Much Ado About Acrylics
Written by Teresita Blanco (The Artsy Sister)
For the last couple of years, I had not bothered to make a single painting. I was mostly doing drawings and line arts. If I remember correctly, my last work of this kind was made in high school, with tempera. Three years ago, I asked my brother to buy me an entire painting kit, with watercolors, acrylics and oil. Anyhow, through this set, I started to play around with paints. As of now, I have only used the acrylics. This is one of the results of my ventures.
I was making a front cover for my poetry book. The book is still on the woodworks. It takes forever to just change the front cover. You know how it is, stopping the printer and so forth. This painting is based on an old family photo of me. I always wore a lot of cute dresses and the like. The turtle is called Luka. It was my first pet. From time to time, it would hide and then come back. I think the poor bastard was probably like 3 different turtles. It was tough having pets in a country where there was like scarcity of everything.
Even my own dresses, they were the ones worn by my great grandmas. They were all short and so they fitted on me just right. I don't like talking or even writing about that place. It is a can of worms that is best left closed. Still, I thought it would be useful to tell you about the painting. The words are just keywords that appear on my poems. I thought it would look artsy, but now it feels like a bit of a cliché. As for the strawberry, it was my favorite fruit. I used to put the strawberry on a pedestal.
I had never tasted the strawberry. I was a bit disappointed when I tried it. In the long run, I ended up despising the strawberry. It is just nothing too far out there. Now, I am thinking about strawberries, instead of talking about acrylics. So, this is just about all I can manage so far with my painting skills. It is nothing too far out there. Still, it is decent for my 12th acrylic paintings.
Speaking of acrylics, as of now, it is the most popular type of paint in the market. Everyone I know who paints is using acrylics. Depending on who you ask, acrylic was first developed in hundreds of different locations. The earliest type was apparently invented in Mexico believe it or not, or maybe in Germany. The Golden company also claims to have invented the first water based acrylics. As of now, it is just one of those inventions, that hundreds of people came up with at the same time in different countries. It is a bit like the story of the light bud.
The one in the US was invented by Sam Golden. A painter had visited his shop and had asked him to make paints using honey. Using the processes, Golden eventually made a water based acrylic. All in all, acrylics is a relatively new type of paint. Who created it, doesn't matter. It is a bit of a 20th century invention. It is best liked for all its abilities. It can stick to many surfaces. When added to canvases, the work can be rolled up, without affecting the final product. At least, that is what acrylic painters promise.
I will tell you all about it when I get my painting. My brother bought his first fancy acrylic painting. Once the canvas comes rolled up, I will show you how it ended up looking. I am really looking forward to getting it. It was made by one of my mother's Cuban friends, who is still living in Cuba. With what he makes, he can support his family and all his extended families. I will be quite a treat.
