A credit card to spread gesso! Now why didn't I think of that? I'm 70 years old and learning to oil paint with UA-cam videos. I have so much to learn, and you have helped me so very much. Also, I see you and appreciate your way of being in the world, a kind and gentle soul. Thank you. ❤
I feel like I've watched every art video on youtube. I self taught myself painting and I have to say Ian that this video is hands down one of the most useful and beneficial videos I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing this great resource!
As a beginner, this is one of the best videos I've watched about many basic but important things. You're a great teacher. I look forward to your videos each Tuesday.
I have purchased some of your composition videos -- Just want to give you an A+ for your teaching skills. Subject is presented in a clear, concise, understandable way. Thanks
Hey Ian , I just bought your book, after consuming such golden values from your free and original content, i am very excited to learn the techniques of mastering composition and applying it into my paintings,, thank you for the videos you make,
A* as usual! It is pleasing to see such a calm and well-organised studio. This reflects so many your paintings which have a calm and meditative quality to them - unnecessary clutter is eliminated in both cases! Having just completed a 48 hour refresher drawing course at West Dean College, Chichester, England, this was a good home coming. Following up the papers you mentioned I was amused to see such British place names use by American firms - no wonder I had not heard of them before. I had discovered they are available here but if some of your viewers are un the UK they may find Arboreta 'off white' pads made in the English Bristol a good alternative. We used these with pencil, conte crayon and all forms of charcoal and they take any amount of rubbing out and punishment. These may be easier to access here and not have import duties. I cannot find the Raymar panels on any UK site but the linen is available from several suppliers. I was fascinated by the Dorlands Medium - something new to try. I will enjoy a second viewing this evening. I loved the 'His' and 'Hers" stations!
Thanks so much Ian. I grew up in Toronto, and I'd say every town and street is named after somewhere in the UK. Except maybe Toronto itself. Algonquin for the meeting place or something like that. I've never heard of Arboreta. I'll have to look that up. The Claessens linen would be available and you could try it taped to a board and if you like it just glue the linen to the panels yourself. It isn't hard. You just use PVA glue. Or if you don't mind the wet dog smell rabbit skin glue. I'd recommend the PVA.
I enjoyed researching the Raymar boards - they looks to be very well specified and made to last for centuries. I was given some linen and made up four panels with PVA glue on hardboard which I have been using for some studies ahead of bigger paintings. For the en plain air course next week in the South Shropshire Hills at Acton Hall, I have ordered some Linen covered boards but I can make my own in future. I went on an icon painting course a few years ago where i learnt to gild, lay down gesso and use egg temporary paint. The tutor used gelatine as the binding agent for the gesso and bole surfaces in preference to the rabbit skin glue - this excited his dog so much it thought that the studio was full of the critters! These matters rarely get mentioned - as with another painter I know who stashed a couple of completed canvases in a hedge while he did a couple of watercolours. He returned to find the canvases bare - the bullocks in the field had licked all the paint off! Best wishes - I admire your practical as well as artistic skills!
Just I am very appreciate with the art 🎨🎭 specially for the water colour latest trends in water colour painting 🖌️🎨 jenerally people are working on now.
I really enjoy studio tours, thank you. I would have greatly benefited from basic information about mediums, drawing pencils, brushes and canvases when I first started painting in oils. Since I am self taught it has taken years to gather some of that info . I am still learning. I appreciate your videos.
I found the part about the pencils and how to sharpen the very informative. I love how you draw, with all the parallel lines, it is beautiful! Thank you for the tour, I enjoyed it and learned a lot!
Super informative…especially about your drawing materials, your palette colors and mediums. Have you made a video of your plein air easel and process? You are incredibly generous and have helped many novice painters become more confident!
HI Emily, I had planned on doing plein air with this one but the video was just getting too long. So at some point I'll do another on plein air painting tips and materials and stuff.
Excellent; really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. Oh, for the luxury of a dedicated studio - at least I’ve got the end section of my garage. We live in small (and too expensive !)houses on the other side of the pond.
This is great! I was astonished once when I heard an instructor telling me how to sharpen the pencil and preserve the lead (pigment), after buying so many sharpeners and ruining pencils. Thank you for your insight. I always appreciate the time professional masters take to share their experience and knowledge, you are one of them. Thanks again! BTW, I showed your chanel to many of my artist friends :)
A little late to the party here but I have been systematically going through all your videos. I used to paint oil on canvas and then moved into the digital world, still sticking to traditional methods but I will return to actual traditional medium at some point. In the meantime, your channel is proving to be an amazing teaching aid. Thank you so much for being such an inspiration and also for being so generous with your time and knowledge.
Because of the smell, a few years ago I switched from turpinoid to Gamsol and from liquin to Walnut oil. They are both working well fo me. I liked your info on painting surfaces.
Thanks for all the great information, Ian. I’m so appreciative of great artists taking the time to share their knowledge for free on UA-cam. I’m always curious about what books are on an artist’s bookshelf. Maybe you could talk about that one day. I have your “Mastering Composition” book and it is excellent. One of my favorites.
Delighted you are enjoying the videos. The books I'd like to talk about, or the ones I like the most, are mainly out of print so it seems a bit of a tease. But I am thinking about it and will do one at some point.
Thanks Ian this was very helpful. I work with watercolor/ gouache. I’m trying to come over to oils, but I have to go completely non toxic. Thanks again.
Ian. Short comment. I live and paint NYC. I just watched your studio tour segment. Having viewed many of your other videos, you come across as a very sincere and generous man. There is an artistry to your presentation. Congratulations and thank you. Steve
Hello Ian, your lessons are very helpful even though I love using acrylics. Watching several of your videos in order to work up the nerve to begin painting again. Thank you!
Thank you so much Ian for taking the time to give us a tour around your impeccable studio and explaining as you go along. I enjoyed it immensely and found it very interesting indeed. I have recently asked you in the comments section if you could kindly show us how you sharpen your pencils and I am ever so grateful that you have remembered and gave us a close up of how it’s done ! I do hope that with some practice I would achieve a good result ! I sincerely thank you for your time and for sharing your knowledge. Lorraine 🎨
Hi Lorraine, yes I remembered the pencil sharpening request. Glad you enjoyed the tour. Not always so impeccable. You know, if you are having guests over, you clean up a bit. Well, I did too.
