That makes a lot of sense - some favour acrylic gouache for the opposite reason - its ability to quickly form permanent waterproof independent layers, which won’t blend afterwards. Depends strongly on the style of work, of course.

Do feel free to share studies and tests - I don’t think the community is strict about it being finished work only - and it would be nice if there was a little more discussion on here, as well as showing new works.

Aside from the off-topic conversation, I was just thinking about this:

gouache on paper

perhaps one day when my skill matches my imagination i will repaint it with oils

Are you using traditional gouache or acrylic gouache?

I was just thinking, if traditional gouache, it’s probably actually harder than using oils or acrylics, because of the way the existing layers of paint reactivate when they are re-wetted, like watercolours.

I actually think you’ve got a nice surrealist scene here, and it’s well composed, and really, nothing about it strikes me as “not being worth retrying with different media” - so perhaps it might be worth re-trying sooner than you think - and probably working on board if possible.

I wouldn’t have thought it if I’d not been staring at it, trying to work out what these two rings were about.

They might be making a slightly rude joke.

I wonder if one of the rings is something like “the girl with a pearl earring”.

I fear that the other, based on the position of the hands, may imply a “goatse” stretched “ringpiece” (e.g. bumhole).