Acrylic, Mixed Media, or Oil Painting

     Is this an acrylic, mixed media, or oil painting?  Well lets look at what was used in this painting.  I painted the whole painting with acrylic paints and sat back and said "I like this painting!".  If I stopped right then and hung it up on the wall or gave it away as a present, it would be a acrylic painting,    However, I didn't stop there.  

     When the painting dried, I rubbed a thin layer of linseed oil over the whole surface and waited 15 minutes.  I then use some water mixable oils to accentuate the blues, greens, and whites and the painting became a Mixed Media (acrylic and oils together).   

     I'm ready to hang up the mixed media painting; however, I want a oil painting!  If I cover the entire canvas with oil, over the acrylic, it becomes a oil painting.

Make it simple

All acrylic = acrylic painting

Add oil to the painting  = mixed media

Cover over the acrylic paints with oil = oil painting

Warning:  Never make a painting by using oil paints 1st and then try to cover the oil with acrylics.   Acrylic 1st and then oil.