I love your tip about using gesso to fill in the holes of those cheaper canvases. I too don't like the texture of those canvases, and have never even thought to use a credit card to scrape the gesso on the canvas. Great video. Thanks for the studio tour!
Glad you enjoyed the video Ianta. I just don't worry about the paint drying out. It is one reason I buy studio sized tubes of Gamblin paint. They are good balance between price and quality. If I bought small tubes of Old Holland I'd be worried every time I squeezed out paint. I mean I'm in the studio a lot so usually I'm using yesterday's paint and it is always fine. Even two days is usually OK.
Thank you for this video. Now I understand better how to prep surfaces for a smooth application of oils. I’ve been working mostly with acrylics so this information is great. I used to sand between coats of gesso, which is so labored.
hello mr. Roberts, love your videos including this one too. I'm new to your channel so i don't know if you've gone over it previously, but perhaps you should get Amazon referrel links in your descriptions for the products you list out. I am sure people wouldn't mind supporting you when they make a purchase since you're helping us all through your informative content. have a great day.
Super insightful! As a chemist, strong smells are my bête noire and have always stayed away from oil paints but will definitely try the wax! Thanks again!
No need to feel you ever have to use strong solvents like turps/turpenoid etc. when painting with oils. I've found that pro artists are using many alternative, far more eco-friendly methods, e.g. never cleaning their brushes in anything but oil. I've borrowed that oil cleansing method and when I won't be painting for a while (or the brushes just seem "too" dirty), I wash my brushes with soap and lukewarm water (moisturizing hand soap works nicely if, like Ian, you worry about "dry, flyaway" bristles.) About the only solvent I have in my studio is to occasionally clean my glass palette with isopropyl alcohol. Happy (stinky solvent-free) painting! :-)
I used to use this product I could get in Canada called something like Eco-Solve which was made from orange peels. And worked great. There's probably something like that down here. But for me I don't really mind the Gamsol as long as I'm getting air moving around the studio. Personally I've tried using oil to clean my brushes and I just don't like the feel of it. But as you say lots of artists do now.
Thank you, Mr. Roberts, for this studio tour, I discovered you only this evening, September 16, 2021, and I readily admit that I will learn a lot from you. I have subscribed, of course.
Hi Ian, would you do a critique of student work, what went wrong and could have been done better etc? I know other art UA-camrs have done this and it's super helpful. Thanks.
Best glazing versus scumbling demo ever. Wish you would consider vendor to make & market your device for holding smaller panels. If it’s Tuesday, it’s IR day. Thanks
Great video! Would love to know which lightbulbs you get. I've had a beast of a time figuring out lighting. Also in response to mediums: I love the epoxide oil! Gamblin's Neomegilp is lovely to use as well, but my favored medium to use though, is a home made putty recipe made simply from hand washed cold pressed linseed oil mixed with marble or limestone chalk to the consistency that works best for the application. It's very simple, contains no toxic solvents, and is very stable. The hand washed linseed oil on its own also dries much quicker than conventional linseed oil. My studio has been solvent free for about 6 months now, never going back. Swaped out the gamsol for a jar of walnut oil. It does take longer to work out the pigment from the bristles, but it's a hell of a lot better for your health...and longevity of the bristles 😬
Hi Kate, so I buy the bulbs at ACE hardware. They are LED I think so they are only 60 and 90 Watts. But burn like incandescent 150 probably. Warm and cool. It wasn't more complicated than that really. As I've mentioned I don't really use mediums any more. Just like the paint itself. And I just deal with Gamsol. I've tried cleaning brushes with safflower oil, and just couldn't stand it. I figure whatever's going to kill me at this point, climate change, viruses, what have you, I suppose it probably wont' be gamsol. I mean I could be wrong. all the best.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thanks for the info on your light setup! We rent so mounting to the ceiling is pretty much out, and trying to figure out how to rig lighting at the moment as our daylight hours are quickly slipping away! As far as cleaning brushes, mediums etc etc, the infinite ways of creating and doing things is the beauty of being an artist 😊, thankful you share your corner of the world!
Ian, I loved seeing your studio tour. It truly connected all of us to you on a much higher level. Knowing how you work and where you work was very inspiring...and most informative in regards to your preferred supplies. As an ALS and respiratory disease patient I'm forbidden to use oils, however, I still walk away with a wealth of knowledge from this. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the video. Very helpful and generous. For mediums I have used the Gamblin Galkyds which don't have much of a smell. I like the fluidity of Galkyd lite. Smells like linseed to me. AND I have no affiliation with Gamblin. Just a happy customer. - Penny
Thanks for sharing your studio. Love the idea for supporting smaller panels on the easel. I have used Walnut Oil for years because it does not have a chemical smell or irritation to the lungs. Bye from New Orleans!
Great video; very helpful. Having stumbled through many of these things I feel I can be more nimble with essential practicalities that can be so daunting when you start out. Much appreciated.
Awesome video thank you so much for sharing your wonderful studio and all your expertise. Some topics maybe for future : storing your palette to preserve paint, perhaps something on pricing works, and plein air supplies plus any pointers :) would love any Live streaming and workshops in the future if that’s something you may do. Love both of your books and Tuesday videos! Thanks again!
Thanks Maryann. So glad you liked the video. I just made a comment above about painting drying. Pricing is a good one, and I plan on doing a whole video on plein air. It's its own topic. We did a test on the live streaming and ran into a major glitch on internet upload speed. So as soon as that is solved. I don't do workshops anymore but have three online courses I'll be offering again in the new year if they seem interesting to you. All the best.
