In the past, artists used the pigment that settled on the bottom of a solvent container to make grays. Rembrandt was a big fan of it. You just scrape the sediment and mix it with linseed oil and it's ready to use.
Florent Farges - arts Just make sure you let some of solvent wick away by mixing it (prior to adding the oil) on some newsprint or paper towel. Then add the oil.
You just described Rothko's favourite medium. He is known to use heavy turpentine mix to separate pigment from oil, then use it mixed with casein, oil and lots of turpentine.
To reduce white spirit costs. I reduce the expense of using white spirits by triple filtering the left over. I do this three times over three days and even if I have used titanium white i end up with perfectly clear white spirit ready to use all over again. I do this by using a funnel and coffee filters. I use three filters if white has been used as this pigment seems to be of a finer ground than other colors. To recycle paper towels I recycle paper towels where ever possible for mopping up or clean up. Extend drying times. I extend the life of my left over paint by adding a drop of poppy seed oil to each pile and mix well. This can hold off drying for days and dependent upon the color a week or more. My studies I save money on paint by using only two tone ochre or other earth pigments in my user paintings. My favorite is a Yellow ochre burnt colored ground with a Hooker's Green and white sketch. The green turns almost black on the red background and is an interesting effect. I only did this because I was gifted a tube of Old Holland Hooker's Green and found this method to be a great use for it. Reducing paint costs. Consider being open to donations of paint. If you can only afford cheaper low pigment paint with lots of oil, make them thicker by spreading them on newspaper allow the oil to be extracted and then use a pallet knife to remove to your desired location. This removes the excess oil and thickens the paint to a quality consistency. I still use this method when ever I want to test out ideas or alternative techniques but don't want to waste my higher quality paint practicing. I tend to plan my paintings days in advanced in order that I have a plan of attack. It ensures I have everything I need ready when I need it. I will sometimes want a certain effect and don't want to spend vast amounts to achieve it. I recently wanted to paint a master copy of an icon and I wanted it to look authentic using genuine Afghanistan Lapis for the blue but I didn't want to use the entire tube so I used a glazing technique with the Lapis that allowed the same vibrancy without the price tag. Another great way to save on paint is to grind your own, even the best pigments are affordable. The draw back is one of time, the more you spend making paint the less you spend putting it on a canvas. I extend good quality paint with a variety of mediums Lukas Painting Butter, Liquin Impasto or Linquin gel or Flemish Medium. A little goes a long way and then so does the paint. Saving money on oil medium I will often buy in large amounts even though I do not need the bulk size. I can do this because unlike mediums that contain additives I can keep oil indefinitely in a cool room and as oil painters we always need access to oil. Not washing brushes I used to wash my brushes after every session but I began to see the damage that this did to them. I now instead clean them by removing the excess on paper towels followed by brushing into cheap oil to extract more paint followed by a wash in white spirit. Once thoroughly cleaned of any paint I pass the brush through some poppy oil and leave them flat on a brush stand, not standing as the oil would flow down. This keeps the brushes ready to use but must be repeated every few days by wiping off the excess oil and replacing. This is not expensive as only a few drops of oil are required on each occasion. The benefit is that you save time and the brushes remain in top condition longer. Caution: If you are going away or are not going to paint for some weeks you should instead wash the brushes as normal. I really hope this helps someone out and saves you some money in the process.
+beckyholt Wow ! I am amazed by the amount of clear and well detailed information you brought. I just have nothing else to say... I will definitely use some of your tips, it's great ! Thank you !
Hello, Becky! Would you mind sharing the best place to purchase the best quality pigments? I prefer to buy the oils etc in bulk as well and I am wanting to make my own pigment sticks. I use Ebay currently but if you have some suggestions on a better source for oils or other materials that would be really be an enormous help to me as well. Thank You for the tips. You shared excellent suggestions for us all.
