Tips on Oil Painting – Why Paint With Oils?
December 14, 2009 by admin
Filed under Visual Art
Remi Engels, Ph.D. asked:
Because oil paints have been used for many centuries, their properties are very well known.
Oil is, even today, still one of the easiest and most forgiving mediums you can work in. Creating an oil painting is in fact relatively easy compared to other mediums such as watercolor or even pastels.
The advantages of oil are many and various. Here are some of the most important ones:
* Oil paints are easily put onto a canvas or panel. You just put some paint on your brush and rub it on the canvas or panel. The paint will generally not run or move.
* Creating a painting becomes a matter of putting the right color paint in the right place. Of course, some artists are better at this than others.
* One great property of oil paints is that they do not change color when they dry as opposed, for example, to acrylics. Oils pretty much stay the same for a long period of time.
* It is very easy to correct a mistake when you paint with oils. Just scrape the paint off with a paint knife and repaint whatever it was you scraped off.
* Oil paint dries very slowly because they consist of small pigment particles suspended in oil.
In fact, each color has its own drying time. But all paints dry slow enough so that you can remove them days and even weeks after they were applied. This is also the reason why it is so easy to correct mistakes.
Of course, the disadvantage is that they dry … slowly. That means they stay wet longer although there exist mediums that, when mixed in with the paint, can significantly speed up the drying process if that is what you want.
* It is easy to mix tube colors on a palette and is usually done with a brush of paint knife. There are mediums to thicken the paint into a pasta-like consistency and mediums to thin the paint into a water-like consistency.
* Once a color mixture formula is memorized it is easy to consistently reproduce the mixture. This is less the case with most other mediums.
* The fact that oil paint dries so slowly also gives you more time to work and rework a painting. You have enough time to sleep on certain decisions you need to make. Acrylics, for example, dry much faster and give you less time to ponder your masterpiece before action is required.
* Oil paints are also easily blended. So, it becomes relatively easy to render smooth transitional areas between different colors or values.
* Oils are also amenable to a whole series of techniques each of which yields a different look and feel. One example of such a technique is glazing. In de glazing technique several thin layers of transparent paint are put on top of each other. Each layer must be thoroughly dry before the next one is applied. Once done light is reflected off each layer resulting into an unusual luminosity and brightness.
* Oil can be used on any number of grounds: canvas, panel canvas, glass, wood, paper, etc. each, when done correctly, with excellent and durable results.
These are some of the more important and interesting properties of oil paints that have given this medium the enduring popularity that it has.
Because oil paints have been used for many centuries, their properties are very well known.
Oil is, even today, still one of the easiest and most forgiving mediums you can work in. Creating an oil painting is in fact relatively easy compared to other mediums such as watercolor or even pastels.
The advantages of oil are many and various. Here are some of the most important ones:
* Oil paints are easily put onto a canvas or panel. You just put some paint on your brush and rub it on the canvas or panel. The paint will generally not run or move.
* Creating a painting becomes a matter of putting the right color paint in the right place. Of course, some artists are better at this than others.
* One great property of oil paints is that they do not change color when they dry as opposed, for example, to acrylics. Oils pretty much stay the same for a long period of time.
* It is very easy to correct a mistake when you paint with oils. Just scrape the paint off with a paint knife and repaint whatever it was you scraped off.
* Oil paint dries very slowly because they consist of small pigment particles suspended in oil.
In fact, each color has its own drying time. But all paints dry slow enough so that you can remove them days and even weeks after they were applied. This is also the reason why it is so easy to correct mistakes.
Of course, the disadvantage is that they dry … slowly. That means they stay wet longer although there exist mediums that, when mixed in with the paint, can significantly speed up the drying process if that is what you want.
* It is easy to mix tube colors on a palette and is usually done with a brush of paint knife. There are mediums to thicken the paint into a pasta-like consistency and mediums to thin the paint into a water-like consistency.
* Once a color mixture formula is memorized it is easy to consistently reproduce the mixture. This is less the case with most other mediums.
* The fact that oil paint dries so slowly also gives you more time to work and rework a painting. You have enough time to sleep on certain decisions you need to make. Acrylics, for example, dry much faster and give you less time to ponder your masterpiece before action is required.
* Oil paints are also easily blended. So, it becomes relatively easy to render smooth transitional areas between different colors or values.
* Oils are also amenable to a whole series of techniques each of which yields a different look and feel. One example of such a technique is glazing. In de glazing technique several thin layers of transparent paint are put on top of each other. Each layer must be thoroughly dry before the next one is applied. Once done light is reflected off each layer resulting into an unusual luminosity and brightness.
* Oil can be used on any number of grounds: canvas, panel canvas, glass, wood, paper, etc. each, when done correctly, with excellent and durable results.
These are some of the more important and interesting properties of oil paints that have given this medium the enduring popularity that it has.
Effective Ways for Cleaning Your Oil Painting
Ben Jonson asked:
First and foremost thing you should consider before trusting any oil painting method is that it must come with disclaimer. More than any other types of do-it-yourself process, oil painting cleaning must actually be trusted to professional conservators. On the other hand, if your painting does not carry expensive tag, or it is not really old, or not too critical, there are few options to make it look cleaner and brighter yourself. In addition, modifying true antiques in fact decreases their value, whether they look better to you or not.
During 1940s, paintings made from oil on canvas were normally covered with the layer of varnish to incorporate sheen and guard the thick layer of paint, name Impasto. However, varnish usually reacts differently to the surroundings than the paint do, so such varnish seals end up cracking, staining or gumming up over time. It could make the real tint of the oil paints appear dull or discolored.
In case, it looks that your painting has gone older, assess whether your paint is in good condition but the varnish has gone old. Here, try using mild solvent name conservation liquid. Art selling stores would usually sell an “emulsion” intended to clean and take away varnish. There is forever option that this solvent would as well harm or take out the oil paint. If you are eager take this risk then wipe the emulsion with a cotton scrub very carefully. Try to do spot-testing one bend before going on to the total canvas painting. Work in an area where you find sufficient ventilation.
When it comes to recent paintings, you might come across the trouble of build-up of smoke, dust, stain, pet hair (in case you have pets at home), dander, and even fungal development. Here, you need to make sure that none of the paints is prepared to come about the board or canvas, in the sense that it does not display any flakes and cracks. After that, you could watchfully clean up the surface with very dry and soft bristle brush, may be with baby toothbrush or shaving brush.
When the painting surface is steamy, mucky and oily, you might desire to take some steps for cleaning by means of detergent solution. However, usually it is not an good idea to mix up water and oil as the moisture could damage both the impasto and canvas. Moving with caution, you can use fresh cotton cloths dipped in a mixture of dish soap and hot water. Then next you need to lightly blot the base, make sure you don’t scrub or rub on the painting. Never should you allow submerging any part of painting, nor must you let the moisture to drip or pool.
