# oil vs acrylic, and should I go to the head of the department? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2008, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423 "2008-03-07T07:31:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/61 "2008-03-07T22:10:24Z")
(Compare to [CSU](http://www.csuohio.edu/tuition/)–which I’m paying out of state tuition for though I should get the in-state rate next semester–and [KSU](http://www.kennesaw.edu/admissions/tuition_and_fees.html) where I went before–though I had a full-tuition scholarship because I maintained a good GPA) ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/62 "2008-03-07T22:20:40Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] You don’t get the supply list until the first day of class. The course description reads: “An investigation into more advanced approaches to painting. May be repeated an additional 16 hours.” [/QUOTE] Ok then, you were decieved. I’m not sure I’d go to his boss first though. Talk to someone at student affairs, someone who is there to help students (not sure of their proper job title so am describing, counselor, the person who helped you sign up for the courses) about how deceptive the class description was, and how you don’t feel you are getting the education you paid for. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/63 "2008-03-07T22:23:52Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] I’ve also considered mixing them as you mentioned (and yes I know that you can’t do acrylic on top of oil) to put the “finishing touches” in oil on top of the acrylic main painting. It’s not like I think he’d be able to tell the difference. Especially if I use some sort of gloss coat over the whole thing at the end. Muahahaha! [/QUOTE] If you use acrylic modeling compound first and use the acrylics in an impasto manner, you essentially have Rembrandt’s technique. Well, a lot of old timers for that matter, although you need crap brushes to scumble properly. (Oh, and FTR, the one of leaves is a massive pen and ink thing reduced to a tiny photo) ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/64 "2008-03-07T22:24:31Z")
Well that’s just nuts. Who can afford that? It’s not like being an accountant or engineer or something where there’s a consistent and predictable job market. [The School of the Art Institute of Chicago](http://www.saic.edu/life/financial/costs/index.html#tuition/SLC_4201/SLC_4213) is about the same. Wow, the [Art Academy of Cincinnati](http://artacademy.edu/AD_Tuition.html) is only about 30% cheaper. The sad thing is, I could swear I’ve read that the vast majority of people who graduate with BFA’s are no longer making _any_ art within about 5 years. My Google-fu is poor, I can’t find a cite but I know I’ve read that. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/65 "2008-03-07T22:27:09Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] Well that’s just nuts. Who can afford that? [/QUOTE] I know! That’s why when people say “withdraw and go to CIA” I can only smile and nod and know it’s never gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/66 "2008-03-07T22:30:53Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] Well that’s just nuts. Who can afford that? It’s not like being an accountant or engineer or something where there’s a consistent and predictable job market. [The School of the Art Institute of Chicago](http://www.saic.edu/life/financial/costs/index.html#tuition/SLC_4201/SLC_4213) is about the same. Wow, the [Art Academy of Cincinnati](http://artacademy.edu/AD_Tuition.html) is only about 30% cheaper. The sad thing is, I could swear I’ve read that the vast majority of people who graduate with BFA’s are no longer making _any_ art within about 5 years. My Google-fu is poor, I can’t find a cite but I know I’ve read that. [/QUOTE] This is true. Most people in art school assume that it’s ok to collect debt like action figures, either their own or forcing it onto their parents, because engineering and premed kids do it all the time. In fact, it’s expected. However, there’s not only a low ROI, but there isn’t a monetary ROI for almost everyone who goes to art school. This is how it has always been, people satisfying an artistic itch, who collect their degree and go into something more lucrative. After a few years of conversation openers at parties, it gets forgotten, and no more art. Some become teachers, some go into marketing to attract kids to the art via the cool teachers, and the vicious cycle continues. Thus, freaking insane cost. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/67 "2008-03-07T22:33:21Z")
Yep. Take a lookie here - [CIA’s “Extension” painting class](http://www.cia.edu/academicPrograms/nondegree/CIA_ES_Spring08_Catalog.pdf) on Saturday afternoons for $350 (the oils class, not the acrylics 😛 ) Gah, better look up that teacher’s name, what if it was the guy you’ve already got? Be just like that song “If you like pina coladas”. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/68 "2008-03-07T22:52:24Z")
Thinking about it more, tuition costs are probably what stiffens new artists more than anything. Back when this whole concept of modern art started, a lot of the revolutionaries were ever actually formally trained. Courbet and Degas, sure, but not Gauguin, Van Gogh, Cezanne, etc. In fact, most were something else first - Van Gogh a preacher, Cezanne was a banker, Gauguin a stockbroker - who fell into art assbackwards. The ones who didn’t train formally did something that’s still popular, which is visiting studios of well respected artists once or so a week, paying a nominal fee, and learning tips here or there. They were poor and starving, but they didn’t have a massive debt to pay off, so in that sense were relatively burden free. An artist that comes out of CIA would have to immediately go into another field to start paying off the $100,000 pricetag on their head, and over time, with more work, their desire for self expression fades like a bookmark in the wash, where eventually the crumbling paper of former expression is replaced by an overwhelming urge to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/69 "2008-03-07T23:03:13Z")
