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The process of oil painting differs from painter to painter, often but it includes certain customary steps. First, the artist prepares the surface. Although surfaces like linoleum, pressed wood, wooden panel, and cardboard have been used, the most popular surface and often used is canvas. While many painters have used panels for paintings (for instance Da Vince’s Mona Lisa) these can be susceptible for cracking and it is fairly small. Stretched canvas has no such problem.

Conventional artist’s canvas is made up of linen, but anyhow less expensive cotton fabric then gained popularity. First the artist prepares a wooden frame called a “stretcher” then the canvas is pulled across the wooden framed and stapled toughly to the back edge. The next step is to apply a ground to isolate the canvas from the acidic qualities of the paint. The canvas is normally coated with rabbit skin glue and prepared with subsequent layers of finely ground chalk.

Later the process was altered to sizing of rabbit skin glue with following layers of white priming. The artist may apply many required layers of gesso, sanding every smooth after it dries up. It is possible to tone the gesso to a particular color, but normally store-bought gesso is white. The gesso layer would tend to draw the oil painting into the porous surface, depending up on the thickness of the gesso layer.

Next the artist may sketch an outline of their subject before applying pigment to the surface. Pigment is normally mixed with oil, usually linseed oil but other oils might be used as well. The various oils dry differently, which create assorted effects. Handling and mixing the raw pigments and mediums was excessive to transportation.

The painter most often uses a brush to apply the paint. Brushes are normally prepared from different fibers to make different effects. Sizes of brushes even create different effects. “Bright” brushes are used to apply broad swaths of color. The artist may also use paint with palette knife that is flat, metal blade. A palette knife might be used to remove paint from the canvas when necessary. Painter may also use unusual tools, such as rags, sponges and cotton swabs. Some artists even paint with their fingers.

Most artists paint in layers, a method first introduced in the Egg tempera painting technique, and then adapted in Northern Europe for use with linseed oil paints. After this layer dries the artist would apply “glazes” to the painting, using a process of “Fat over Lean” that means more oil paint ratio than the previous layer. This method is known as “Alla Prima.” When the image is finished and dried, an artist will normally seal the work with a layer of varnish usually made from Damar gum crystals dissolved in turpentine. Contemporary artists increasingly defy varnishing their work, desire that the surfaces remain varnish-free indefinitely.

Task Lighting: It refers to the higher level of light offered specially at work areas such as kitchen islands, countertops and desks. Additional light could be redirected to these areas using recessed or pendant fixtures. Fixtures with either low or line-voltage halogen offer a whiter, warmer light. 5 watt xenon or halogen lamps spaced 6 inches apart are most suitable for task lighting purposes where the fixture is within 24 inches of the work surface. The transformer is as well included in many low voltage fixtures but it is sometimes separated depending on the particular fixture and style.

Accent Lighting: Accent lighting is approximately four times the level of ambient light in any area. Same again, Halogen lighting type fixtures offer a whiter, brighter look than standard incandescent or florescent type of fixtures. The chosen fixture needs to be directional on swivel type fixture to aim the light exactly where it is required. For further museum-type effect, some fixtures could include a focusing lens for pinpoint accuracy.

Wall Washing: It is again a type of Accent Lighting, which creates an area of uniform illumination, which might desirable for a series of photos or further artwork. Wall washing typically reduces the texture of wall surface. Often the reflected light could even create ambient light in the remainder of the room that appears pleasing and restful.

Wall Grazing: It is just opposite to Wall Washing, it creates a dramatic highlight and shadow effect on surfaces such as draperies, stone or brick. Ceiling light fixtures for Wall Grazing are placed near to wall in order to highlight the three-dimensional effect.

Lighting that is perceptively measured and organized could make a real difference and will bring an improvement that lasts for years together. Many home improvements Stores also have sample displays of different lighting systems and fixtures. As today there are huge variety of appliances and electronics, lighting fixtures available, be sure you purchase from reputable company. There are numerous online retailers, which offer name brand fixtures delivered to your door at very competitive prices.

vijay asked:

Painting artists have been using oil paints for hundreds of years. Actually, they have been seen from as early as 13th century in England, where they used oil paints for simple decoration. In the early years, however, many artists preferred to use paints called tempera instead on using oil paints as they were able to dry faster than oil paint. In the 15th century, Flemish artists came up with the idea of mixing oil paint and tempera. Nevertheless, it was not until the 17th century that pure oil paints became a more usual art medium.

Oil painting dries slowly than any other forms of paint because they are made of small particles of pigments that are balanced in a drying oil. While some of the artists might find this slow drying quality troublesome, most artists believe oil paints to be a required type of art media that must be taught to every art student. This is partly because of the many oil painting reproduction, which have been developed using oil paints.