First and foremost thing you should consider before trusting any oil painting method is that it must come with disclaimer. More than any other types of do-it-yourself process, oil painting cleaning must actually be trusted to professional conservators. On the other hand, if your painting does not carry expensive tag, or it is not really old, or not too critical, there are few options to make it look cleaner and brighter yourself. In addition, modifying true antiques in fact decreases their value, whether they look better to you or not.
During 1940s, paintings made from oil on canvas were normally covered with the layer of varnish to incorporate sheen and guard the thick layer of paint, name Impasto. However, varnish usually reacts differently to the surroundings than the paint do, so such varnish seals end up cracking, staining or gumming up over time. It could make the real tint of the oil paints appear dull or discolored.
In case, it looks that your painting has gone older, assess whether your paint is in good condition but the varnish has gone old. Here, try using mild solvent name conservation liquid. Art selling stores would usually sell an “emulsion” intended to clean and take away varnish. There is forever option that this solvent would as well harm or take out the oil paint. If you are eager take this risk then wipe the emulsion with a cotton scrub very carefully. Try to do spot-testing one bend before going on to the total canvas painting. Work in an area where you find sufficient ventilation.
When it comes to recent paintings, you might come across the trouble of build-up of smoke, dust, stain, pet hair (in case you have pets at home), dander, and even fungal development. Here, you need to make sure that none of the paints is prepared to come about the board or canvas, in the sense that it does not display any flakes and cracks. After that, you could watchfully clean up the surface with very dry and soft bristle brush, may be with baby toothbrush or shaving brush.
When the painting surface is steamy, mucky and oily, you might desire to take some steps for cleaning by means of detergent solution. However, usually it is not an good idea to mix up water and oil as the moisture could damage both the impasto and canvas. Moving with caution, you can use fresh cotton cloths dipped in a mixture of dish soap and hot water. Then next you need to lightly blot the base, make sure you don’t scrub or rub on the painting. Never should you allow submerging any part of painting, nor must you let the moisture to drip or pool.
Oil Painting for Beginners – How to Get Started in Oil Painting
November 15, 2009 by admin
Filed under Visual Art
Ralph Serpe asked:
One of the more frequently asked questions from beginners in oil painting is: How do I get Started? To get started in oil painting is relatively easy. There are some basic supplies that you will need and some basic guidelines to follow. This article will discuss how beginners can get started with oil painting. This article will not teach you how to become a good painter however. In fact, no one can make you a good painter. You can only be taught certain things and it is up to you to take what you have learned and apply it.
Many beginners who are new to the oil painting medium, generally have the same questions. So let’s cover those questions now so that you can begin your painting journey right away.
Oil Painting Supplies
The first thing you will need to do is purchase a few supplies. You need not spend a ton of money on expensive oil painting supplies. Start with the basics as you are only a beginner right now. The goal at this point is to get used to working with your support, brushes, paints and other materials. So expensive supplies will be wasted during this stage.
Supports
You are going to need a support to paint on. There are a number of different supports that can handle oil paint, but for now, start with canvas. Many beginners often ask if a canvas needs any special coating or priming for oil paint. The short answer is yes, but you need not worry about that either. Any local art supply store or online art supply store will have canvases that are already primed and ready to be used.
Oil Paint
Next, you are going to need paint. You do not need an expensive brand of paint. That would again be a waste for beginners. There are less expensive, good quality paints on the market that will work beautifully for your painting needs. Here are a few oil paint brands to test out: WINSOR & NEWTON Winton Oil Colours, GRUMBACHER Academy Oils and DALER-ROWNEY Georgian Oil Colours.
For those of you who may be concerned about the potential hazards associated with oil paints, have no fear. Introducing water miscible oil paints! These paints are fantastic. They can be thinned with water as opposed to using dangerous solvents like turpentine. Here are two brands to try out if you are interested: GRUMBACHER Max Water Miscible Oil Colors and WINSOR & NEWTON Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colours.
Oil Painting Brushes
Having good quality brushes is important. While a good quality brush will not make you a better painter, a cheap brush will only wind up frustrating you. When you use cheap brushes you will see why. Cheap brushes have a tendency to shed hairs that get stuck in the oil paint, which is extremely annoying. Good quality brushes should have stiff hairs and snap back into place when you run your fingers through them. They should be well crafted and sturdy.
You do not need that many brushes for oil painting. I personally only use two types of oil painting brushes: flats and filberts of various sizes. I do have a few rounds and a fan brush on hand, but I almost never use them. I would also recommend that you use hogs hair brushes as opposed to the softer synthetic hair brushes. The synthetic brushes are just too flimsy to handle the oil painting medium in my opinion.
Cleaning your brushes is important, so don’t be careless in this area, especially if you are working with high quality brushes. Many artists recommend turpentine for cleaning brushes, but I simply cannot bring myself to use this stuff. I use a much safer brush cleaning product called “The Masters” Brush Cleaner and Preserver.
I clean my brushes right after a painting session with this product and it works wonderfully. It may take some time to really get your brushes clean, but it is worth the effort. If the brush cleaner does not remove all of the paint, then I use a bit of odorless mineral spirits. I find this a much better alternative to turpentine.
Oil Painting Mediums
What about mediums? Do you need to mix the oil paint with anything or can you use it straight out of the tube? This is another common question amongst beginners. The answer? You do not need mediums to paint with. They are not a requirement, but I find them to be quite helpful.
Most oil paints that I have worked with are simply too stiff right out of the tube for my particular style of painting. Mediums will help dilute the oil paint and make the paint flow better, which means you will be using less paint. Using less paint, means you will save money.
There are many different kinds of mediums that are used for different reasons, like speeding up the drying time of paint, improving gloss, etc. Do not be overly concerned with mediums right now.
I like to start my painting using thinned down acrylic paint. I first tone my entire canvas with a neutral color. I then draw in my composition using different values of the same color. I let this initial drawing dry over night. I then apply the oil paint using the fat over lean oil painting method.
Lighting
This is a very important part of oil painting. Without proper lighting, you will not be able to accurately see your colors. The best kind of lighting is natural sunlight, so if you have the opportunity to paint in a well lit room or outdoors, that would be ideal. Of course not everyone is blessed with this type of situation, so the next best thing is to use lighting that mimics natural sunlight.
This type of lighting is referred to as “full spectrum lighting”. There are number of different full spectrum lighting products available. Just do a search on google for “full spectrum lighting” and you will find a number of websites on the topic.