Hello, a very good morning and thank you for the glowing compliment. I am deeply humbled and grateful for your very kind words and hope I can, with Florent’s permission share some of my experience with you. As I a prelude to your question could I strongly suggest and recommend a few excellent publications that are invaluable if you are yearning for more control over your art materials. The most quoted and frequently described as the Artist’s Bible is: The Artist’s Handbook of Materials and techniques, by Ralph Mayer. You can get a used one for as little as $1.14 + P&P from Amazon. Next is: The painter’s Handbook, by Mark David Gottsegen which is described by many as a great compliment to the aforementioned. You should be able to obtain a copy for less than $20. Additionally as you are contemplating mixing pigments a book explaining the necessary preventative measures necessary to prevent serious illness or death. Some pigments are considered to expose the user to cancer, or nervous system damage which can be fatal. If you would like a recommendation for this please let me know. The last recommendation is: Oil Painting Techniques and Materials, by Harold Speed. This book focuses on increasing the artist’s understanding of key points and in an invaluable weapon in the arsenal of any artist. This one is about $13. To answer your materials question. I always buy from companies that want my business and they share key characteristics. They have a history of supplying the purest pigments in some cases for over a hundred years. Often they have served the artists that are now household names, Renoir, C’ezanne, Van Gogh, Vuilard and Monet to name a few. Bulk purchases are of any artist material should always in my opinion be negotiated with your chosen supplier. If you can control when you buy you may save more as your business is their bread and butter. The number of professional working artist’s is not that great despite the illusion and you are valuable. Let them know you know that and squeeze. A company that regularly has great prices is Natural Pigments. I recently purchased a considerable amount of Spike Oil from them and made enormous savings over the cost of purchase from a major online seller. Jackson’s Art is another supplier of bulk purchase items of high, quality and affordable prices. Caution, that said during a recent purchase cycle I experienced some problems in receiving goods and the customer service was poor. For your needs either of the above or Cornelissen of London. They were the suppliers of artists such as Turner. They have a some of the best pigments to be found anywhere today. Service is quick and professional and they will negotiate large orders. Their Lapis Lazuli, straight from the hills of Afghanistan is to die for! Use as a glaze to add a unique beauty to your work. www.cornelissen.com Most oil paint providers may sell pigments to you direct but the prices are often inflated above the cost of somewhere like cornelissen for example. I have to mention Dick Blick for a customer service experience that every art shop should provide. Quick, reasonably priced, professional and top quality materials. If there is a problem with your order they will solve it within a day or two. I understand they will also negotiate a large order discount. Let’s not forget the small privately owned stores for some great deals and good prices. Here I would like to introduce you to a company called Zecchi, who hail out of Florence, Italy and who have a wonderful personal approach to business. They want your business and it shows. The Owner will contact you in person and ensure a seamless transition of your goods to you, they will keep you informed and respond quickly to your needs. I purchased a considerable amount of Venice Turpentine and made some amazing savings, hundreds of dollars when compared to other stores. If you want quality this comes as standard. This Venice Turpentine was not the inferior variety but the same source as the ancients would have used. Zecchi actually owns tree groves where they extract the sap. A truly quality company with quality materials. I sincerely hope that this may be some help to you and that you find some benefit in it. Good luck with your art endeavors and don’t hesitate to ask about any aspect of the industry. Best regards, Becky.
Florent Farges - arts No, thank you kind Sir for sharing your techniques and your talent here. You are a true inspiration and I have personally benefited from viewing your presentations. It is always great to watch a true professional at work.
beckyholt WOW! Becky, Thank You! This is invaluable information and exactly what I have been searching for. I'm checking out the websites right now and will contact them Tuesday once our holiday is officially over. I almost purchased the The painter’s Handbook, by Mark David Gottsegen and decided not to because I thought the info would be the same as what is available online or that it might be outdated. I can actually get my hands on that. locally, tomorrow. I have not come across "Oil Painting Techniques and Materials" but I bet I could find that one around here too. Thank you again, for taking the time to respond so thoroughly. Happy Painting, Everyone!
Using amateur oil paint for Earth colors such as Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber or yellow ochre, especially for beginners is fine. The fillers have little to no consequences in the overall projects. Another good way to save money regardless of profession. Earth tones in amateur products do just fine. Consider what Rubens and Rembrandt used for these...etc. Expensive professional concentrated pigments are only needed with bright colors....Cad.red, Cad.Yel., Cobalt, etc. Save your money.