There are several advantages of using oil paints, aside from its robust quality. Oil paints could as well be left open for a long duration. In fact, oil paints could regularly be left opened to air for up to several weeks without drying. This characteristic makes it possible for an artist to work on a painting over different sessions with no fear of the painting drying up too early. Of course, this attribute could be seemed at as a disadvantage by some artists, because it takes few weeks for the project to be completed and the slow drying process could make it difficult to move on to the next stage of the project.

Oil paints are as well outstanding for blending with surrounding paint. When blended on canvas, oil paints are able of creating artistic brush strokes and other blends, which are not possible with other forms of paint. For some artists, though, this advantage to oil paints could be viewed as a disadvantage, as it is possible to by chance blend colors while painting that were not meant to be blended.

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A Quick Introduction to Oil Painting Models

You will need:

Brushes

Turpentine

Palette

Oil Medium

Paints

Brushes – Good quality sable brushes. Don’t withhold on the quality here. Brushes would last longer with Oil paints than any other medium if you take good care of it.

Modern synthetic brushes could be even more excellent in quality, so don’t restrict your self in choosing only those brushes that are made from natural hairs such as sable. Look for painting brushes where the hairs swiftly spring back up when you bend them. Be careful about cleaning your painting brushes as if acrylic paint dries in a brush, it could be extremely difficult to clean it up.

Turpentine – Turpentine is used for lessening and cleaning brushes.

Palette A palette is a surface on which a painter mixes it colour pigments. A palette might be made of wood, glass, plastic, ceramic tile or even inert material and could vary highly in size and shape. The most usually known type of painter’s palette is made of thin wood board designed to be held in the artist’s hand and rest on the artist’s arm.

Oil Medium – These would speed up the process of drying the paints and also give slight gloss sheen. Turpentine could be used with some of the same effect.

Paints – It is suggested to use “Artist’s” oils. These are the top quality available in any variety with better pigmentation and permanence. Tubes come in different sizes but oils have good covering skill and would even last a long time.

Opacity – Sometimes marked on the tube, opacity shows how transparent the oil is. Red/Yellows are commonly the least opaque.

Permanence – Usually marked on a scale of 1 to 4 (often marked in stars), 4 being most enduring, and (longest lasting).

Hue – Could be exactly described as the Shade of the colour. Can sometimes relate to Opacity

Oil Painting: Making it Simple

Oil painting is simple, far simpler than drawing or even watercolor painting. If you could see something, you could paint it in oils. To create something memorable, however, you need to:

1. Formulate what you hope to attain, and plan a workable way to that objective.

2. Research the market if you desire to sell the work.

3. Approach the painting process in rational steps, which generally entail:

* Drawings to examine compositional possibilities.

* Blockedout charcoal/pencil/oil sketches to place tonal value

* Oil sketches to trial with various color schemes and harmonies.

* Preparing canvas and paint for the probable tasks.

* Varnishing, framing and hanging the work.

vijay asked:


An advice on cleaning any oil painting that’s covered in dust or yellowed varnish has to come with a qualified disclaimer. More than other types of rough and ready projects, cleaning oil paintings need to be really trusted to specialist conservators. However, if you’re painting is not that old, not offensively precious, or not too significant, there are a few likely ways to make it look brighter and spot less yourself. In addition, changing true antiques almost forever decreases their value, whether or not they look better to you.

If it seems that your painting is little older, evaluate whether the paint is in good shape but the varnish is quite aged. In this case, try applying a gentle solvent called conservation liquid. Art supply stores may sell an “emulsion” planned to clean and take away varnish. There is forever a chance that the solvent would also damage or take away the oil paint. If you are ready to risk this option, wipe the mix with a cotton swab very carefully. Try spot-testing one bend before moving on to the whole canvas. Work in an area with sufficient ventilation.

For recent paintings, your problem is more probable a build-up of dirt, smoke, pet hair, dander, and as well bacterial or any fungal growth. In this case, ensure none of the paint is prepared to come off the canvas or board, meaning that it doesn’t show any cracks or any flakes. Then you could cautiously dust the surface with an extremely spongy and dry bristle brush, such as a baby toothbrush or shaving cream brush.

When the surface is muggy, dirty, or oily, you might want to take the attack a step further and in fact uses a gentle detergent solution. Again, usually speaking, oil and water must never mix, as moisture could for sure damage both the canvas and the impasto. Proceeding with care, use brand new fiber cloths dipped in a mixture of dish soap and humid water. Lightly spot the surface, but do not scrub, clean, or rub at the painting. At no point should you sink any part of the painting, nor allow so much damp that it drips or pools.