Safety
Oil painting for beginners can be hazardous if you are not careful, so it is important to take the necessary precautions. Make sure you work in an area that has good ventilation and airflow. Wear disposable latex gloves while painting. Read all manufacturer warning labels carefully.
Some Final Words
As you sit down to start your first painting, remember that you are just a beginner. Your main goal right now is to have fun and get used to working with your oil painting materials. Do not be overly judgmental about your own work. If you do so, you will only wind up getting frustrated. Your first, second, third or even tenth painting may not turn out the way you wanted it to. This is completely normal so do not get discouraged. Oil painting is a difficult medium to master. It takes perseverance so hang in there. I wish you all the best! God Bless.
One of the more frequently asked questions from beginners in oil painting is: How do I get Started? To get started in oil painting is relatively easy. There are some basic supplies that you will need and some basic guidelines to follow. This article will discuss how beginners can get started with oil painting. This article will not teach you how to become a good painter however. In fact, no one can make you a good painter. You can only be taught certain things and it is up to you to take what you have learned and apply it.
Many beginners who are new to the oil painting medium, generally have the same questions. So let’s cover those questions now so that you can begin your painting journey right away.
Oil Painting Supplies
The first thing you will need to do is purchase a few supplies. You need not spend a ton of money on expensive oil painting supplies. Start with the basics as you are only a beginner right now. The goal at this point is to get used to working with your support, brushes, paints and other materials. So expensive supplies will be wasted during this stage.
Supports
You are going to need a support to paint on. There are a number of different supports that can handle oil paint, but for now, start with canvas. Many beginners often ask if a canvas needs any special coating or priming for oil paint. The short answer is yes, but you need not worry about that either. Any local art supply store or online art supply store will have canvases that are already primed and ready to be used.
Oil Paint
Next, you are going to need paint. You do not need an expensive brand of paint. That would again be a waste for beginners. There are less expensive, good quality paints on the market that will work beautifully for your painting needs. Here are a few oil paint brands to test out: WINSOR & NEWTON Winton Oil Colours, GRUMBACHER Academy Oils and DALER-ROWNEY Georgian Oil Colours.
For those of you who may be concerned about the potential hazards associated with oil paints, have no fear. Introducing water miscible oil paints! These paints are fantastic. They can be thinned with water as opposed to using dangerous solvents like turpentine. Here are two brands to try out if you are interested: GRUMBACHER Max Water Miscible Oil Colors and WINSOR & NEWTON Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colours.
Oil Painting Brushes
Having good quality brushes is important. While a good quality brush will not make you a better painter, a cheap brush will only wind up frustrating you. When you use cheap brushes you will see why. Cheap brushes have a tendency to shed hairs that get stuck in the oil paint, which is extremely annoying. Good quality brushes should have stiff hairs and snap back into place when you run your fingers through them. They should be well crafted and sturdy.
You do not need that many brushes for oil painting. I personally only use two types of oil painting brushes: flats and filberts of various sizes. I do have a few rounds and a fan brush on hand, but I almost never use them. I would also recommend that you use hogs hair brushes as opposed to the softer synthetic hair brushes. The synthetic brushes are just too flimsy to handle the oil painting medium in my opinion.
Cleaning your brushes is important, so don’t be careless in this area, especially if you are working with high quality brushes. Many artists recommend turpentine for cleaning brushes, but I simply cannot bring myself to use this stuff. I use a much safer brush cleaning product called “The Masters” Brush Cleaner and Preserver.
I clean my brushes right after a painting session with this product and it works wonderfully. It may take some time to really get your brushes clean, but it is worth the effort. If the brush cleaner does not remove all of the paint, then I use a bit of odorless mineral spirits. I find this a much better alternative to turpentine.
Oil Painting Mediums
What about mediums? Do you need to mix the oil paint with anything or can you use it straight out of the tube? This is another common question amongst beginners. The answer? You do not need mediums to paint with. They are not a requirement, but I find them to be quite helpful.
Most oil paints that I have worked with are simply too stiff right out of the tube for my particular style of painting. Mediums will help dilute the oil paint and make the paint flow better, which means you will be using less paint. Using less paint, means you will save money.
There are many different kinds of mediums that are used for different reasons, like speeding up the drying time of paint, improving gloss, etc. Do not be overly concerned with mediums right now.
I like to start my painting using thinned down acrylic paint. I first tone my entire canvas with a neutral color. I then draw in my composition using different values of the same color. I let this initial drawing dry over night. I then apply the oil paint using the fat over lean oil painting method.
Lighting
This is a very important part of oil painting. Without proper lighting, you will not be able to accurately see your colors. The best kind of lighting is natural sunlight, so if you have the opportunity to paint in a well lit room or outdoors, that would be ideal. Of course not everyone is blessed with this type of situation, so the next best thing is to use lighting that mimics natural sunlight.
This type of lighting is referred to as “full spectrum lighting”. There are number of different full spectrum lighting products available. Just do a search on google for “full spectrum lighting” and you will find a number of websites on the topic.
Safety
Oil painting for beginners can be hazardous if you are not careful, so it is important to take the necessary precautions. Make sure you work in an area that has good ventilation and airflow. Wear disposable latex gloves while painting. Read all manufacturer warning labels carefully.
Some Final Words
As you sit down to start your first painting, remember that you are just a beginner. Your main goal right now is to have fun and get used to working with your oil painting materials. Do not be overly judgmental about your own work. If you do so, you will only wind up getting frustrated. Your first, second, third or even tenth painting may not turn out the way you wanted it to. This is completely normal so do not get discouraged. Oil painting is a difficult medium to master. It takes perseverance so hang in there. I wish you all the best! God Bless.
How Do I Clean My Oil Painting
November 10, 2009 by admin
Filed under Art And Entertainment
vijay asked:
One may come across many advices about cleaning an oil painting, but those tips must come with a major disclaimer. More than other types of rough and ready projects on cleaning oil paintings must really be trusted to professional conservators. Anyhow, if your oil painting is not really old, not terribly valuable, or not too important, there are other potential ways to make it appear good and cleaner yourself. Furthermore altering true antiques more or less forever decreases their value, whether or not they appear better to you.
If it seems that your oil painting reproduction is little older, evaluate whether the paint is in good condition but the varnish has become older. In this case, try applying a gentle solvent known as conservation liquid. Some of the art supply stores may sell an “emulsion” intended to clean and remove varnish. There is always a chance that the solvent would as well harm or remove the oil paint. If you are ready to risk this possibility, pat the emulsion with a cotton swab quite delicately. Try spot testing one corner before moving on to the whole canvas. Work in an area where you find adequate ventilation.