First off , I love the tips, I want to return to painting and use to use mineral spirits and linseed. I'm more aware now of toxicity in the chemicals and of the bad practices I had in college [ breathing mineral spirits without ventilation until u just don't notice anymore and yes often handling mineral spirits with barehands]. Perhaps sharing any options of painting technique or product out there without mineral spirits or alternatives for mineral spirits? I'm sure something would need to be sacrificed in the resulting appearance or techniques that can be used-- but any possible options would be nice. I saw a video of someone else suggesting using only as a medium linseed, or liquin but maybe I misunderstood. I'm prepared to hear- No! there is no realistic way 😅 That's what Acrylics are for.
This was a fantastic video! I learn something new with each of your videos! this one is superb...I loved seeing your studio space! thanks so much...I'll be watching this one again....and again... ;)
Great video. Fantastic to get your take on materials used, which is a jungle of alternatives and option😁. I would appreciate to hear in a future video how you go about framing your finished panel paintings. And how would you frame say 30-40 paintings in front of a solo exhibition (in my case stretched canvas). Frames really adds to the painting I think, but I can be very expensive. Thank for sharing your experience and knowledge with us🙏🏻😃
Hi Jonas, delighted you liked the video. I was going to do a short piece at the end about framing but just felt the video was getting too long. Framing is something! So my main piece of advice would be paint two or three sizes and always paint those sizes and if after paying for the frames for this show, some percentage won't sell but if you will continue to use the same sizes then your next show will be half framed from the frames you have left over from the last show. I used to have frames made for each painting, 10 1/2 x 11 3/4 and they are still kicking around because I never painted another painting that size. That is a piece of hard won experience. Good luck with your show and congratulations!
Thanks Ian - loved this little tour. It is always so interesting to see how others set up their work space so thank you for letting us in & thank you for all the information in this video. Really very very useful :) Looking forward to next week already!
Yeyyy!! Finally Thank you so much for giving us this tour mr Roberts! I was especially excited to see what brushes you use because its simply one of my favorite things to see from another artist
I consider myself to be a self-taught artist, so your studio tour was a "must see" event! Thank you! So much for sharing your studio and your insights! It is always good to compare...just to make sure I am on the "right path".One question, though...is there a reason why you and your wife selected a studio a 40 minute commute away from home? Why not closer to home? Or would that be making your "painting habit" into a hobby instead of keeping it more "professional"?
Love your videos. What to do for a studio in a basement with poor lighting, where many of us are stuck? And what size are your flat files? I got some that are too huge (free).
Wow! That’s a very well organised & professional studio. Thanks for including the lighting, as requested by me. Have a question! Are the warm & cool floods placed alternately? How many Kelvin & Lumens are they?
I just buy the floods from the hardware store. Nothing fancy. They are LED I think so the wattage is low 90 or something but acts like a 250 maybe. And I have no idea about the K, just the brightest I could get and the warm and cool balance out pretty well. Also if you have the floods up high then it doesn't matter that much how you alternate them, they blend together. But alternating would be a simple way to do it.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thank you so much! That was helpful! This video is a great resource. Learnt so much from this. Keep up the good work 👍
I finally got to watch this video after a busy couple of days. Thank you Ian for another video filled with valuable information. I’m a beginner and appreciate learning from a great teacher. You mentioned the lighting in your studio. I know that north light is the best. Unfortunately I cannot change the “east and south west windows in my condo. I’ve heard artists using “daylight” bulbs in their studios. I have yet to buy a couple of bulbs and replace what I have at the moment. What would you recommend for lighting? Thank you.
You can get daylight bulbs. If the light coming through the window is changing all the time depending on the time of day, you could try bouncing a couple of flood lights off the wall behind you so it bounces forward onto your workspace. The wall would have to be white that you bounce it off of though.
Thank you! I've only begun to watch your videos and they're so well done! Excellent teaching, easy to understand and thorough! If you haven't already addressed color temperature, could you consider a lesson on understanding this topic? Thanks again!
Hi Ian. I recently started to use Gamblin solvent free gel and medium. I like that it does not stink like Liquin. I don't like that it is so glossy, but I can live with that. What is truly annoying is that the medium often beads up when applied over dry paint layer. I am probably a more medium-loving painter than you, so perhaps you have not encountered this so much, but I welcome any comments you might have. Other than the stink (which I am trying to remove from my studio), I like Liquin products.
I wonder if you brushed a thin layer of linseed oil on your canvas and wiped most of it off (oiling out) if that would help the medium from not beading up. You could test it on an old painting to see. I know there are varnishes for oil, like a final varnish, that are acrylic. Perhaps they are using that for a painting medium. And that's why it beads up. I'm sure they wouldn't sell it unless they had done enough testing to know that using it is a sound practice. But maybe a thin brushing of gamsol wiped away would also solve it. Again both those ideas would be simple to test on an old painting. Good luck.
That's a nicely organised studio has it a separate entrance from your house? I find I end up putting oil paint on my door handles all over the house despite trying to be as tidy and clean as possible
So interesting to see all of your materials and processes. Especially your choice of brushes (i get addicted to trying out all the brands and types) and mediums. Thank you for sharing that. Also the colors you use ( so much cadmium everything) . My personal favorites are burned sienna and Paynes grey and I experimented with so many blues, like Prussian blue and Indigo. Great lighting setup! Have you ever tried cleaning brushes in vegetable oil? Anyway, super interesting to see the entire studio!
Hi Suzanne, glad you found the video interesting. I like the cadmiums for their density, opaque. I really don't like cleaning my brushes in oil. Just don't like the feel or the result. Just my thing.
For those that like to paint with mediums I have found the Gamblin Neo Megilp to be very good. I used to use Liquin but also found it to be too toxic in the studio.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition I was happy to have a reason to write a comment. Have being meaning to but never got around to it. I've owned Mastering Composition for many years and it's on my list of 5 books everyone should have. I have a suggestion that I'm stealing from another UA-camr...I think it would be great to create an index of your videos. Basically number each one so folks like me can easily remember and find ones I want to view again. A simple idea would be to use the year published and sequential number like 21.5 for the 5th video posted in 2021. These are a great asset for all artists. Thanks for doing them.