A great compromise between expensive stretched canvas and smooth MDF panel [not to everyone's liking], is to buy rolled natural canvas and apply it to an MDF panel. I love it!... Technical term for it is "marouflage". I simply size the MDF panel with a suitable sealer on all sides. I wet the fabric in hot water, about the same temperature as your shower, I guess 40 degrees Celsius?... I let it dry and iron it, then glue it to the panel with archival glue - like Lascaux 498HV or Lascaux 303HV. I glue the front, side edges and the back area where the canvas is going to fold onto. Finally prime it with acrylic gesso, white or sometimes I tone it with a bit of a suitable acrylic colour, like Raw Umber, or a mix of Earth colours. By toning, I mean mixing the acrylic colour straight into the acrylic gesso. Hope this idea helps.
Another fabulous video, Florent, thank you! I use a tube wringer to get all the paint out, sometime the tube will split a little, but I just cover it with duck or electrical tape. I cut open almost empty tubes and use them as the pallet to eke out every last little bit. Finally, I shake paint tubes really well before opening to distribute the pigment; this is especially important with new paint, and with acrylic and watercolour. Incidentally, acrylics will stay wet much longer if you put a damp cloth on a tray and place a sheet of tracing paper or vellum on top; place the paint onto tracing paper and use that instead of a conventional pallet.
I used to but paints but now I make them myself by mixing pigments with oil. That way I get great quality paint for 1/3 of the price I would pay in the shop and I exactly know what it contains. Besides that it's always fresh. I also have a jar where I store all the leftovers and use them to stain sketchbooks. I also hardly ever wash my brushes -just leave them in non dring oil like olive oil or sunflower oil and it keeps them like new for years. I also strech canvases myself. I use old plain linen tableclothes or bedclothes since they are widely avalible im my country, cheap and good quality.
How long have you been using the sunflower and olive oil ? Do the non-drying oils not contaminate your painting then, and prevent it drying properly? I thought that you had to use high linoleic safflower or walnut oil or linseed oil to clean or rest your brushes, so that it didn’t mess up your painting?
Paula, do you know the joy of the Lord, Jesus? If not, He's a guaranteed way of conquering that lost and destroyed feeling, and He'll never let you down. I know this comes years later, but I think there's never a bad time to return to God's loving presence. He's real and He loves you very much. Anyhow, I hope you're doing much better these days. Be blessed.
Titanium white, quin crimson, pthalo blue greenshade, Indian yellow... can make any color with those 4 paints, except of course neon colors, but u can make neon illusions still
Use Cove Oil to preserve left over paint. Put a few drops of Clove Oil on a small piece of rag inside a sealed container with your paints. The fumes from the Clove Oil significantly slow oxidation in the paint.
I keep brushes in a roller paint tray which slants down. I keep linseed oil at the bottom inch. After painting, I place the brush in there after wiping off the excess paint with oil. I rarely use solvents at all. I clean out this tray about once a month and I always make sure the brushes are soaking in the oil. I never have to wash brushes at all, and I’m always ready to paint.
I always try to buy supplies at the beginning of the school semesters, (in the US at least) most art stores have huge sales at this time. I often get 50% off brushes, paint and canvas. I save a lot of money by painting on wood though, oil painting should be done on hardwoods like birch which can be bought as a plywood pretty cheaply and most places will cut it to the dimensions you need for free or a small fee. Additionally I always look out for thrift stores and yard sales.
Brand new to oil paints as it always seemed pricey but I found a set of 10 tubes at the thrift store for $2 so now I’m painting! Not a high brand but still very good deal!
Surfaces: I have steered away from canvases altogether, mainly for the fact that getting a smoother surface is made that much harder by adding a canvas to begin with. Also, by switching to 1/4th inch plywood, I save an enormous amount of both time and money by cutting out the stretching time and the expense of the canvas itself. I replace that step with wood glue. Seal the plywood with a layer of wood glue, front and back then prime the panel several times, sanding back to a smooth finish. I can add a backing trim to buttress larger panels as needed.