For any of the recent oil paintings, your trouble is more probable a loudening of dust, smoke, pet hair, dander, and other bacterial or fungal growth. In this case, ensure none of the paint is set to come off the canvas or board, sense that it doesn’t display any cracks or flakes. Then you could vigilantly dust the surface with a very soft, dry bristle brush, like a baby toothbrush or shaving cream brush.
When the surface is steamy, dirty, or oily, you might desire to take the cleaning a step further and in fact uses a mild detergent solution. Again, in general speaking, oil and water must never mix, as moisture could be damage both the canvas and the impasto. Proceeding with care, use brand original cotton cloths dipped in a mixture of dish soap and only the warm water. Lightly blot the surface, but do not rub, wipe, or rub at the oil painting. At no point you should sink any part of the painting, nor permit so much moisture that it drips or pools.
One may come across many advices about cleaning an oil painting, but those tips must come with a major disclaimer. More than other types of rough and ready projects on cleaning oil paintings must really be trusted to professional conservators. Anyhow, if your oil painting is not really old, not terribly valuable, or not too important, there are other potential ways to make it appear good and cleaner yourself. Furthermore altering true antiques more or less forever decreases their value, whether or not they appear better to you.
If it seems that your oil painting reproduction is little older, evaluate whether the paint is in good condition but the varnish has become older. In this case, try applying a gentle solvent known as conservation liquid. Some of the art supply stores may sell an “emulsion” intended to clean and remove varnish. There is always a chance that the solvent would as well harm or remove the oil paint. If you are ready to risk this possibility, pat the emulsion with a cotton swab quite delicately. Try spot testing one corner before moving on to the whole canvas. Work in an area where you find adequate ventilation.
For any of the recent oil paintings, your trouble is more probable a loudening of dust, smoke, pet hair, dander, and other bacterial or fungal growth. In this case, ensure none of the paint is set to come off the canvas or board, sense that it doesn’t display any cracks or flakes. Then you could vigilantly dust the surface with a very soft, dry bristle brush, like a baby toothbrush or shaving cream brush.
When the surface is steamy, dirty, or oily, you might desire to take the cleaning a step further and in fact uses a mild detergent solution. Again, in general speaking, oil and water must never mix, as moisture could be damage both the canvas and the impasto. Proceeding with care, use brand original cotton cloths dipped in a mixture of dish soap and only the warm water. Lightly blot the surface, but do not rub, wipe, or rub at the oil painting. At no point you should sink any part of the painting, nor permit so much moisture that it drips or pools.
Tips on Oil Painting – Canvas Priming
November 9, 2009 by admin
Filed under Visual Art
Remi Engels, Ph.D. asked:
When you refuse to buy any of the pre-fabricated canvases you can always buy a roll of primed or raw canvas cloth. The first step in the process towards constructing a finished canvas is the stretching of the canvas. Once the stretching is done it is time to prime the canvas cloth if you bought a roll of raw canvas.
The reason it is necessary to prime a raw canvas is that both linen and cotton cloth will eventually rot when saturated with oil paint. To prevent the occurrence of rotting the canvas cloth must be treated with a glue or gelatin solution to so-call “size” the canvas and then coated with an oil-based primer.
Here are the steps to be executed in the priming process:
1) After stretching the raw canvas, evenly brush the weak glue or gelatin solution onto the raw canvas using a wide nylon or bristle brush. Note, do not stretch raw canvas too tight, because the priming will shrink the canvas cloth and therefore tighten it automatically.
2) When the fabric dries, coat it with a mixture of white lead in oil and turpentine, again using a wide brush. The brilliant white surface that results makes it easier to gauge the colors you will be using while you paint.
3) Once the canvas is dry, sand it lightly.
4) Then, apply a second coat of the white lead in oil and turpentine solution, and sand the canvas again.
All these materials and the accompanying instructions can be bought in a serious art supply store or on the Internet.
Many artists also enjoy working on wood panels, which is a proving support for oil painting. The old masters worked on oak, poplar, and mahogany, but today “wood panel” can mean anything from a piece of poplar to plywood to Masonite. The latter is increasingly popular because it is inexpensive, durable, and can be cut into virtually any size.
Wood panels are perfect for rendering intricate, detailed subjects where the weave of the canvas might be too uneven. You can buy prepared boards or you can make your own. You must prime the panel with gesso before you begin painting. Dilute the gesso with water; apply it with a wide housepainter’s brush, let it dry, and then sand it smooth. Repeat the process two or more times. If you like a slighter rougher tooth, add less water and do not sand the board.
You can also oil paint on watercolor paper or vellum. You can size the paper with an acrylic medium first so that the oil paint does not eventually rot the paper. If you want to make your painting last longer (permanence) you need to choose heavy paper of at least 200 lbs.
This is the end of short primer on priming different grounds for the purpose of oil painting. There is much more to learn but this will give you enough information to go to a reputable art supply store and be able to converse intelligently on the subject of priming and priming methods. This will certainly start the conversation and you will learn right there about the latest techniques and inventions regarding priming and while you’re at it also about stretching canvases.
When you refuse to buy any of the pre-fabricated canvases you can always buy a roll of primed or raw canvas cloth. The first step in the process towards constructing a finished canvas is the stretching of the canvas. Once the stretching is done it is time to prime the canvas cloth if you bought a roll of raw canvas.
The reason it is necessary to prime a raw canvas is that both linen and cotton cloth will eventually rot when saturated with oil paint. To prevent the occurrence of rotting the canvas cloth must be treated with a glue or gelatin solution to so-call “size” the canvas and then coated with an oil-based primer.
Here are the steps to be executed in the priming process:
1) After stretching the raw canvas, evenly brush the weak glue or gelatin solution onto the raw canvas using a wide nylon or bristle brush. Note, do not stretch raw canvas too tight, because the priming will shrink the canvas cloth and therefore tighten it automatically.
2) When the fabric dries, coat it with a mixture of white lead in oil and turpentine, again using a wide brush. The brilliant white surface that results makes it easier to gauge the colors you will be using while you paint.
3) Once the canvas is dry, sand it lightly.
4) Then, apply a second coat of the white lead in oil and turpentine solution, and sand the canvas again.
All these materials and the accompanying instructions can be bought in a serious art supply store or on the Internet.
Many artists also enjoy working on wood panels, which is a proving support for oil painting. The old masters worked on oak, poplar, and mahogany, but today “wood panel” can mean anything from a piece of poplar to plywood to Masonite. The latter is increasingly popular because it is inexpensive, durable, and can be cut into virtually any size.
