How to choose a painting - what is meant by preferred medium?

I hope you’re feeling more comfortable about engaging with an artist and pleased with all the information you’re getting about the painting you like.

Today, I’d like to talk about what an artist means when they speak of a ‘preferred medium’. This usually refers to what an artist is working with to create their paintings. It’s also another word for ‘paint’.

A painting is a layered structure (canvas, paper, board); the surface’s preparation (‘ground’, in art jargon); and its layers of colour. Applying layers of colour means using a ‘medium’ – better known as paint.

The three most frequently used paints are oils, watercolour, and acrylics. I’ll stick to these three for the time being. All of them begin with the basic ingredient: dry pigment, the ingredient that provides colour.

Oil paint is oil-based, can be purchased in tubes and is ‘thinned’ with oil-based ingredients followed by spreading with a brush or palette knife on a prepared surface of canvas or board. A glossy finish distinguishes a painting in oil.

Watercolour is water-based, can be purchased in tubes and pans, is ‘thinned’ with water and applied with a brush to paper made flat and smooth by ‘stretching’.

A painting in watercolour is distinguished by its light, gentle and transparent colours,

Acrylic paint is usually referred to as ‘plastic paint’, can be purchased in tubes or jars and is ‘thinned’ with an acrylic medium or water. Its colours are distinguished by their brightness and opaqueness.

If you can’t recognize the medium, it’s a good idea to ask what it is.

My preferred medium is acrylics, although I’ve also worked extensively with oils, watercolour and gouache. I also make my own paint: if you’re interested, email me and I will send you my recipe.

This is a vast and interesting field and I’ve barely touched the surface!
Until next session, warm regards,
Marie