Thanks Brenda for the price comparison. I currently have a small set (eight basic colors with small tips, and the same eight basic colors with larger tips). I’ll have to watch to see what Matt uses, and then decide if I want to buy more.
Terri Robichon
For the second project in the course (Colored Pencils Plus: Posca Markers and colored pencils) I’ve started by watching all the lessons. The few Posca Markers that I have don’t have any colors that will work for the project. I’m not wanting to buy any more at this time. So, I decided to do my base coat with acrylic paints instead of Posca. I’m really liking what I have so far and am torn whether I should just finish this as a totally acrylic drawing, or should I finish the lesson and add colored pencils.
I’d love to know what you guys think I should do. I’m attaching photo of the reference and my preliminary acrylic painting.
Terri Robichon
The avocado is terrific. You inspire me to try everything you post. The avocado is no exception. I have posca marker’s dupes that I got at Sam’s club a while back only used once to doodle. Like you’ve said before, “there’s only so much time in a day”. I have yet to use acrylic, oil, and ink. I so terribly want to do an acrylic or oil painting! Which do you recommend to try first?
I’m going through a scatter squirrel brain spell. I have several unfinished drawings. I even started a drawing of an outer space dream I had. Might need my meds adjusted lol
Falcon almost finished, started binoculars, dog progressing, painting that my son asked me to maje for him no rush…
Sonia - I just love all your posts and how your mind works. I too have several things started that I definitely plan to finish - but what to do first ??? before I start 10 more things.
It’s so fun to see the things you’re working on. Have you listened to the talk show host that talks about managing your money and getting rid of debt? His name is Dave Ramsey. He always says to get rid of the smallest, least expensive debt first to get it out of the way and proceed that way until all that is left is the biggest, most difficult. That way you have several “wins” under your belt and stay motivated. On your current list of projects, I’d finish the falcon first. It already looks done - and is fantastic by the way. Second I would finish the pastel dog. Another amazing and generous gift. That one has the hardest parts done already and would be nice to have finished. Third, I would finish the binoculars because it is a “quick” project, and you can give it as much or as little time as you want. You’d have to figure out the rest as you may have added other things to you pile of projects by then.
Okay, regarding oil and acrylic paintings these are the ones I really struggle with. (Remember you only see my stuff when I’ve finally figured it out - and not when it looks like crap or has been thrown away before trying it again.) I think I’m liking the oil a little bit more because of the increased drying time. With acrylics the paint is drying on my palette before I can even paint with it and that drives me crazy. Of course the oil painting often needs drying time. Thats when I leave it alone to work on one of my other ongoing projects. You just gotta make sure you come back to it before too long however so you stay motivated and don’t lose your newly acquired skills.
Okay, I think you should try the water based oil painting first. Go to the lesson by Matt under painting / oil / still life / White Rose - Study with oils. It is really SMALL (mine is 6x6) and I loved doing it. The Live Lesson that Ashley taught of “Roscoe” was also great (because I love the live lessons, even when they aren’t live anymore). To find that lesson go to painting / oil / animals / Dog Portrait Painting on a Black Canvas - - - - - or - - - - - - find it under “Live Lessons” called Dog Portrait on Black Canvas.
Gotta go now - I’ve got artwork calling out for my attention.
Terri Robichon
Thanks a million! I will follow your advice and apply it to money management first of all. Then to the projects, even though I finished the dog just now and am about to post it. I’m definitely starting on the rose in oil, working on binoculars while waiting for oil to dry. Thank goodness I already have water soluble oil paints 
Thanks again!!
Sonia
“Luna” dog finished. Waiting on picture of her mom to add more details to collar. Critiques welcome! 
Sonia - Your skill as an artist continues to impress me, especially when I came to understand how little time you have been drawing. This is charming and heartwarming. Your friend will absolutely love it as I do.
Terri Robichon
Hi Sonia - I know you will do well with the oil painting and I look forward to you posting your first painting.
I’m working on 2 oil paintings right now. Yesterday it was one of my cat Missy. Today I’m earlier in the process on some Bleeding Hearts. Here they are as I will impatiently wait for them to dry before I continue. Yes, my husband did say it was okay to use this corner for drying. I promised not to get any paint on his model. It’s one of the few places where the cats (and their hair) won’t disturb my art.
Terri Robichon
Good Lord! I can’t wait to see for myself what kind of rose I come up with. Will it be a hit or a miss? …. To he continued……
In the meantime I’ll just look at you rose and hope it looks one tenth as good as yours!
Not to mention your dog on black canvas 
I hope your cat’s portrait and bleeding hearts get posted when finished. I have a vague notion of the degree of difficulty to paint a cat in oil. Your Missy looks great! I love cats
I gathered the materials necessary for the rose oil painting. I have most of the colors in water mixable oils. However the titanium white and a couple more are just regular oils. Would it be ok to mix them up? I also have liquin medium.
Sonia.
My understanding is that they can be mixed, but the oil paints or anything you mixed with it would not be able to be cleaned with water. I only bought all water mixable, so I’ve never actually done that myself.
Maybe even ask Matt the question on the members minute, where he will answer questions in addition to the critique. Or ask it on Wednesday during the live lesson chat.
Yes I will post the ones I’m working on when I finish them.
Terri Robichon
Thank you! I will probably get the rest of the water mixable oil paints that I’m missing… I’m nervous to begin with, better safe than sorry for now. I have not the faintest idea what working with oils feels, smells, or tastes like ha!
Sonia
Well the clean up is definitely easier if you use all the same thing.
Terri Robichon
I finally finished the Avocado - the second lesson in the colored pencil plus course. And once again, I broke all the rules. I didn’t have the right Posca colors (and no budget to buy more right now) so I decided to try acrylic paints in place of the posca (look at previous posts to see my artwork at that point. So then I started to use the colored pencils on top of the acrylic underpainting. Stupid me - of course that wouldn’t work. Absolutely no tooth left on the paper, so I had no option but to finish it as a totally acrylic painting. I’m pretty happy with it, but I spent about 15 hours on this project which was a lot more than I had expected. I also like it better if it is rotated the way I’m showing it here.
Terri Robichon
Well, you should be happy with it young lady! It is hyper realistic! 
Thanks so much my friend. I appreciate your continuing support.
Terri Robichon
Hello Terri @robichon ,
That is excellent. I really like your rendention. But breaking the rules…
Isn’t that what us designers do? LOL.
I do appreciate though that you (and others here) identity when you deviate from “lesson suggestions”. It really helps to know if medium is different so that we are left wondering if we did something that would cause ours to look different.
Your work and others especially in the color mediums (especially those other than color pencil as I am getting to really like those) really inspire me. I started the French Bulldog but have yet to finish. I did Stan the Orangutan with Inktense, but have not touched oils or acrylics otherwise since college (when I tried to copy Bob Ross on PBS and had mo clue of what I was doing). I did watercolor once even before then in college and turned a Richard Meier work into blue smurf house with blue landscape since we had to render a work from a famous architect using one color of watercolor. All of Meier’s work was generally bright white. My professor reamed me so bad on that one that I have been scared to touch color again until going through this course.
Thanks to all of you who have shown your color work and got me motivated again.
Lenet.
I meant to say “you are happy with it as you should”, I hope the context was not misinterpreted… I often get myself in trouble when trying to be funny…sigh
Especially since I mostly interact with children
Wow! I honestly thought that this was just the reference reversed. Well done!
I’m still a little afraid of acrylic paint. One of these days I’ll give it a go