Wood panels are perfect for rendering intricate, detailed subjects where the weave of the canvas might be too uneven. You can buy prepared boards or you can make your own. You must prime the panel with gesso before you begin painting. Dilute the gesso with water; apply it with a wide housepainter’s brush, let it dry, and then sand it smooth. Repeat the process two or more times. If you like a slighter rougher tooth, add less water and do not sand the board.
You can also oil paint on watercolor paper or vellum. You can size the paper with an acrylic medium first so that the oil paint does not eventually rot the paper. If you want to make your painting last longer (permanence) you need to choose heavy paper of at least 200 lbs.
This is the end of short primer on priming different grounds for the purpose of oil painting. There is much more to learn but this will give you enough information to go to a reputable art supply store and be able to converse intelligently on the subject of priming and priming methods. This will certainly start the conversation and you will learn right there about the latest techniques and inventions regarding priming and while you’re at it also about stretching canvases.
Oil Painting Lesson – Introduction to Oil Painting Mediums
Ralph Serpe asked:
Oil painting is a wonderful medium all on its own, but there are modifiers that you can add to the oil paint that can change its behavior. This article will give you an overview of some of the more popular oil painting mediums available to today’s oil painters. The use of oil painting mediums is really a matter of taste and not a requirement. Many artists do not use any mediums at all other then a bit of oil to make the paint more workable, as some paints are quite thick straight from the tube. Other artists swear by certain mediums. It should also be noted that artists differ on opinion when it comes to the effectiveness and quality of oil painting mediums, so you should experiment on your own and form your own opinion. Make sure before using any oil painting medium that you read all warning labels and always work in a well ventilated area. It is also recommended that you work with gloves to protect your skin.
LINSEED OIL
Linseed oil is made from the seed of the flax plant. During its early history, linseed oil had a different role then it has today. Originally it was used as a final varnish for paintings that were created using the egg tempera medium. Linseed oil is used as binder in today’s oil paints. Linseed oil dries thoroughly and forms a strong paint film. Because linseed oil dries slowly, the paint remains in a workable state, enabling the artist to continue working on the painting for some time. When linseed oil ages, it does tend to yellow unfortunately. Many painters avoid using linseed oil with lighter colors like whites and yellows. Below are a few varieties of linseed oils that are available to today’s oil painters.
COLD PRESSED LINSEED OIL
Cold pressed linseed oil is made by extracting the oils from the raw flaxseed. The oil is extracted by using pressure and not heat, thereby creating a linseed oil in its purist form. Cold pressed linseed oil can be used as a binder in oil paints, but can also be used as a medium to thin oil paints, heighten gloss and transparency, and reduce the visibility of brush strokes. Many painters and manufacturers alike feel cold pressed linseed oil is superior in quality to other linseed oils because there is no refinement made to the oil. Cold pressed linseed oil results in a low yield, so this oil does carry a heftier price tag.
STEAM PRESSED OR REFINED LINSEED OIL
When the flaxseed is steam heated and then pressed it yields more oil, thereby making refined linseed oil a more affordable medium for artists and for use as a binder in oil paints. The process of steam heating the flax seeds produces more waste, so this waste has to be removed through a refinement process. The oil is treated with an acid which removes the waste materials. The acid is then neutralized with an alkali solution. Refined linseed oil can be used to thin oil paint and increase brilliance and transparency.
SUN THICKENED LINSEED OIL
Sun thickened linseed oil is a thick bodied medium that is produced using the heat of the sun. An equal amount of both linseed oil and water are mixed together in a container and left in sunlight for several weeks or longer. The water and linseed oil eventually separate resulting in a thicker oil with a honey like consistency. Sun thickened linseed oil is not used as a binder in oil paints but as an independent medium that improves flow and increases gloss. Sun thickened linseed oil has less of a tendency to yellow and speeds drying.
STAND OIL
Stand oil is also a thick bodied medium like sun thickened linseed oil. Linseed oil is heated at a high steady temperature, in an air tight container, which results in a very thick honey like consistency. Stand oil is useful as a glazing medium when mixed with turpentine and damar varnish. Stand oil helps improve the flow and has good resistance to yellowing. Stand oil is a slow drying medium that produces a strong enamel like paint film.
POPPY SEED OIL
Because linseed oil has a tendency to yellow as it ages, other oils have come onto the market. Amongst these oils are poppy seed and safflower oil. Poppy seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the opium poppy. Poppy seed oil is a pale slower drying oil and is less likely to yellow when compared with linseed oil. It is often used with whites, blues and pale colors.
SAFFLOWER OIL
Safflower oil is similar to poppy seed oil in that they both are suitable for whites and light colors. It has less of a tendency to yellow when compared to linseed oil.
WALNUT OIL
Walnut oil is a pale oil that helps make paint more fluid and has good drying power. It has less of a tendency to yellow when compared with linseed oil. Walnut oil has to be stored properly or it can spoil.
LIQUIN
Liquin is a popular oil painting medium. Many artists swear by it and it is definitely worth a try if you have never worked with it before. Liquin improves the flow of oil and alkyd colors and helps in subtle blending and fine detail. It speeds drying and serves as a good medium for glazing.
I hope this article has served as a good overview on oil painting mediums. Remember that working with oil painting mediums is not a requirement. If you are feeling adventurous then choose one medium at a time, experiment and have fun. Happy Painting!
Oil painting is a wonderful medium all on its own, but there are modifiers that you can add to the oil paint that can change its behavior. This article will give you an overview of some of the more popular oil painting mediums available to today’s oil painters. The use of oil painting mediums is really a matter of taste and not a requirement. Many artists do not use any mediums at all other then a bit of oil to make the paint more workable, as some paints are quite thick straight from the tube. Other artists swear by certain mediums. It should also be noted that artists differ on opinion when it comes to the effectiveness and quality of oil painting mediums, so you should experiment on your own and form your own opinion. Make sure before using any oil painting medium that you read all warning labels and always work in a well ventilated area. It is also recommended that you work with gloves to protect your skin.
LINSEED OIL
Linseed oil is made from the seed of the flax plant. During its early history, linseed oil had a different role then it has today. Originally it was used as a final varnish for paintings that were created using the egg tempera medium. Linseed oil is used as binder in today’s oil paints. Linseed oil dries thoroughly and forms a strong paint film. Because linseed oil dries slowly, the paint remains in a workable state, enabling the artist to continue working on the painting for some time. When linseed oil ages, it does tend to yellow unfortunately. Many painters avoid using linseed oil with lighter colors like whites and yellows. Below are a few varieties of linseed oils that are available to today’s oil painters.