What I did to save money was doing small paintings on primed HDF boards. Never painted anything bigger than 8x10 inches for years. Saves paint and boards are about 1$ each, already primed. Small brushes are cheaper too. Paints lasted me so long I could easily afford professional and premium paints.
I like Windsor and Newton Monarch synthetic mongoose for oil or acrylic. They’re not for scrubbing in paint, but are good for under painting or getting smooth application without brush strokes.
Another cheap surface alternative is to use gessoed cardboard. Especially for beginners with student grade paints, gessoed cardboard could be a great for excercise purposes. I mean I wouldn't waste good canvas for beginner color mixing or line work.
I use old China plate as a pallet from second hand store x works well for me and with a soft wire pot cleaner gets the stuck on bits clean off . A damp tea towel loose over the plate gets a few days out of the oil . I use empty spice pots for storing white spirit as I only pour what I need and the lid keeps the smells at bay . i
hi everyone, I work as a house painter and therefore have access to those materials, but even if you buy them at diy stores they'll surely be much cheaper than gesso from art stores: I've always primed mdf (masonite) panels with white wall paint, I prefer transpirant type which conserves a little absorption when overpainted with oil... thanks Florent for helping us
I own a small farm and i have lard soap, if you use lard soap it seems to keep the brushes soft and supple and because the soap is processed from lard (fat) it bonds with the oil better than harsh dish soap. My brushes remain smooth to this day, take my advice with a grain of salt though, find out what works best for you!
+Johnny Jones Wow ! Impressive... never thought about it. I don't have access to lard soap though, but I would really love to see how it works. Thank you for your comment ! Let me know if you make a video about it one day or write an article about it.
Florent Farges - arts Go to your local farmers market, you'll find it. Or search for it online :) Works Great! I'll post a video when i clean my brushes next time.
Additional tip regarding saving money on surfaces: If you like to paint on larger surfaces (those canvases can cost a fortune) it's perfectly fine to sand and prime larger plywood. Plywood because it's resistend to warp and humidity.
instead of buying a palette I got a old white plastic board and sanded it,made it smooth and cut it out like a palette, works great! the best thing is, it cost me $0 :)
painting on slick surface is tricky but is an excellent training, it pushes you to used properly your brushes: stiff big brushes in the beginning, soft/small toward the finish; it also educate you how to use medium properly (i only use for washes). I have recently changed from homemade laminated wood boards covered with 3 layers of gesso to linen canvas that i primed with oil ground. I have to say painting now on canvas feels much more easy and you will be amazed by the results.
i keep oils on palette fresh if i need to leave for a few days by just putting a couple of drops of clove oil on the palette (not on the paint) then putting some kind of a lid over it all (i use anything i can find as a lid, right now i use the plastic base from something i found in some junk) thanks again for great videos
Great tips in the video and in the comments. I especially like the idea of using acrylic for under painting. I use old phone books and news papers for initial brush cleaning. Dawn dish soap for cleaning. Try not to get paint all the way up into the feral of your brushes. Lastly never EVER lend out your sables!!
Excuse, i like your videos, i see you know the traditional painting tehcniques very well and i would like to ask you a question about scumbling technique ( paint without oil/medium ), how is this applied over a layer ? or it is better to applied, and is not brake the rule fat over lean ? or would brake it ?, can you do a video of this technique please, or explain me ! :) i will thank you a lot. :)
Florent, I think you are one the best balanced artists out there. I like your techniques and the compromise you achieve between the traditional techniques and a slightly more lose, relaxed and painterly style. Paintings look more engaging like that. Best regards :)
Putting oil colors in water for preservation is a pretty good idea I am gonna try it ,I also started using a eyedropper for storing linseed oil so I can drop few droplets on colors as needed thankyou so much for these revolutionary tips ^_^
I literally just put gesso/ white acrylic on anything flat and sand it if the surface is not ideal. When at the lower level it rlly doesn’t matter and for me I find this quite enjoyable, adds a sculptural element to my surfaces and edges.
There is also paper that you can paint on with oils. I use one that is suitable for oil and acrylics. Plus, I use empty (cleaned) food packaging as palettes
My palette is a 2€ glass board meant for restaurants that I found in a store. I painted one side with neutral grey acrilyc to see the values and I just scrape the dry paint off
I would advise buying an oil painting 'set' (buying some colors in a box set). I bought the Sennelier Plein Air oil paint set, and then calculated the difference of buying each tube separately, and found that I saved about $25.
