# Ask the Artist

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-artist/616216>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 19, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-artist/616216 "2012-03-19T12:41:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-artist/616216/61 "2012-03-23T19:27:26Z")

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> [@fessie](#):
>
> I remember when those water-soluble oils came out, I think I tried the ones from Grumbacher & they were lousy then - goopy crap in drab colors. Have they changed much?

The original formulations were student-quality. They’ve started making artist-quality versions, and those are quite nice. Holbein has an incredible color range.

> [@](#):
>
> _I haven’t tried Open, and I do like Golden a lot. Is that better than just using a retardant? I thought I’d bought some slow-dry the other day but I grabbed the wrong bottle & it’s just liquid medium…_

I’ve found retardant stretches the time acrylic is workable to an hour or two at most. Open paint remains workable on the canvas for a day or more, and I had paint on the palette last almost a week. It’s most similar to Alkyds for drying time.

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**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-artist/616216/62 "2012-03-23T19:58:49Z")

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> [@garygnu](#):
>
> The original formulations were student-quality. They’ve started making artist-quality versions, and those are quite nice. Holbein has an incredible color range.  
> I’ve found retardant stretches the time acrylic is workable to an hour or two at most. Open paint remains workable on the canvas for a day or more, and I had paint on the palette last almost a week. It’s most similar to Alkyds for drying time.

Thanks **garygnu**! Wish Sennelier made some, that’s my all-time favorite brand 🙂 I stumbled across a 1/2 off sale of their dry pastels at a store last summer, bought handfuls!

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