Mona Vivar Fine Art: How to Make Acrylics Look Like Oil

My painting career has been filled with doubt about whether I should paint with oils or acrylics. I happen to like both and have worked with both successfully. Oils are so rich and buttery, but they take at least a few days or weeks to dry (even when mixed with alkyd mediums). Acrylics, when used thickly, take no more than a few hours or overnight to dry enough to varnish, pack and ship. Sometimes, though, acrylics can look a bit harsh or "plastic" because they are plastic.

So that's my dilemma. I paint with the idea that each painting will find a new home fairly rapidly. I have to ship most of my paintings to my customers. Time is of the essence. I routinely use acrylics as my go to medium. BUT I still want that rich, buttery oil look! Agh!

I finally came across a tip that has helped me achieve the look I want. I put 20 drops of acrylic retarder in a small 2 ounce spray bottle filled with water. I shake it up well and use it to spritz my canvas and the paints on my palette (make it moist, not drippy). This keeps the paint application flowing well so I can blend and soften edges as needed. I use heavy body acrylic paint, usually Golden brand. Then I add thick gel medium as well as acrylic retarder to my paint to make the paint nice and impasto thick. I use bristle brushes and palette knives to apply paint just as I would with oils.

Take a look below at Daffodil Surprise detailed photos. This is a recent acrylic painting that I completed using exactly the technique described. Looks like an oil painting. Dry as a bone and ready to go!