That's great, I never found a great set that suits my use, I usually don't need all of them, or need some more... and on the long run, most of my tubes don't go empty at the same time, but I am sure it's great when you want a good starting set.
I like painting on boards. For large work, I sometimes buy interior flush hollow doors from Home Depot. They are about $30 to $50 depending on size. The dimensions are a little funky but they are very resistant to warping because of temperature variations.
You are really a great artist and great man, very talented and explain in such a professional way. Thank you for all the tips and wish you lots of success.
The best hint I think I ever got to save on paint is, if your style allows it, make the underpaint in acrylic (much cheaper) and paitn over it with the oils for the finer and more subtle stuff. If the aera under the oil is already of the correct general color, you will use much much less paint at end.
I have a good tip. I don’t always clean my brushes . if I’m going to be gone for two or three days from the pallet I wipe my brushes with a paper towel and dip them in brushed dip. made of safflower oil and clove oil. This will keep the brushes wet for two weeks before they would have to be dipped again . essentially you may never have to clean brushes again if you use the same color for the same brush. I typically clean up everything at the end of the completed piece.
I heard from someone that putting the paint in the freezer is bad because it messes with the components of the paint. I personally found useful to buy a set of small containers from the 99cent store and save my left over paint there. It lasts wet for about a month or more
+Kvera Probably, but the components of oil paint are oil and pigments, so as long as you give it time to come back to room temperature before you use it again, I don't think it's really that bad. But who knows... As I said, it's not a perfect solution... I try to avoid it as much as I can ! Thanks for your comment !
I think that the best way to save money Is using plywood as painting surface and priming It with acrylic gesso. Plywood Is very cheap and you can cut everysize you want directly in the store you are buing, plus choosing the depth of the panel you will paint on. Eventually you could also skip priming and do only Sizing with an acrylic gel medium to make the wood less absorbent and paint on top of that wood letting the color of the wood act like an imprimatura. I agree with you when you say that you shouldn't save money on paint tubes quality, as soon as possible I will buy some artist grade paint. I have a question for you: Since all manufacturers are slightly different in terms of colors even if the name Is the same, would you reccomand sticking with only a brand ? Tha's a question that I am asking myself since I would like to buy some good paint . Who konws wich Is the Real cadimium orange for example? how can I know wich manufacturer Is more precise on color? and mixing different brands will lead to bad habits in terms of color miksing due to the differencies among colors from others brands?
+ghostvillage1 Hi ! thank you for sharing your tips ! I really like the idea of leaving the natural color of the wood, I have to try that ! I paint mostly of canvas because I need large surfaces, but I would love to explore the possibilities of panels a little bit more... I will give your idea a try, sounds fun ! About manufacturers and differences in the pigments, I think it's a good thing ! I don't shy away from using several different brands together. For instance, Winsor and Newton's burnt sienna is transparent, but sometimes, I would like to have the same color but more opaque, and I can find it using Sennelier or any other brand. All brands have their own idea on what the color is supposed to look like, depending on their research. For instance, W&N says that their burnt sienna is synthetic, because the real best quality earth has all been exploited during the Renaissance and can't be found with the quality the ancient masters had... honestly, I don't care it's not natural, it's really working amazingly for me, I really like it. But I don't like all their colors, so I am glad I have access to other brands too... Try to find the brochures of each manufacturer, they usually explain in great details how their colors where made. After that, what sucks is that you have to try it to know if it's made for you. But there's no bad habits there... Mixing colors should feel right, no matter what brand you use.
Put few drops of clove oil on cotton swab, place it on palette, cover the palette with cover. The clove oil fumes will stop the hardening of paint for much longer time.
I was just going to order clove oil to ad to my oil....This sounds very great too. Is there a problem with using it in oil? My medium is oil and Venice turpentine mainly. Stand oil actually. But my brushes store in walnut oil and so sometimes safflower and walnut oil for medium depending. I was planning to use just a little little bit.