COLD PRESSED LINSEED OIL
Cold pressed linseed oil is made by extracting the oils from the raw flaxseed. The oil is extracted by using pressure and not heat, thereby creating a linseed oil in its purist form. Cold pressed linseed oil can be used as a binder in oil paints, but can also be used as a medium to thin oil paints, heighten gloss and transparency, and reduce the visibility of brush strokes. Many painters and manufacturers alike feel cold pressed linseed oil is superior in quality to other linseed oils because there is no refinement made to the oil. Cold pressed linseed oil results in a low yield, so this oil does carry a heftier price tag.
STEAM PRESSED OR REFINED LINSEED OIL
When the flaxseed is steam heated and then pressed it yields more oil, thereby making refined linseed oil a more affordable medium for artists and for use as a binder in oil paints. The process of steam heating the flax seeds produces more waste, so this waste has to be removed through a refinement process. The oil is treated with an acid which removes the waste materials. The acid is then neutralized with an alkali solution. Refined linseed oil can be used to thin oil paint and increase brilliance and transparency.
SUN THICKENED LINSEED OIL
Sun thickened linseed oil is a thick bodied medium that is produced using the heat of the sun. An equal amount of both linseed oil and water are mixed together in a container and left in sunlight for several weeks or longer. The water and linseed oil eventually separate resulting in a thicker oil with a honey like consistency. Sun thickened linseed oil is not used as a binder in oil paints but as an independent medium that improves flow and increases gloss. Sun thickened linseed oil has less of a tendency to yellow and speeds drying.
STAND OIL
Stand oil is also a thick bodied medium like sun thickened linseed oil. Linseed oil is heated at a high steady temperature, in an air tight container, which results in a very thick honey like consistency. Stand oil is useful as a glazing medium when mixed with turpentine and damar varnish. Stand oil helps improve the flow and has good resistance to yellowing. Stand oil is a slow drying medium that produces a strong enamel like paint film.
POPPY SEED OIL
Because linseed oil has a tendency to yellow as it ages, other oils have come onto the market. Amongst these oils are poppy seed and safflower oil. Poppy seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the opium poppy. Poppy seed oil is a pale slower drying oil and is less likely to yellow when compared with linseed oil. It is often used with whites, blues and pale colors.
SAFFLOWER OIL
Safflower oil is similar to poppy seed oil in that they both are suitable for whites and light colors. It has less of a tendency to yellow when compared to linseed oil.
WALNUT OIL
Walnut oil is a pale oil that helps make paint more fluid and has good drying power. It has less of a tendency to yellow when compared with linseed oil. Walnut oil has to be stored properly or it can spoil.
LIQUIN
Liquin is a popular oil painting medium. Many artists swear by it and it is definitely worth a try if you have never worked with it before. Liquin improves the flow of oil and alkyd colors and helps in subtle blending and fine detail. It speeds drying and serves as a good medium for glazing.
I hope this article has served as a good overview on oil painting mediums. Remember that working with oil painting mediums is not a requirement. If you are feeling adventurous then choose one medium at a time, experiment and have fun. Happy Painting!
Tips on Oil Painting – Solvents Mediums and Varnishes
October 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Visual Art
Remi Engels, Ph.D. asked:
If you paint with oils you will need a solvent to clean your brushes and thin your paints. Of course, if you paint with water soluble oils then your solvent will be water.
Turpentine is a standard solvent used to thin ordinary oil paints. You can purchase turpentine in any art supply store or hardware store. In some cases, the kind of turpentine you buy in a hardware store may be fresher because of the shorter turnaround time.
Some artists work with mineral spirits. These are also available in hardware stores. To save money, buy the largest available quantity and use a smaller container when you do your actual painting.
Tube oil paint (i.e., oil paint directly from the tube) can be difficult to manipulate. Some colors are stiffer than others and may be hard to evenly distribute over your canvas. To solve this problem, artists often need to mix their tube paints with a so-called painting medium.
A painting medium is a liquid solution that makes the oil paint smoother and easier to manipulate. Adding any one of a number of different painting mediums changes the consistency of the paint. Some mediums are meant to make the paint thinner for glazing and others are meant to make the paint thicker for impasto painting. There are also mediums to shorten or lengthen the drying.
The most basic medium is regular turpentine. Adding a little turpentine thins oils paint. Another frequently used medium is linseed oil, which makes the paint more fluid but, over time, it also tends to yellow the paint. The most commonly used medium is a combination of turpentine and linseed oil, sometimes with the addition of a little damar varnish.
Begin by experimenting with a half-and-half mixture of turpentine and linseed oil. Because linseed oil slows down the drying process, you may want to increase the proportion of turpentine. A good mixture is three parts of turpentine to one part of linseed oil.
Once you find the medium you like, mix a batch and store it in a tightly sealed jar. As you paint, dip your brush into the medium, then add a little paint, then mix them together on your palette (mixing surface).
Preliminary compositions can be drawn on your canvas with a so-called thin turp wash, i.e., a little bit of paint with a lot of turpentine. A turp wash evaporates very quickly, so you can quickly paint over them.
In general, the more turpentine you use the matter the finish will be and the more linseed oil you use the glossier it will be. If you like robust, permanently visible brushstrokes, you may want to use less medium. Dry brush is one technique where you do not add any medium at all.
Special painting mediums are also available that change the oil paint in different ways. The most common are those that shorten or lengthen the drying time of the oil paint. Check your art supply store or the Internet to see the available types of mediums. All medium bottles will show instructions on how best to use the particular medium.
Oil paintings must be varnished to protect them from undesirable elements such as dirt and toxins. Varnish is a clear solution made from a resin and turpentine or some other solvent.
In art-supply stores you will see two major types, retouching varnish and picture varnish. Depending on the paint layer thickness, it can take six months or more for an oil painting to dry. In the meantime, the surface of the painting needs to be protected with a coat of retouching varnish. After the varnish is applied, the turpentine evaporates, and leaving a thin protective coat. You can apply retouching varnish as soon as the paint feels dry to the touch.
Picture varnish contains more resin than retouching varnish. It should be applied about six months after you complete a painting. If you paint with impasto-like brushstrokes, you may have to wait as long as a year before applying the final coat.
Both types of varnish are applied in the same manner. Using a broad, flat nylon brush, apply the varnish evenly using horizontal strokes. You can also use retouching varnish to brighten dry dull patches in your painting.
If you paint with oils you will need a solvent to clean your brushes and thin your paints. Of course, if you paint with water soluble oils then your solvent will be water.
Turpentine is a standard solvent used to thin ordinary oil paints. You can purchase turpentine in any art supply store or hardware store. In some cases, the kind of turpentine you buy in a hardware store may be fresher because of the shorter turnaround time.