Well done! You did cover a lot in this video…all very helpful! One question I’ve had about oiling out, is what is the rule of thumb? Does it have to be done to a dry painting in order for touch ups or alterations to stick? I’ve tried to do it a couple times (being careful to put it on thinly and rub it in well, but did not cut it with any spirits) and I had trouble with the surface becoming sticky and horrible to work on as well as taking a really long time to dry. I really appreciate all your videos. It is especially helpful that they are concise and well titled so I can refer back to them whenever necessary. Thank you so much sharing your wealth of knowledge! It’s greatly appreciated.
Hi Christine, honestly I hardly ever oil something out. I would mix half and half oil and gamsol. Thin layer. But you don't need to. You can just paint straight on to dry paint. As long as the new layer is good dense paint and not thinned out too much.
What a great video. Great to see your studio too. I wonder if Gamblin Cold Wax medium (which I have but haven't used yet) would function like the Dorland's, I imagine so. Thanks again, and I'd love to attend 'Live' sessions.
Delighted you liked the video. The Gamblin cold wax medium would be just like Dorlands. I think Dorland's has paraffin and beeswax and Gamblin just uses beeswax, but basically the same. And as soon as we the tech glitches figured out we're going live. All the best.
Thank you for such a valuable resource. Can I ask you when in the painting process you start to use the cold wax? I bought some on the back of this video and realise I've no idea what to do with it! Thanks in advance.
As the risk of being partisan mine on Mastering Compostion is about building the foundation to your paintings. This is what most people struggle with even when they think it is brushwork or color or whatever. Delighted you enjoyed the video.
Lots of great information! I hope to construct something similar to your piece of wood that holds your canvas, so a few pointers on that would be great?! Also, what type of computer are you painting from? THANK YOU!!!! Susan
Another great video, Ian. Lots of practical advice, which will be of help to those starting out on the painting journey. Could you explain, either in the comments here or in another video, your technique for transferring your field pencil sketch to the larger canvas ready for painting? You appear to do so with amazing fidelity, which suggest you do not use a freehand method. Do you adopt the traditional squaring up or is it by some digital technology? Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Not all artists are prepared to do the same.
Hi Michael, delighted you enjoyed the video. I transfer drawings and photos by gridding them in thirds. I'm not sure the fidelity is as amazing as you suggest, but it is certainly good enough. I find with a drawing or photo gridded and the canvas gridded, both in thirds, I have no trouble marking where things fall along each of the nine boxes and the whole comes together pretty well. All the best.
Another gret video, Ian..THANK YOU!! Wondering if you ever us Gamblin's solvent-free gel as a medium. It also speeds drying time but makes the paint more transparent.
Do you mean that Neo-Glip stuff. My wife has some. I've never used it. As I said I sort of gave up on mediums so don't try them anymore. Do you like it?
How well ventilated is your studio? I'm using water mixable oils because of the fear of using spirits (and I paint in the house largely). But would you leave the doors open a lot or?
A credit card to spread gesso! Now why didn't I think of that? I'm 70 years old and learning to oil paint with UA-cam videos. I have so much to learn, and you have helped me so very much. Also, I see you and appreciate your way of being in the world, a kind and gentle soul. Thank you. ❤
Glad it was helpful Dana!
I feel like I've watched every art video on youtube. I self taught myself painting and I have to say Ian that this video is hands down one of the most useful and beneficial videos I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing this great resource!
Wow, Danny that is great. Thanks so much for letting me know.
As a beginner, this is one of the best videos I've watched about many basic but important things. You're a great teacher. I look forward to your videos each Tuesday.
To be sure!
I forgot a few things.
I learn heaps with every video I watch!
That is very kind of you to say. Thanks Mark
Thank you Priscilla!
Your wife’s paintings look beautiful!
I have purchased some of your composition videos -- Just want to give you an A+ for your teaching skills. Subject is presented in a clear, concise, understandable way. Thanks
So useful. Those few minutes on glazing were terrific explanations. But the whole thing, from bevelled pencil leads onwards, an excellent tutorial.
Hey Ian , I just bought your book, after consuming such golden values from your free and original content, i am very excited to learn the techniques of mastering composition and applying it into my paintings,, thank you for the videos you make,
Brilliant Ian. Found the overview informative and helpful. Loved credit card use with gesso. See you next week.
Glad you enjoyed it Rebecca. Thanks for watching
Fantastic & generous video! Thank you.
A* as usual! It is pleasing to see such a calm and well-organised studio. This reflects so many your paintings which have a calm and meditative quality to them - unnecessary clutter is eliminated in both cases! Having just completed a 48 hour refresher drawing course at West Dean College, Chichester, England, this was a good home coming. Following up the papers you mentioned I was amused to see such British place names use by American firms - no wonder I had not heard of them before. I had discovered they are available here but if some of your viewers are un the UK they may find Arboreta 'off white' pads made in the English Bristol a good alternative. We used these with pencil, conte crayon and all forms of charcoal and they take any amount of rubbing out and punishment. These may be easier to access here and not have import duties.
I cannot find the Raymar panels on any UK site but the linen is available from several suppliers.
I was fascinated by the Dorlands Medium - something new to try. I will enjoy a second viewing this evening.
I loved the 'His' and 'Hers" stations!
Thanks so much Ian. I grew up in Toronto, and I'd say every town and street is named after somewhere in the UK. Except maybe Toronto itself. Algonquin for the meeting place or something like that. I've never heard of Arboreta. I'll have to look that up. The Claessens linen would be available and you could try it taped to a board and if you like it just glue the linen to the panels yourself. It isn't hard. You just use PVA glue. Or if you don't mind the wet dog smell rabbit skin glue. I'd recommend the PVA.
