Painting is an intimate and physical activity : oil painting involves use of the oil paint, and of a variety of mediums, all with their smells, textures and colours. Oil paint and media have strong and distinctive smells, as well as colour. You get close to the painting, and the subject, you get involved with the outcome. You might use more than one medium : acrylics, oil pastel, oil bar, charcoal, ink. You may use more than a paintbrush : I often use the palette knives, craft knives, pieces of card, my fingers, the wrong end of my brush, whatever comes to hand in the studio. You may use collage, glue items to your painting. Work is often done on top of other work, so the meaning of the original work is still there but far less obvious.
