Oil Painting vs Watercolor Painting ... How to Choose the Right Painting Medium for You
CHRISTINE LASHLEY and BRIENNE M BROWN

Oil vs watercolor is not really a question of which medium is better. After years of working in both, I’ve found that each one offers something different, and the right choice often depends on what you’re trying to accomplish, how you like to work, and where you are in your journey as an artist.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:59 Choosing Your Primary Painting Medium
02:30 How Your Painting Medium Can Shape Your Art Career
03:32 Oil vs Watercolor for Building an Art Career
04:00 Why Focusing on One Medium Can Help You Improve Faster
06:14 Finding Your Artistic Path and Developing Your Style
07:48 Why Working in Two Painting Mediums Can Help You Grow
09:45 Oil Painting and Watercolor Materials and Safety Concerns
11:11 How to Choose the Right Painting Medium for You
15:26 Choosing Oil or Watercolor for Travel and Plein Air Painting
18:27 Conclusion

GUEST: BRIENNE M BROWN
Brienne M Brown is a professional watercolor artist and instructor known for her expressive watercolor paintings and plein air work. She teaches workshops and online classes, helping artists develop their skills while finding their own creative voice.
Her YouTube Channel: @briennembrownart

In this video, I’m joined by watercolor artist Brienne M Brown to compare oil painting and watercolor painting from the perspective of two artists who have spent years working with both mediums. We talk about why we each chose a primary medium, how those decisions affected our art careers, and what happened when we began experimenting with the other.

Brienne shares how watercolor became an important part of her life and career, particularly for plein air painting, travel, and capturing quick impressions of a place. We also talk about why I chose oil as my primary medium for exhibiting and competitions, how commercial considerations can influence an artist’s choices, and why focusing on one medium can sometimes help you improve faster.

But there is another side to the oil vs watercolor discussion that I think is just as important: play. Working in a second medium can give you freedom to experiment without the same expectations you may place on your primary work. For Brienne, oil has become a kind of playtime, while watercolor gives her a wonderfully direct way to capture color, light, energy, and those unexpected moments that happen when water and pigment begin working together.

We also discuss materials and safety, solvent-free oil painting, plein air painting, traveling with art supplies, and why watercolor can be especially useful when you need to work quickly and travel light. From France and the Smokies to India, our experiences in the field have shown us that the best medium can change depending on the situation.

Ultimately, finding your way as an artist is not about following one formula. Whether you are trying to decide between oil painting and watercolor, developing your own art style, or simply looking for a new way to grow, experimenting with another medium can teach you something valuable about the way you paint.

Christine Lashley
An American Artist
Art Courses: https://www.lashleyartclass.com/

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