I enjoyed researching the Raymar boards - they looks to be very well specified and made to last for centuries. I was given some linen and made up four panels with PVA glue on hardboard which I have been using for some studies ahead of bigger paintings. For the en plain air course next week in the South Shropshire Hills at Acton Hall, I have ordered some Linen covered boards but I can make my own in future. I went on an icon painting course a few years ago where i learnt to gild, lay down gesso and use egg temporary paint. The tutor used gelatine as the binding agent for the gesso and bole surfaces in preference to the rabbit skin glue - this excited his dog so much it thought that the studio was full of the critters! These matters rarely get mentioned - as with another painter I know who stashed a couple of completed canvases in a hedge while he did a couple of watercolours. He returned to find the canvases bare - the bullocks in the field had licked all the paint off! Best wishes - I admire your practical as well as artistic skills!
Just I am very appreciate with the art 🎨🎭 specially for the water colour latest trends in water colour painting 🖌️🎨 jenerally people are working on now.
Very generous of you, Ian. Thanks. Jane
My pleasure Jane. Thanks for watching
I really enjoy studio tours, thank you. I would have greatly benefited from basic information about mediums, drawing pencils, brushes and canvases when I first started painting in oils. Since I am self taught it has taken years to gather some of that info . I am still learning. I appreciate your videos.
Glad it was helpful Judith.
I found the part about the pencils and how to sharpen the very informative. I love how you draw, with all the parallel lines, it is beautiful!
Thank you for the tour, I enjoyed it and learned a lot!
So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you Anne
Super informative…especially about your drawing materials, your palette colors and mediums. Have you made a video of your plein air easel and process? You are incredibly generous and have helped many novice painters become more confident!
HI Emily, I had planned on doing plein air with this one but the video was just getting too long. So at some point I'll do another on plein air painting tips and materials and stuff.
Look up the one by james gurney he shows how he makes an easel specifically for that👍🏼
Excellent; really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. Oh, for the luxury of a dedicated studio - at least I’ve got the end section of my garage. We live in small (and too expensive !)houses on the other side of the pond.
Thank you so very much
You are highly favored 🙌
And much appreciated
God bless
This is great! I was astonished once when I heard an instructor telling me how to sharpen the pencil and preserve the lead (pigment), after buying so many sharpeners and ruining pencils. Thank you for your insight. I always appreciate the time professional masters take to share their experience and knowledge, you are one of them. Thanks again! BTW, I showed your chanel to many of my artist friends :)
So glad you found it helpful. Thank you for watching and sharing it with your friends! It means a lot to me
A little late to the party here but I have been systematically going through all your videos. I used to paint oil on canvas and then moved into the digital world, still sticking to traditional methods but I will return to actual traditional medium at some point. In the meantime, your channel is proving to be an amazing teaching aid. Thank you so much for being such an inspiration and also for being so generous with your time and knowledge.
Because of the smell, a few years ago I switched from turpinoid to Gamsol and from liquin to Walnut oil. They are both working well fo me. I liked your info on painting surfaces.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you Janet
You are one of the best in information and techniques. Thanks
I appreciate that Paul. Thanks so much.
Thank you Ian. Looking forward to more videos.
Delighted you are enjoying them Candace
Would you please talk more about varnishing sometime? I’ve a ton of oil paintings and have hesitated to varnish them. Thanks 😊
Yes, for me too please!
Yes, I'm making a list of the most asked questions and this is definitely one of them. I'll do another and cover all the points. All the best.
Yes will do.
Thanks for all the great information, Ian. I’m so appreciative of great artists taking the time to share their knowledge for free on UA-cam. I’m always curious about what books are on an artist’s bookshelf. Maybe you could talk about that one day. I have your “Mastering Composition” book and it is excellent. One of my favorites.
Delighted you are enjoying the videos. The books I'd like to talk about, or the ones I like the most, are mainly out of print so it seems a bit of a tease. But I am thinking about it and will do one at some point.
Thanks Ian this was very helpful. I work with watercolor/ gouache. I’m trying to come over to oils, but I have to go completely non toxic. Thanks again.
This is so great. Thank you. More more more
Good tips thanks Ian
I appreciate your videos, I just wanted to say Thank you.
Thanks for the tour!
Any time! Thank you for watching
Fabulous info and lots of it. Thank you Ian.
Thank you for watching Laurel!
I am a beginner. I am so happy to watch this video because it's so helpful.
Thanks Ian that was great I will watch that a few times love your videos
Glad you enjoyed it Peter!
Helpful, thanks, looking forward to your tutorials.
More to come!
Ian. Short comment. I live and paint NYC. I just watched your studio tour segment. Having viewed many of your other videos, you come across as a very sincere and generous man. There is an artistry to your presentation. Congratulations and thank you. Steve
Very kind Steve. Thank you.
Hello Ian, your lessons are very helpful even though I love using acrylics. Watching several of your videos in order to work up the nerve to begin painting again. Thank you!
Thank you for this very important video. I am starting with oils and your information was valuable
You are so welcome Renya.
Another fantastic, helpful video! Thank you Ian for sharing your expertise. It is much appreciated.
You are welcome Lorraine!
Another great Video! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video Ian! It is really helpful! I especially appreciated the explanation about oiling out the painting, and the use of medium. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful Louise.
This taught me so much.
Love your wife's work. Very involving color.
This is so great and helpful, Ian, thank you. I had no idea about the chisel of the pencil! 💖
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching
Thank you so much 💓
You're welcome Zeeshan!
Great info. Thanks
Thank you so much Ian for taking the time to give us a tour around your impeccable studio and explaining as you go along. I enjoyed it immensely and found it very interesting indeed.
I have recently asked you in the comments section if you could kindly show us how you sharpen your pencils and I am ever so grateful that you have remembered and gave us a close up of how it’s done ! I do hope that with some practice I would achieve a good result ! I sincerely thank you for your time and for sharing your knowledge.
Lorraine 🎨
Hi Lorraine, yes I remembered the pencil sharpening request. Glad you enjoyed the tour. Not always so impeccable. You know, if you are having guests over, you clean up a bit. Well, I did too.
I love your tip about using gesso to fill in the holes of those cheaper canvases. I too don't like the texture of those canvases, and have never even thought to use a credit card to scrape the gesso on the canvas. Great video. Thanks for the studio tour!
