I decided to do some "playing" like Teresa at Blueberries Art and Life Blog. She has been doing some experimentation with her watercolors. Well I just ordered some Cobra brand water soluble oil paints from Dick Blick. I didn't order any medium, but they sent a bottle free. I'm glad now as the water just doesn't do it.

The oils are too thick to use dry and the water doesn't last long with the paint. It seems to disappear on the brush. I was constantly putting the brush in water and couldn't get the consistency I wanted. I had either too much or too little water. Never in between.

In the 80s, I painted with the old type oil paints. I loved them. I just didn't love the smell, the turp, the cleaning up, the messiness, or the long drying time. Plus I went to work full time and just didn't have the time.

So to be able to do artwork and not spend so much time before and after, I started to draw with graphite. I loved it and still love it better than any other medium. I can do it anywhere, with a minimum of supplies, and no cleanup or wait time.

Then everyone kept asking why I didn't do color. Well I finally decided I would try some color and that led to colored pencils. I used Derwent Watercolor pencils but used them dry.

After awhile, I wanted to try the watercolor pencils wet. Then I tried watercolor paints. I can live with watercolor pencils and a waterbrush, but watercolor paints and regular brushes just aren't my thing.

And now I have been getting some wonderful art cards of my dogs in a trade and some of them were done in water soluble oils. They were gorgeous. I decided to give the oils another try. She used alkoyds but I didn't want to have to use a medium as I have two birds and didn't want to kill them with any unnecessary fumes. They have delicate vascular systems.

Now here I am full circle with oils and they aren't working with the water only. One thing is good. The oil paints don't have an odor. The other brand I had tried did have a slightly faint odor and even tho it was several years ago (and they were also water soluble) I believe they worked better with just the water.

Another thing I found out. The brushes didn't clean up with just water. I still had to use soap to get the green paint out.

Above is my try with the water soluble oils (Cobra) using water only.