Oils
Oil painting is a slow process because you have to wait and be patient when adding layers it is however worth the wait as the finished results are worth it.
I love oils and I tolerate the slowness of the drying time and the smell of the turps although I tend to prefer an expensive Turps alternative like Zest as my body feels healthier for it, I love the process of working and reworking and coming into the studio in the mornings and seeing where I am going wrong and what needs to change. When it's going right usually I have a gut instinct about it. You get the knack the more you do it. I like the clocking-in and clocking-off process rather than waiting for inspiration. I get lazy sometimes and repeat myself and have to give myself a talking too. The best ones are where you're just not sure but you keep on until you are finished. Keep pushing until I can't do anymore in one sitting and then finish the odd bits; later.
Gouache
Gouache is bright and strong and is great for working out doors for fresh immediate results and is easy to transport and work with and that's why I just I love it
I like to work as light as possible so I carry all my stuff in a travel sack over my shoulder with a seat to sit on and a small light umbrella just in case the sun is too bright. I prefer to work in the morning and get 2 hours in. Timing-wise as it gets closer to mid-summer I need to get up earlier and earlier to catch the light. The more you get into mid-day when the sun is right over your head the less likely you are to even see your paper let alone your subject. I usually come away with something and it gives me ideas for when I get back in the studio plus there is the invaluable lesson you learn about colour in real life. I like to use a Rough Saunders Waterford paper Spiral Bound from Jacksons Art
Acrylic
I like to take acrylic painting out with me when I am plain air painting but only occasionally as I now paint mainly in oil. I love acrylic and I also love oil
I started my career as an artist using acrylic and for many years I had great results. I became thoroughly familiar with it. I do love this medium and won't knock it. In my later career, I switched to oils as I felt there was more life visually in it. It did take me a long time to make the switch as I found it hard to break the habits I had learned with acrylic but I'm getting there.