Please help me find a thinner for my oils that is oderless and completely solvent free. I do not want to quit what I love to do but may have no choice. Perhaps you have an answer for me.
@Kathleen Flanagan there is a way to be entirely solvent-free by utilizing linseed oil instead (or any other kind of drying oil: walnut, poppy, safflower, etc). Instead of reaching for solvent to thin down your oil paints, reach for oil. Keep in mind you still need to follow the fat over lean rule, but you'll just have a higher fat content overall than before. You may even need to switch to an oil mixed with a little resin for the last final layers of your work. To clean brushes: Wipe off any pigment from your brush that you can, then "rinse" it in a little linseed oil, remove any additional pigments you can. At this point you can clean your brushes with a conditioning soap & water for long term storage. However, if you know you'll be painting again soon - you can "store" your brushes in a sort of puddle of a drying oil so it doesn't dry overnight (a shallow tray with the bristles dipped into the oil/angled up so the handles are propped up higher on the edge of the tray seems to work great). Once you're ready to paint again, wipe the excess oil and any remaining pigments from your brushes and get back to painting! One thing we do want to thoroughly warn you of: these oils dry through oxidation, which that process creates internal heat all by itself. This is how oily paint rags can spontaneously light themselves on fire. It does seem scary, but if you run water over your rags, store them in a fire safe container (Uline or Walmart have them and are affordable), then throw them out when they're cured - you will be a-ok! Feel free to join us for our Jerry's LIVE on September 27, 2022 when we talk about all the scary things that are involved with oil painting and what to do about it! It will be live on our Facebook page or main UA-cam Channelat 5:30PM EST, so you can ask any and all questions you may have!
Thanks for the question @user-uy8dp9xf9h. Those "little wooden" things are Keys to tighten the stretcher bars. You tap them into the corners to “spread” the corners out to tighten the canvas.
The Edge Cotton Canvas and the Paramount Canvas are excellent options for working with heavy-body acrylic paints. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on your personal preferences. If you want to apply the paint super thick, I suggest you use a wood panel board that is less likely to flex or give under the weight of the thick paint. If you are applying the heavy body paint at a reasonable thickness you can use either of those stretched canvases.
Please help me find a thinner for my oils that is oderless and completely solvent free. I do not want to quit what I love to do but may have no choice. Perhaps you have an answer for me.
@Kathleen Flanagan there is a way to be entirely solvent-free by utilizing linseed oil instead (or any other kind of drying oil: walnut, poppy, safflower, etc). Instead of reaching for solvent to thin down your oil paints, reach for oil. Keep in mind you still need to follow the fat over lean rule, but you'll just have a higher fat content overall than before. You may even need to switch to an oil mixed with a little resin for the last final layers of your work.
To clean brushes:
Wipe off any pigment from your brush that you can, then "rinse" it in a little linseed oil, remove any additional pigments you can. At this point you can clean your brushes with a conditioning soap & water for long term storage. However, if you know you'll be painting again soon - you can "store" your brushes in a sort of puddle of a drying oil so it doesn't dry overnight (a shallow tray with the bristles dipped into the oil/angled up so the handles are propped up higher on the edge of the tray seems to work great). Once you're ready to paint again, wipe the excess oil and any remaining pigments from your brushes and get back to painting!
One thing we do want to thoroughly warn you of: these oils dry through oxidation, which that process creates internal heat all by itself. This is how oily paint rags can spontaneously light themselves on fire. It does seem scary, but if you run water over your rags, store them in a fire safe container (Uline or Walmart have them and are affordable), then throw them out when they're cured - you will be a-ok! Feel free to join us for our Jerry's LIVE on September 27, 2022 when we talk about all the scary things that are involved with oil painting and what to do about it! It will be live on our Facebook page or main UA-cam Channelat 5:30PM EST, so you can ask any and all questions you may have!
Thanks so much, very helpful so I can get the best results with the right materials.
Glad it was helpful Linda Mae. Keep Creating!
What are the little wood things that come in a bag attached to the back of a canvas? What do you do with them?
Thanks for the question @user-uy8dp9xf9h. Those "little wooden" things are Keys to tighten the stretcher bars. You tap them into the corners to “spread” the corners out to tighten the canvas.
I plan on using heavy body acrylic paints so would The Edge All Media PRO Cotton Canvas be a good one to use or the Paramount?
The Edge Cotton Canvas and the Paramount Canvas are excellent options for working with heavy-body acrylic paints. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on your personal preferences. If you want to apply the paint super thick, I suggest you use a wood panel board that is less likely to flex or give under the weight of the thick paint. If you are applying the heavy body paint at a reasonable thickness you can use either of those stretched canvases.
@@JerrysartaramaArtSupply
Awesome answer, thank you soo much!!