You are so welcome! Glad you liked it
Thank you for sharing your studio and the many useful tips. How do you keep oils on your palette from getting dry for the next day?
Glad you enjoyed the video Ianta. I just don't worry about the paint drying out. It is one reason I buy studio sized tubes of Gamblin paint. They are good balance between price and quality. If I bought small tubes of Old Holland I'd be worried every time I squeezed out paint. I mean I'm in the studio a lot so usually I'm using yesterday's paint and it is always fine. Even two days is usually OK.
Thank you for this video. Now I understand better how to prep surfaces for a smooth application of oils. I’ve been working mostly with acrylics so this information is great. I used to sand between coats of gesso, which is so labored.
Glad it was helpful Summer. I sand lightly between layers of acrylic gesso. Just to sand off the "hairs" of the cotton.
hello mr. Roberts, love your videos including this one too. I'm new to your channel so i don't know if you've gone over it previously, but perhaps you should get Amazon referrel links in your descriptions for the products you list out. I am sure people wouldn't mind supporting you when they make a purchase since you're helping us all through your informative content. have a great day.
great video. Thanks. really informative.
You're welcome!
Awesome video!! Thank you!
You are very welcome Paul!
Super insightful! As a chemist, strong smells are my bête noire and have always stayed away from oil paints but will definitely try the wax! Thanks again!
No need to feel you ever have to use strong solvents like turps/turpenoid etc. when painting with oils. I've found that pro artists are using many alternative, far more eco-friendly methods, e.g. never cleaning their brushes in anything but oil. I've borrowed that oil cleansing method and when I won't be painting for a while (or the brushes just seem "too" dirty), I wash my brushes with soap and lukewarm water (moisturizing hand soap works nicely if, like Ian, you worry about "dry, flyaway" bristles.) About the only solvent I have in my studio is to occasionally clean my glass palette with isopropyl alcohol. Happy (stinky solvent-free) painting! :-)
All the best Anna.
I used to use this product I could get in Canada called something like Eco-Solve which was made from orange peels. And worked great. There's probably something like that down here. But for me I don't really mind the Gamsol as long as I'm getting air moving around the studio. Personally I've tried using oil to clean my brushes and I just don't like the feel of it. But as you say lots of artists do now.
Great video!
Thanks so much
Thank you, Mr. Roberts, for this studio tour,
I discovered you only this evening, September 16, 2021, and I readily admit that I will learn a lot from you.
I have subscribed, of course.
Delighted you found my channel.
Hi Ian, would you do a critique of student work, what went wrong and could have been done better etc? I know other art UA-camrs have done this and it's super helpful. Thanks.
Hi Finn, that's an interesting idea. Let me think about that and I'll see how I might do it. Thank you for the suggestion.
Best glazing versus scumbling demo ever. Wish you would consider vendor to make & market your device for holding smaller panels. If it’s Tuesday, it’s IR day. Thanks
Delighted you enjoyed it.
Great video! Would love to know which lightbulbs you get. I've had a beast of a time figuring out lighting. Also in response to mediums: I love the epoxide oil! Gamblin's Neomegilp is lovely to use as well, but my favored medium to use though, is a home made putty recipe made simply from hand washed cold pressed linseed oil mixed with marble or limestone chalk to the consistency that works best for the application. It's very simple, contains no toxic solvents, and is very stable. The hand washed linseed oil on its own also dries much quicker than conventional linseed oil. My studio has been solvent free for about 6 months now, never going back. Swaped out the gamsol for a jar of walnut oil. It does take longer to work out the pigment from the bristles, but it's a hell of a lot better for your health...and longevity of the bristles 😬
Hi Kate, so I buy the bulbs at ACE hardware. They are LED I think so they are only 60 and 90 Watts. But burn like incandescent 150 probably. Warm and cool. It wasn't more complicated than that really. As I've mentioned I don't really use mediums any more. Just like the paint itself. And I just deal with Gamsol. I've tried cleaning brushes with safflower oil, and just couldn't stand it. I figure whatever's going to kill me at this point, climate change, viruses, what have you, I suppose it probably wont' be gamsol. I mean I could be wrong. all the best.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thanks for the info on your light setup! We rent so mounting to the ceiling is pretty much out, and trying to figure out how to rig lighting at the moment as our daylight hours are quickly slipping away!
As far as cleaning brushes, mediums etc etc, the infinite ways of creating and doing things is the beauty of being an artist 😊, thankful you share your corner of the world!
Ian, I loved seeing your studio tour. It truly connected all of us to you on a much higher level. Knowing how you work and where you work was very inspiring...and most informative in regards to your preferred supplies. As an ALS and respiratory disease patient I'm forbidden to use oils, however, I still walk away with a wealth of knowledge from this. Thank you.
Whoops! LOL Just saw the video that addresses color temperature! I'll watch it for sure! thank you!
Hi Linda. Great! I just replied to your other comment with the link to it, just in case!
So grateful for all you share! Always look forward to seeing your posts!
That is wonderful. Thank you for watching Janice
Thank you Ian. I’m just beginning to invest the time into learning the basics. So helpful!
Great video. Thanks so much. :)
Glad it was helpful Rachel.
Excellent refresher. Thanks, Ian!
Wonderful! Thanks Nancy
Thank you so much for the video. Very helpful and generous. For mediums I have used the Gamblin Galkyds which don't have much of a smell. I like the fluidity of Galkyd lite. Smells like linseed to me. AND I have no affiliation with Gamblin. Just a happy customer. - Penny
Thank you so much! 👍That was great...really great.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for sharing your studio. Love the idea for supporting smaller panels on the easel. I have used Walnut Oil for years because it does not have a chemical smell or irritation to the lungs. Bye from New Orleans!
Thanks so much. Glad you found it helpful. All the best from LA!
Remember that north facing windows only apply to the northern hemisphere, there’s life down here too and windows have to face south
Wow, Gerda I had no idea. I can't even picture it. So you are saying you need south facing windows so you get even light all day. Amazing.
No Ian, it’s not amazing at all, it’s basic geography 🌏, and the 🌞 moves from east to north to west! I am enjoying this!
