The architecture of intimacy: a bridge between acrylics and oils
By Ale Casanova
In Eclosion, Ale Casanova explores the dialogue between acrylics and oils on a large scale. By combining the speed and structure of acrylics with the depth of oil paint, he creates a layered process where drawing, colour, and material work in harmony.
When Royal Talens invited me to explore mixed media, my first reaction was one of caution. As a painter focused almost exclusively on oils when working on canvas, acrylics usually play a secondary role in my studio.
However, the proposal coincided with the creation of a large-scale piece (150 × 150 cm) for Galerie Bonnard in Nuenen. I decided this wouldn’t be just an experiment, but a natural evolution of my process: using the speed and versatility of acrylics to build a solid foundation on a fine-grained Claessens Belgian linen with a universal primer. This exceptional support allows the materials to truly enhance the final depth of the oils.
"Eclosion" (150 x 150 cm). The final result where mixed media supports a large-scale composition on Claessens linen.
Drawing to understand: markers as structure
I don't see drawing as a simple preliminary sketch, but as the architecture that sustains the painting. I don’t gradually approach tone and volume through layers of color; instead, I go straight to the structure through drawing and then rebuild it through color and matter.
The process begins with a light graphite sketch, but it is with Amsterdam Acrylic Markers that the painting truly begins to take shape. Using the fluid and opaque stroke of these markers, I redraw the main structures on the linen, marking color zones, plane changes, and relationships between elements, overlaps, and depths. In such a tight and complex composition, the marker line allows me to maintain control before the color comes into play. Even after the first acrylic layers, I return to the markers to reclaim lines or add graphic accents.
Color from within: the vibration of neon
One of the most interesting aspects of this piece is the use of Amsterdam Standard Fluorescent Acrylics. I wasn't looking for a decorative effect; the intention was to generate an internal vibration. Applied directly onto the white Belgian linen, these neon pinks, reds, and greens break the initial coldness of the support, functioning as a selective primer. This chromatic energy remains alive beneath the surface, reappearing at close range like faint, latent pulses.
The technical bridge: Golden OPEN
Working on a five-foot canvas with conventional acrylics is difficult due to their fast drying time. Golden OPEN acrylics were decisive: their slow-evaporation system keeps the paint workable for several hours. By applying a few drops of medium to the paint, it doesn't degrade or become overly fluid. This gave me the time needed to work smooth transitions on the skin, focusing on key areas like the nose, lips, and eyes. Furthermore, their high pigment load ensures the transition to oils feels natural and seamless.
Science and stability: oil over acrylic
There is a common idea that acrylic "kills" the tooth of the canvas and that oil won't bond correctly due to the different drying processes (oxidation vs. evaporation), leading to cracking or lack of adhesion. However, acrylic is a microscopically porous polymer. Once dry on the Claessens linen, it creates a "lean" surface that is ideal for oils following the "fat over lean" rule. Rembrandt oil anchors into these micropores, creating a very stable mechanical bond. At least, this is my experience; I’m sure there are better-informed chemists who might disagree.
Skin and air: the final attack with Rembrandt oils
Once the architecture of acrylic and neon is set, the oil painting begins. For me, it feels like coming home. While acrylics allowed me to "lock in" the planes and define the strategy, Rembrandt oils provide the organic breathing my work demands.
With the volumes already defined, I can focus entirely on refining the brushwork and color to the maximum. The oil allows for sharp, decisive, and cutting brushstrokes, working the impasto with a precision that dialogues with the neon "pulses" below. The oil doesn't just cover; it allows the figure to emerge with poetic weight and real physicality upon the noble weave of the Belgian linen.
Conclusion: Eclosion and the alliance of materials
The final result is "Eclosion." To emerge can be an explosion of form, light, and, above all, color. This work explores that act of silent insistence that ends up breaking through with force; an eclosion that consists of pushing outward even when our surroundings feel excessive, almost suffocating.
Beyond the concept, this experience has confirmed that mixed media is not simply about mixing materials by chance, but about understanding the necessary alliance between them: the structural precision of Amsterdam Markers, the internal vibration of Fluorescent Acrylics, the temporal flexibility of Golden OPEN, and the definitive depth of Rembrandt Oils. Each layer of the Belgian Claessens linen has witnessed how these materials not only coexist but enhance each other, allowing the figure to emerge with the honesty and final breath that only true craftsmanship can achieve.
About the author
Alejandro “Ale” Casanova is a Spanish painter and art teacher from Valencia, born in 1981. He studied Fine Arts at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and works with watercolour and oil, focusing on contemporary portraits and the human figure. Ale is also a long-time Rembrandt ambassador.