Some artists work with mineral spirits. These are also available in hardware stores. To save money, buy the largest available quantity and use a smaller container when you do your actual painting.
Tube oil paint (i.e., oil paint directly from the tube) can be difficult to manipulate. Some colors are stiffer than others and may be hard to evenly distribute over your canvas. To solve this problem, artists often need to mix their tube paints with a so-called painting medium.
A painting medium is a liquid solution that makes the oil paint smoother and easier to manipulate. Adding any one of a number of different painting mediums changes the consistency of the paint. Some mediums are meant to make the paint thinner for glazing and others are meant to make the paint thicker for impasto painting. There are also mediums to shorten or lengthen the drying.
The most basic medium is regular turpentine. Adding a little turpentine thins oils paint. Another frequently used medium is linseed oil, which makes the paint more fluid but, over time, it also tends to yellow the paint. The most commonly used medium is a combination of turpentine and linseed oil, sometimes with the addition of a little damar varnish.
Begin by experimenting with a half-and-half mixture of turpentine and linseed oil. Because linseed oil slows down the drying process, you may want to increase the proportion of turpentine. A good mixture is three parts of turpentine to one part of linseed oil.
Once you find the medium you like, mix a batch and store it in a tightly sealed jar. As you paint, dip your brush into the medium, then add a little paint, then mix them together on your palette (mixing surface).
Preliminary compositions can be drawn on your canvas with a so-called thin turp wash, i.e., a little bit of paint with a lot of turpentine. A turp wash evaporates very quickly, so you can quickly paint over them.
In general, the more turpentine you use the matter the finish will be and the more linseed oil you use the glossier it will be. If you like robust, permanently visible brushstrokes, you may want to use less medium. Dry brush is one technique where you do not add any medium at all.
Special painting mediums are also available that change the oil paint in different ways. The most common are those that shorten or lengthen the drying time of the oil paint. Check your art supply store or the Internet to see the available types of mediums. All medium bottles will show instructions on how best to use the particular medium.
Oil paintings must be varnished to protect them from undesirable elements such as dirt and toxins. Varnish is a clear solution made from a resin and turpentine or some other solvent.
In art-supply stores you will see two major types, retouching varnish and picture varnish. Depending on the paint layer thickness, it can take six months or more for an oil painting to dry. In the meantime, the surface of the painting needs to be protected with a coat of retouching varnish. After the varnish is applied, the turpentine evaporates, and leaving a thin protective coat. You can apply retouching varnish as soon as the paint feels dry to the touch.
Picture varnish contains more resin than retouching varnish. It should be applied about six months after you complete a painting. If you paint with impasto-like brushstrokes, you may have to wait as long as a year before applying the final coat.
Both types of varnish are applied in the same manner. Using a broad, flat nylon brush, apply the varnish evenly using horizontal strokes. You can also use retouching varnish to brighten dry dull patches in your painting.
Do and Don’ts of Oil Painting
October 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Art And Entertainment
vijay asked:
If in case you’re an artist by yourself, you most likely do not need to read this as your would perhaps already be knowing it. The information given here is for the first-time artists to give a basic understanding on do and don’ts of the art reproduction.
DO’S
1) Apply the oil paint densely, particularly in the foreground to give it a feel so it would stand out as an original oil painting.
2) You need to mix as few colors as probable to get to the preferred outcome. Try to keep it within three colors.
3) When possible in its place of using white to lessen a color, use a color such as lemon yellow or yellow ocher. This would give a less crumbly look and the colors would be cleaner.
4) Blend edges to make softer them in areas, which are in the backdrop and away from the center of interest.
5) Add thick paint to point out highlights such as on rocks, tree foliage etc. Thick paint on a wine bottle in a still life would make it shine more and make a persuasive light reflection.
Don’ts
a) Don’t thin pigment with turpentine, other than usage of linseed oil. However if you require an ink consistency to make thin lines such as three branches etc. this will be the omission since these are only small touches.
b) Do not ever over-mix your colors on your using palette. This would only result into flat and dull areas in your painting.
c) Avoid mixing more than three unlike colors. Be as straight as possible. If you learn the color wheel this would as well be a good help.
Additional Hints:
If in case you add up a very thin layer of linseed oil to your canvas before you start the paint, you would work less trying to stroke the pigment on. This would give you a more workable surface as the paint would slide on. Also you would not require varnishing your painting because it ends up with a shiny look.
Remember that you were the only person that knows the disparity among your palette and a canvas. As far as the pigment is concerned they are both mixing bases, sense you could even mix your paint on either one.
If in case you’re an artist by yourself, you most likely do not need to read this as your would perhaps already be knowing it. The information given here is for the first-time artists to give a basic understanding on do and don’ts of the art reproduction.
DO’S
1) Apply the oil paint densely, particularly in the foreground to give it a feel so it would stand out as an original oil painting.
2) You need to mix as few colors as probable to get to the preferred outcome. Try to keep it within three colors.
3) When possible in its place of using white to lessen a color, use a color such as lemon yellow or yellow ocher. This would give a less crumbly look and the colors would be cleaner.
4) Blend edges to make softer them in areas, which are in the backdrop and away from the center of interest.
5) Add thick paint to point out highlights such as on rocks, tree foliage etc. Thick paint on a wine bottle in a still life would make it shine more and make a persuasive light reflection.
Don’ts
a) Don’t thin pigment with turpentine, other than usage of linseed oil. However if you require an ink consistency to make thin lines such as three branches etc. this will be the omission since these are only small touches.
b) Do not ever over-mix your colors on your using palette. This would only result into flat and dull areas in your painting.
c) Avoid mixing more than three unlike colors. Be as straight as possible. If you learn the color wheel this would as well be a good help.
Additional Hints:
If in case you add up a very thin layer of linseed oil to your canvas before you start the paint, you would work less trying to stroke the pigment on. This would give you a more workable surface as the paint would slide on. Also you would not require varnishing your painting because it ends up with a shiny look.
Remember that you were the only person that knows the disparity among your palette and a canvas. As far as the pigment is concerned they are both mixing bases, sense you could even mix your paint on either one.
Tips for Maintaining Good Oil Painting Habits
vijay asked:
Following are the tips for you to maintain good oil painting habits:
Tips for saving color:
• Clean away any mixtures near heaps of colors you are setting up to keep.
• Keep a habit to put colors in same place on palette – used up areas must be worn out & wiped for new oil paint for next painting session.
• For disposable palettes scoop off mounds of paint you desire to maintain with your knife and move them to a fresh sheet; if a skin shapes, stab and take away the skin and work with the new color under.
• If you are not regular on painting for a week – cover palette with plastic cover & place in freezer.