@@cynthiamarston2208 CAUTION. Clove oil is not for mixing into paints. It never dries. It is only to wet small cotton swab so that clove oil fumes delay the nearby wet paint from drying. If you mix clove Oil into paint, it would be a disaster and not dry for months or years. Beware. Another example. If you have a rectangle glass palette on which wet paint has been put, take a slightly larger cardboard box cover lid (or light plywood lid), rub little clove Oil on inside of the cover and then cover over the wet paint (not touching wet paint). The clove oil fumes will greatly delay wet paint from drying.
Some painters use a canvas instead of a palette ( for example Igor Sakharov ) it is very handy when you are drawing with a palette knife ( it bends very well ). I sometimes use a flat box ( a bit wider and flatter than a cigar box ) so after I'm finished i can close this box and maybe put this box in a freezer. Besides of that I can imagine a relatively high frame that is layed down on/around the palette and covered by something from above ( a canvas?). I've heard that experienced painters advise that the least thing that should be cheap are brushes the second last the canvas.
My experience is to spend more money on paint.(at least your are a beginners student)Then is to get good brushes, and take really good care of it. Make you own canvas from home depot. Last, buy your staff mostly online, and compare the prices for a greater deal.
Hello Florent, I wanted to ask you, since Pébéo is a french brand, maybe you've got some experience with it. Here in Czech republic it has a very good price but in my opinion a bit too good. I am talking about "Studio XL Oil". You mentioned that you (and many many others) recommend an artist quality paints. So, do you know what quality are these? On a tube it doesn't say anything about it, so I am a bit confused. At my local shop the owner recommended me these, cause I wanted to buy large tubes of paint. Do you recommend to stick with these or should I look around for other paints? Thank you very much for the answer.
Hey ! I am not familiar with this range of products, I haven't tried any... It's called fine, which means it's between extra fine and student quality. The idea is to cut costs as much as possible and avoid using fillers. So you only find inexpensive pigments in this range and the manufacturing process is less "traditional". They also cut off costs by playing on quantities, so this is probably good for you. If the price is good you can try some of it and see if it works.
to tone my canvas, i have a really thinned out oil paint with liquin, i mean like 5-10% oil paint 95-90% liquin original. Its becomes dryish within an hour, and completely dry in in 12-24 hours, so you can wait 1-2hours or wait a day and you can use really oil paint for this. i useally do 3-4 canvases ahead of time, or more if im bored. with this i have prepared canvases for atleast 2 weeks, they'll always be dry when i need them
i was thinking if there is a posibility to put a drop of something in a sealed container with the oil paint that consumes the oxigen and that in combination with the freezer.
If you paint with universal acrylic gesso, sizing is not absolutely needed. But you shoiuld probably add a few extra coats to be sure. But depending on the roughness of the fabric, sizing could be a safer option before gessoing : in that case use either animal skin glue or PVA.
+Aaron King Thank you very much Aaron ! If your intention is to wash the brush completely, any type of cooking oil is fine, because in the end, you have to get rid of all the oil with soap and rince thoroughly with water. Olive oil, sunflower... whatever is the cheapest. Just think : "What would I accept to put on my own hair ?". But if your intention is to create a brush dip to let your brushes soak or sit for a few days (never more than 5 to 7 days btw), then I would recommend a slow drying artist quality oil like poppy oil or safflower oil. Avoid linseed because it dries too quickly.
+Aaron King There are two other things you can try. 1. You can leave your brushes resting in a tray full of oil, that way you don't even have to wash them. Clove oil works best but even vegetable oil will work 2. You can dip them in Vaseline and let them sit, and they'll be good for at least a week before the paint starts to dry. The only disadvantage is you have to clean out the Vaseline with solvent before you paint again or it can keep your paint from fully drying.
Because you mentioned recycling the wood I give you a thumbs up:-) However, I do not clean my brushes, total waste of time. Just keep them in oil (slow drying oil. But careful with olive oil as it is very slow drying - many months - but if you clean the brush before use it's still no problem).