:sigh: Yes. And beautifully put. I remember meeting a potter years & years ago, he was working for the potter from whom I was renting a studio. I was in school then. And I told him I found the whole thing baffling - where was it leading? Was it meaningful? He was throwing mugs as we spoke and he was like, “I spent years in class learning about this theory and that one. Then I met (Gloria?) and she showed me how to make $5 mugs. Now I’m happy.” ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/70 "2008-03-07T23:03:50Z")
oooh neat. I will have to keep an eye out for when the next one starts. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/71 "2008-03-07T23:07:41Z")
Wow, that is expensive! I’m currently getting an Engineering degree from a world-renowned school for 3800$ a _year_! That includes all my student fees, too! Of course, Québec partially subsidizes that, but in most other provinces, I’d expect to pay something like 6000$ per year. I knew education was expensive in the US, but I didn’t think it was THAT much! Then again, I just remembered a conversation with a classmate, an American, who is paying 15000$ a year in international tuition, because is entire degree here would still cost less than a year at the school he was looking at back home! I had randomly looked at Ursuline College, and they seem to have a BFA in something called Art Studio. I don’t know how art school work/what the different degrees are, so I just figured I’d throw that out there. I’m sure you’ve done all your research before moving, though, and made the best choice for your situation. I just hope it works out to something worthwhile! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/72 "2008-03-07T23:19:43Z")
[QUOTE=mnemosyne] I had randomly looked at Ursuline College, and they seem to have a BFA in something called Art Studio. I don’t know how art school work/what the different degrees are, so I just figured I’d throw that out there. [/QUOTE] It’s still over $10,000/semester. Plus it is 30 minutes from me (CSU is about 10-15 minutes). Also, it’s a Catholic school… I have issues with religion that would probably make me not overly compatible with a Catholic school. There just really aren’t good alternatives here ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/73 "2008-03-08T00:52:28Z")
If I may suggest, **Opal** , it may be smart for you to stop attending this school and wait until you can afford a real art school. I know you’re anxious for your degree, but how much will it be worth, coming from this particular school? How seriously will potential employers consider it? ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/74 "2008-03-08T02:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > So whereas on an oil painting for a given area I might go block in some of the dark areas, then go block in some of the lighter areas, then go back and blend it all together for the midtones, with acrylic you can’t do that. You’d get halfway through blocking in the darks and the ones you started with would already be bone dry before you even started with the light areas, let alone returned to try to blend them. You can try mixing [acrylic retardant](http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_product.cfm?classId=1020&subclassID=102012&brandname=&item=37990) into acrylic paint, which will slow the drying time (this guy recommends spraying it directly on the painting: [http://www.squidoo.com/acrylic](http://www.squidoo.com/acrylic)). Also, if you’re doing washes, the water will slow the drying quite a bit. You can also buy glazing mixers and gloss gels to slow drying and better allow glazing of acrylics: [http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp\_view\_product.cfm?classId=1020&subclassID=102012&brandname=Liquitex&item=69156](http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_product.cfm?classId=1020&subclassID=102012&brandname=Liquitex&item=69156) and [http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp\_view\_products.cfm?classID=1020&subclassID=102012&brandname=Liquitex](http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_products.cfm?classID=1020&subclassID=102012&brandname=Liquitex) It won’t be exactly the same as oil, but you’re not stuck with un-reworkable paint, either. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423/75 "2008-03-08T17:32:35Z")
Gaudere: Actually I already mentioned that I use retarder medium to slow it. I also use glazing mediums. It still sucks. Ivylass: First, I’m not getting this degree so I can find a potential employer. I am going to try to produce studio work and get gallery contracts. I do not want to work for somebody. Also, as I said, I want to go to grad school. The problem with stopping now is that leaves me spinning my wheels for a number of years, and then I’d have to go get a job, which would be a crappy job (think waiting tables? Doing temp work?) that would take me away from my son for much longer hours than school does and make me miserable as well. Going to school at least I’m making some progress. Once Dan finishes medical school it will get a lot easier, financially, but for right now without student loan money I’d have to go get some shitty job somewhere, be a relatively absent parent to my son, and hate my life until years from now when we finally moved. I’d much rather further my education in what way I can and be around for my son. The rest of the classes I’m taking at CSU seem fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oil-vs-acrylic-and-should-i-go-to-the-head-of-the-department/440423.md?page=3)