This was a 24x36" plein air painting I did in oils in 1968. It has survived but throughout all these years the oils have cracked and the varnish has turned an splotchy ugly yellow. It does have an old charm and some of that is because the yellowing has created a color harmony in the piece, however if you were to see it close up the age has really taken a toll.


This painting was done in acrylics around the year 2000. I have many paintings in my possession that are well over 40 years old and done in acrylics that have not cracked and the colors still look fresh and vibrant.
So, are acrylics better than oils? I know there are oil paintings in museums that are hundreds of years old but they have been cared for. For someone like myself who has had to store paintings in all sorts of places and conditions, acrylics stand up so much better.