Gerda, I drew a diagram and once I'd done that it was so obvious but I just had never thought about it.
Great video; very helpful. Having stumbled through many of these things I feel I can be more nimble with essential practicalities that can be so daunting when you start out. Much appreciated.
You're very welcome Paul!
Awesome video thank you so much for sharing your wonderful studio and all your expertise. Some topics maybe for future : storing your palette to preserve paint, perhaps something on pricing works, and plein air supplies plus any pointers :) would love any Live streaming and workshops in the future if that’s something you may do. Love both of your books and Tuesday videos! Thanks again!
Thanks Maryann. So glad you liked the video. I just made a comment above about painting drying. Pricing is a good one, and I plan on doing a whole video on plein air. It's its own topic. We did a test on the live streaming and ran into a major glitch on internet upload speed. So as soon as that is solved. I don't do workshops anymore but have three online courses I'll be offering again in the new year if they seem interesting to you. All the best.
First off , I love the tips, I want to return to painting and use to use mineral spirits and linseed. I'm more aware now of toxicity in the chemicals and of the bad practices I had in college [ breathing mineral spirits without ventilation until u just don't notice anymore and yes often handling mineral spirits with barehands]. Perhaps sharing any options of painting technique or product out there without mineral spirits or alternatives for mineral spirits? I'm sure something would need to be sacrificed in the resulting appearance or techniques that can be used-- but any possible options would be nice. I saw a video of someone else suggesting using only as a medium linseed, or liquin but maybe I misunderstood. I'm prepared to hear- No! there is no realistic way 😅 That's what Acrylics are for.
Thanks a lot for this studio tour Ian this is really helpful for beginners like me!!!
You are very welcome Paresh!
Absolutely golden! Thank you!
Thank you Robin!
This was a fantastic video! I learn something new with each of your videos! this one is superb...I loved seeing your studio space! thanks so much...I'll be watching this one again....and again... ;)
You are so welcome Lauraine!
Thanks Ian, that was great!
Delighted you liked it Barbara!
Great video. Fantastic to get your take on materials used, which is a jungle of alternatives and option😁. I would appreciate to hear in a future video how you go about framing your finished panel paintings. And how would you frame say 30-40 paintings in front of a solo exhibition (in my case stretched canvas). Frames really adds to the painting I think, but I can be very expensive. Thank for sharing your experience and knowledge with us🙏🏻😃
Hi Jonas, delighted you liked the video. I was going to do a short piece at the end about framing but just felt the video was getting too long. Framing is something! So my main piece of advice would be paint two or three sizes and always paint those sizes and if after paying for the frames for this show, some percentage won't sell but if you will continue to use the same sizes then your next show will be half framed from the frames you have left over from the last show. I used to have frames made for each painting, 10 1/2 x 11 3/4 and they are still kicking around because I never painted another painting that size. That is a piece of hard won experience. Good luck with your show and congratulations!
Thanks Ian - loved this little tour. It is always so interesting to see how others set up their work space so thank you for letting us in & thank you for all the information in this video. Really very very useful :) Looking forward to next week already!
My pleasure Francesca.
Yeyyy!! Finally Thank you so much for giving us this tour mr Roberts! I was especially excited to see what brushes you use because its simply one of my favorite things to see from another artist
Delighted you enjoyed it and found it helpful Jarrod!
I consider myself to be a self-taught artist, so your studio tour was a "must see" event! Thank you! So much for sharing your studio and your insights! It is always good to compare...just to make sure I am on the "right path".One question, though...is there a reason why you and your wife selected a studio a 40 minute commute away from home? Why not closer to home? Or would that be making your "painting habit" into a hobby instead of keeping it more "professional"?
Hi Quin, I"m delighted you enjoyed the video. Did I say "40 minutes" I meant to say 40 seconds. It's just in our backyard.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition THAT makes more sense!
My abject apologies, I re-listened to the video and I was mistaken...you did NOT say 40 minutes.
Love your videos. What to do for a studio in a basement with poor lighting, where many of us are stuck? And what size are your flat files? I got some that are too huge (free).
Wow! That’s a very well organised & professional studio. Thanks for including the lighting, as requested by me. Have a question! Are the warm & cool floods placed alternately? How many Kelvin & Lumens are they?
I just buy the floods from the hardware store. Nothing fancy. They are LED I think so the wattage is low 90 or something but acts like a 250 maybe. And I have no idea about the K, just the brightest I could get and the warm and cool balance out pretty well. Also if you have the floods up high then it doesn't matter that much how you alternate them, they blend together. But alternating would be a simple way to do it.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition Thank you so much! That was helpful! This video is a great resource. Learnt so much from this. Keep up the good work 👍
I finally got to watch this video after a busy couple of days. Thank you Ian for another video filled with valuable information. I’m a beginner and appreciate learning from a great teacher. You mentioned the lighting in your studio. I know that north light is the best. Unfortunately I cannot change the “east and south west windows in my condo. I’ve heard artists using “daylight” bulbs in their studios. I have yet to buy a couple of bulbs and replace what I have at the moment. What would you recommend for lighting? Thank you.
You can get daylight bulbs. If the light coming through the window is changing all the time depending on the time of day, you could try bouncing a couple of flood lights off the wall behind you so it bounces forward onto your workspace. The wall would have to be white that you bounce it off of though.
Thank you Ian for your reply and advice. I will look for those bulbs first and see how it will affect the lighting in the room.
Thank you! I've only begun to watch your videos and they're so well done! Excellent teaching, easy to understand and thorough!
If you haven't already addressed color temperature, could you consider a lesson on understanding this topic? Thanks again!
Hi Linda, here is a video I have all about Color Temperature: ua-cam.com/video/oarD2omvNIE/v-deo.html
Hi Ian. I recently started to use Gamblin solvent free gel and medium. I like that it does not stink like Liquin. I don't like that it is so glossy, but I can live with that. What is truly annoying is that the medium often beads up when applied over dry paint layer. I am probably a more medium-loving painter than you, so perhaps you have not encountered this so much, but I welcome any comments you might have. Other than the stink (which I am trying to remove from my studio), I like Liquin products.