• When you desire to clean your palette clean off central mixing area of wooden/acrylic palette, when you are done with your oil painting,
• For caring for tube keep tubes clean, wipe necks & caps.
Caring for your brushes:
• Wipe to take away surplus paint on rags, newspaper, etc.
• Rinse in container of solvent not advisable to soak.
• Clean your oil painting brush with rags, newspaper to immerse up solvent
• You can also use mild soap (shampoo or dawn), put dab in palm of your hand, foam brush in palm moving in circle to work foam into bristles.
• Lather & wash it in lukewarm water until soap suds are snow white, & rinse with clear water; bristles might discolor.
• Press bristles into tidy, solid shape while moist.
• Let it dry and store in jar bristle-end up.
Safety precautions:
• Read labels on oil paints and mediums – some are gently toxic (cadmium colors), so you need to careful with it.
• Avoid consumption of food or smoking while you paint
• Wash hands carefully after oil painting reproduction session; try using lotion to hands before hand, paints would wash off easier
• Some solvents don’t create deadly fumes, any how, must be used in well air room – open a window
• Some solvents are combustible also and toxic (gasoline, kerosene) – stick to turpentine and petroleum stuff made for artist’s use.
Following are the tips for you to maintain good oil painting habits:
Tips for saving color:
• Clean away any mixtures near heaps of colors you are setting up to keep.
• Keep a habit to put colors in same place on palette – used up areas must be worn out & wiped for new oil paint for next painting session.
• For disposable palettes scoop off mounds of paint you desire to maintain with your knife and move them to a fresh sheet; if a skin shapes, stab and take away the skin and work with the new color under.
• If you are not regular on painting for a week – cover palette with plastic cover & place in freezer.
• When you desire to clean your palette clean off central mixing area of wooden/acrylic palette, when you are done with your oil painting,
• For caring for tube keep tubes clean, wipe necks & caps.
Caring for your brushes:
• Wipe to take away surplus paint on rags, newspaper, etc.
• Rinse in container of solvent not advisable to soak.
• Clean your oil painting brush with rags, newspaper to immerse up solvent
• You can also use mild soap (shampoo or dawn), put dab in palm of your hand, foam brush in palm moving in circle to work foam into bristles.
• Lather & wash it in lukewarm water until soap suds are snow white, & rinse with clear water; bristles might discolor.
• Press bristles into tidy, solid shape while moist.
• Let it dry and store in jar bristle-end up.
Safety precautions:
• Read labels on oil paints and mediums – some are gently toxic (cadmium colors), so you need to careful with it.
• Avoid consumption of food or smoking while you paint
• Wash hands carefully after oil painting reproduction session; try using lotion to hands before hand, paints would wash off easier
• Some solvents don’t create deadly fumes, any how, must be used in well air room – open a window
• Some solvents are combustible also and toxic (gasoline, kerosene) – stick to turpentine and petroleum stuff made for artist’s use.
All About Oil Paintings and Acrylics
Ben Jonson asked:
Painting as a profession is considered to be one of the most adorable professions. One of the most common questions which many people or the painters face is that what type of paint they should use. The different options which are available are oil paintings, acrylics, water colors and pastels. Well this article will deal in handling one of the most unique problems as to what kind of paint should you use. And I am going to deal with this problem by making you aware with the benefits and disadvantages of each of the method of paints and this in turn will help you decide with which method you will have to go for.
Acrylics: Some of the few benefits which you can get with the acrylics are that they dry very quickly and the acrylic paints can be either mixed with water or any other medium. The brushes which are used for acrylics are that these brushes can be easily cleaned with water. And once the paint is dried again the other layers can be applied over it without disturbing the layers which lies beneath it. It is water resistant and it provides a good option as to it can be used very thickly like oils and it can even be used for thin washes like the water color.
While on the other hand there are some factors which would stop you from using the acrylics like for the fact acrylics dry very quickly, however the working time can be increased by mixing a retarding medium to the paint or you can also spray water on the paintings. Acrylics are completely waterproof so in case once they are dried there is no scope that you can remove the paint. It is also a difficult scenario to remove from the brush once it is dried.
Oil paintings: Another very impressive method or the mode of paintings is that of the oil painting, wherein they do not dry very quickly and thus paves much time to work and more scope for blending. Once the oil paintings are dried they can be painted again and this would not disturb the underlying layers. Another important and very attractive feature is that there is wide variety of color options available with oil paintings and such a range of colors is not offered by any of the modes of painting. You also have very rich and deep colors which maintain their intensity even after they are dried.
Some of the demerits which the oil paintings have are that they take very long time to dry. As they dry very hardly you will have to wait for several months before the painting can be varnished. When working with oil paintings you can work on many paintings simultaneously because of the excessive time they take to dry. As far as brush which is used in oil painting is considered it can be cleaned only with spirit.
Painting as a profession is considered to be one of the most adorable professions. One of the most common questions which many people or the painters face is that what type of paint they should use. The different options which are available are oil paintings, acrylics, water colors and pastels. Well this article will deal in handling one of the most unique problems as to what kind of paint should you use. And I am going to deal with this problem by making you aware with the benefits and disadvantages of each of the method of paints and this in turn will help you decide with which method you will have to go for.
Acrylics: Some of the few benefits which you can get with the acrylics are that they dry very quickly and the acrylic paints can be either mixed with water or any other medium. The brushes which are used for acrylics are that these brushes can be easily cleaned with water. And once the paint is dried again the other layers can be applied over it without disturbing the layers which lies beneath it. It is water resistant and it provides a good option as to it can be used very thickly like oils and it can even be used for thin washes like the water color.
While on the other hand there are some factors which would stop you from using the acrylics like for the fact acrylics dry very quickly, however the working time can be increased by mixing a retarding medium to the paint or you can also spray water on the paintings. Acrylics are completely waterproof so in case once they are dried there is no scope that you can remove the paint. It is also a difficult scenario to remove from the brush once it is dried.
Oil paintings: Another very impressive method or the mode of paintings is that of the oil painting, wherein they do not dry very quickly and thus paves much time to work and more scope for blending. Once the oil paintings are dried they can be painted again and this would not disturb the underlying layers. Another important and very attractive feature is that there is wide variety of color options available with oil paintings and such a range of colors is not offered by any of the modes of painting. You also have very rich and deep colors which maintain their intensity even after they are dried.
Some of the demerits which the oil paintings have are that they take very long time to dry. As they dry very hardly you will have to wait for several months before the painting can be varnished. When working with oil paintings you can work on many paintings simultaneously because of the excessive time they take to dry. As far as brush which is used in oil painting is considered it can be cleaned only with spirit.