What oil painting medium exactly for the lower background layer on the canvas to paint with pellet knives on it, for the smooth running of the knife and smooth spread of the paint
If you want keep the oil paint fresh, put it in a tupperware with a little piece of cotton moistened with two/ three drops of eugenol (oil clove). This trick keep the oils fresh for weeks.
In the past, artists used the pigment that settled on the bottom of a solvent container to make grays. Rembrandt was a big fan of it. You just scrape the sediment and mix it with linseed oil and it's ready to use.
Wow ! Never thought about it ! I have to give it a try ! Thanks Fabrizio !
Florent Farges - arts Just make sure you let some of solvent wick away by mixing it (prior to adding the oil) on some newsprint or paper towel. Then add the oil.
You just described Rothko's favourite medium. He is known to use heavy turpentine mix to separate pigment from oil, then use it mixed with casein, oil and lots of turpentine.
Would be great to use to tint the canvas with before painting.
To reduce white spirit costs.
I reduce the expense of using white spirits by triple filtering the left over. I do this three times over three days and even if I have used titanium white i end up with perfectly clear white spirit ready to use all over again. I do this by using a funnel and coffee filters. I use three filters if white has been used as this pigment seems to be of a finer ground than other colors.
To recycle paper towels
I recycle paper towels where ever possible for mopping up or clean up.
Extend drying times.
I extend the life of my left over paint by adding a drop of poppy seed oil to each pile and mix well. This can hold off drying for days and dependent upon the color a week or more.
My studies
I save money on paint by using only two tone ochre or other earth pigments in my user paintings. My favorite is a Yellow ochre burnt colored ground with a Hooker's Green and white sketch. The green turns almost black on the red background and is an interesting effect. I only did this because I was gifted a tube of Old Holland Hooker's Green and found this method to be a great use for it.
Reducing paint costs.
Consider being open to donations of paint.
If you can only afford cheaper low pigment paint with lots of oil, make them thicker by spreading them on newspaper allow the oil to be extracted and then use a pallet knife to remove to your desired location. This removes the excess oil and thickens the paint to a quality consistency. I still use this method when ever I want to test out ideas or alternative techniques but don't want to waste my higher quality paint practicing.
I tend to plan my paintings days in advanced in order that I have a plan of attack. It ensures I have everything I need ready when I need it. I will sometimes want a certain effect and don't want to spend vast amounts to achieve it. I recently wanted to paint a master copy of an icon and I wanted it to look authentic using genuine Afghanistan Lapis for the blue but I didn't want to use the entire tube so I used a glazing technique with the Lapis that allowed the same vibrancy without the price tag.
Another great way to save on paint is to grind your own, even the best pigments are affordable. The draw back is one of time, the more you spend making paint the less you spend putting it on a canvas.
I extend good quality paint with a variety of mediums Lukas Painting Butter, Liquin Impasto or Linquin gel or Flemish Medium. A little goes a long way and then so does the paint.
Saving money on oil medium
I will often buy in large amounts even though I do not need the bulk size. I can do this because unlike mediums that contain additives I can keep oil indefinitely in a cool room and as oil painters we always need access to oil.
Not washing brushes
I used to wash my brushes after every session but I began to see the damage that this did to them. I now instead clean them by removing the excess on paper towels followed by brushing into cheap oil to extract more paint followed by a wash in white spirit. Once thoroughly cleaned of any paint I pass the brush through some poppy oil and leave them flat on a brush stand, not standing as the oil would flow down. This keeps the brushes ready to use but must be repeated every few days by wiping off the excess oil and replacing. This is not expensive as only a few drops of oil are required on each occasion. The benefit is that you save time and the brushes remain in top condition longer. Caution: If you are going away or are not going to paint for some weeks you should instead wash the brushes as normal.
I really hope this helps someone out and saves you some money in the process.
+beckyholt Wow ! I am amazed by the amount of clear and well detailed information you brought. I just have nothing else to say... I will definitely use some of your tips, it's great ! Thank you !
Hello, Becky! Would you mind sharing the best place to purchase the best quality pigments? I prefer to buy the oils etc in bulk as well and I am wanting to make my own pigment sticks. I use Ebay currently but if you have some suggestions on a better source for oils or other materials that would be really be an enormous help to me as well. Thank You for the tips. You shared excellent suggestions for us all.