I wonder if you brushed a thin layer of linseed oil on your canvas and wiped most of it off (oiling out) if that would help the medium from not beading up. You could test it on an old painting to see. I know there are varnishes for oil, like a final varnish, that are acrylic. Perhaps they are using that for a painting medium. And that's why it beads up. I'm sure they wouldn't sell it unless they had done enough testing to know that using it is a sound practice. But maybe a thin brushing of gamsol wiped away would also solve it. Again both those ideas would be simple to test on an old painting. Good luck.
That's a nicely organised studio has it a separate entrance from your house? I find I end up putting oil paint on my door handles all over the house despite trying to be as tidy and clean as possible
So interesting to see all of your materials and processes. Especially your choice of brushes (i get addicted to trying out all the brands and types) and mediums. Thank you for sharing that. Also the colors you use ( so much cadmium everything) . My personal favorites are burned sienna and Paynes grey and I experimented with so many blues, like Prussian blue and Indigo. Great lighting setup! Have you ever tried cleaning brushes in vegetable oil? Anyway, super interesting to see the entire studio!
Hi Suzanne, glad you found the video interesting. I like the cadmiums for their density, opaque. I really don't like cleaning my brushes in oil. Just don't like the feel or the result. Just my thing.
For those that like to paint with mediums I have found the Gamblin Neo Megilp to be very good. I used to use Liquin but also found it to be too toxic in the studio.
I use it. Mine is a gel. I love gels as I control how much. I find if it's liquid, I waste more. Has no scent either. Not sure if it's toxic
My wife has some. But I've never used it. I should experiment with it to see what it's like.
Better than four years of art school...
There's a typo in the brushes you mentioned. It's spelled Trekell (not Turkell). Love these videos among the best out there. Thanks.
Thanks, I just changed it to Trekell. Delighted you are enjoying the videos.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition I was happy to have a reason to write a comment. Have being meaning to but never got around to it. I've owned Mastering Composition for many years and it's on my list of 5 books everyone should have. I have a suggestion that I'm stealing from another UA-camr...I think it would be great to create an index of your videos. Basically number each one so folks like me can easily remember and find ones I want to view again. A simple idea would be to use the year published and sequential number like 21.5 for the 5th video posted in 2021. These are a great asset for all artists. Thanks for doing them.
Thank you so much for this!
Glad it was helpful Johan!
Well done! You did cover a lot in this video…all very helpful!
One question I’ve had about oiling out, is what is the rule of thumb? Does it have to be done to a dry painting in order for touch ups or alterations to stick? I’ve tried to do it a couple times (being careful to put it on thinly and rub it in well, but did not cut it with any spirits) and I had trouble with the surface becoming sticky and horrible to work on as well as taking a really long time to dry.
I really appreciate all your videos. It is especially helpful that they are concise and well titled so I can refer back to them whenever necessary. Thank you so much sharing your wealth of knowledge! It’s greatly appreciated.
Hi Christine, honestly I hardly ever oil something out. I would mix half and half oil and gamsol. Thin layer. But you don't need to. You can just paint straight on to dry paint. As long as the new layer is good dense paint and not thinned out too much.
@@IanRobertsMasteringComposition thank you so much for that. It's very helpful. I really appreciate your response.
If you use wax, it does not dry…it’s a solid that will liquify in the removal of the varnish…
What a great video. Great to see your studio too. I wonder if Gamblin Cold Wax medium (which I have but haven't used yet) would function like the Dorland's, I imagine so. Thanks again, and I'd love to attend 'Live' sessions.
Yes, it's basically the same.
Delighted you liked the video. The Gamblin cold wax medium would be just like Dorlands. I think Dorland's has paraffin and beeswax and Gamblin just uses beeswax, but basically the same. And as soon as we the tech glitches figured out we're going live. All the best.
Thank you for such a valuable resource. Can I ask you when in the painting process you start to use the cold wax? I bought some on the back of this video and realise I've no idea what to do with it! Thanks in advance.
Hi Alison. It's sometimes used to seal a painting instead of varnish.
Good video. Any suggestions of a beginner book that compliments starting oil painting? Thanks, Brien
As the risk of being partisan mine on Mastering Compostion is about building the foundation to your paintings. This is what most people struggle with even when they think it is brushwork or color or whatever. Delighted you enjoyed the video.
Lots of great information! I hope to construct something similar to your piece of wood that holds your canvas, so a few pointers on that would be great?! Also, what type of computer are you painting from? THANK YOU!!!! Susan
Glad you liked it Susan. I have a MacBook Pro. When I do the live youtube session I can show how I made that canvas holder.
liked subbed, thank you very much ! very helpful
Glad it helped!
Another great video, Ian. Lots of practical advice, which will be of help to those starting out on the painting journey. Could you explain, either in the comments here or in another video, your technique for transferring your field pencil sketch to the larger canvas ready for painting? You appear to do so with amazing fidelity, which suggest you do not use a freehand method. Do you adopt the traditional squaring up or is it by some digital technology? Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Not all artists are prepared to do the same.
Hi Michael, delighted you enjoyed the video. I transfer drawings and photos by gridding them in thirds. I'm not sure the fidelity is as amazing as you suggest, but it is certainly good enough. I find with a drawing or photo gridded and the canvas gridded, both in thirds, I have no trouble marking where things fall along each of the nine boxes and the whole comes together pretty well. All the best.
Another gret video, Ian..THANK YOU!! Wondering if you ever us Gamblin's solvent-free gel as a medium. It also speeds drying time but makes the paint more transparent.
Do you mean that Neo-Glip stuff. My wife has some. I've never used it. As I said I sort of gave up on mediums so don't try them anymore. Do you like it?
How well ventilated is your studio? I'm using water mixable oils because of the fear of using spirits (and I paint in the house largely). But would you leave the doors open a lot or?
Could you please explain more about how you use cold wax medium? Thanks
Yes next time