paint with oils until, recently, an artist friend suggested I try using oil paints that are bound with walnut oil rather than linseed oil. It's been a complete game changer for me, and I now welcome the challenge of oil painting both outdoors and in my studio.