Hello, a very good morning and thank you for the glowing compliment. I am deeply humbled and grateful for your very kind words and hope I can, with Florent’s permission share some of my experience with you.
As I a prelude to your question could I strongly suggest and recommend a few excellent publications that are invaluable if you are yearning for more control over your art materials.
The most quoted and frequently described as the Artist’s Bible is: The Artist’s Handbook of Materials and techniques, by Ralph Mayer. You can get a used one for as little as $1.14 + P&P from Amazon. Next is:
The painter’s Handbook, by Mark David Gottsegen which is described by many as a great compliment to the aforementioned. You should be able to obtain a copy for less than $20.
Additionally as you are contemplating mixing pigments a book explaining the necessary preventative measures necessary to prevent serious illness or death. Some pigments are considered to expose the user to cancer, or nervous system damage which can be fatal.
If you would like a recommendation for this please let me know.
The last recommendation is: Oil Painting Techniques and Materials, by Harold Speed. This book focuses on increasing the artist’s understanding of key points and in an invaluable weapon in the arsenal of any artist. This one is about $13.
To answer your materials question.
I always buy from companies that want my business and they share key characteristics. They have a history of supplying the purest pigments in some cases for over a hundred years. Often they have served the artists that are now household names, Renoir, C’ezanne, Van Gogh, Vuilard and Monet to name a few.
Bulk purchases are of any artist material should always in my opinion be negotiated with your chosen supplier. If you can control when you buy you may save more as your business is their bread and butter. The number of professional working artist’s is not that great despite the illusion and you are valuable. Let them know you know that and squeeze.
A company that regularly has great prices is Natural Pigments. I recently purchased a considerable amount of Spike Oil from them and made enormous savings over the cost of purchase from a major online seller.
Jackson’s Art is another supplier of bulk purchase items of high, quality and affordable prices. Caution, that said during a recent purchase cycle I experienced some problems in receiving goods and the customer service was poor.
For your needs either of the above or Cornelissen of London. They were the suppliers of artists such as Turner. They have a some of the best pigments to be found anywhere today. Service is quick and professional and they will negotiate large orders. Their Lapis Lazuli, straight from the hills of Afghanistan is to die for! Use as a glaze to add a unique beauty to your work.
www.cornelissen.com
Most oil paint providers may sell pigments to you direct but the prices are often inflated above the cost of somewhere like cornelissen for example.
I have to mention Dick Blick for a customer service experience that every art shop should provide. Quick, reasonably priced, professional and top quality materials. If there is a problem with your order they will solve it within a day or two. I understand they will also negotiate a large order discount.
Let’s not forget the small privately owned stores for some great deals and good prices. Here I would like to introduce you to a company called Zecchi, who hail out of Florence, Italy and who have a wonderful personal approach to business. They want your business and it shows. The Owner will contact you in person and ensure a seamless transition of your goods to you, they will keep you informed and respond quickly to your needs. I purchased a considerable amount of Venice Turpentine and made some amazing savings, hundreds of dollars when compared to other stores. If you want quality this comes as standard. This Venice Turpentine was not the inferior variety but the same source as the ancients would have used. Zecchi actually owns tree groves where they extract the sap. A truly quality company with quality materials.
I sincerely hope that this may be some help to you and that you find some benefit in it.
Good luck with your art endeavors and don’t hesitate to ask about any aspect of the industry.
Best regards,
Becky.
Florent Farges - arts No, thank you kind Sir for sharing your techniques and your talent here. You are a true inspiration and I have personally benefited from viewing your presentations. It is always great to watch a true professional at work.
beckyholt
WOW! Becky, Thank You! This is invaluable information and exactly what I have been searching for. I'm checking out the websites right now and will contact them Tuesday once our holiday is officially over. I almost purchased the The painter’s Handbook, by Mark David Gottsegen and decided not to because I thought the info would be the same as what is available online or that it might be outdated. I can actually get my hands on that. locally, tomorrow. I have not come across "Oil Painting Techniques and Materials" but I bet I could find that one around here too. Thank you again, for taking the time to respond so thoroughly. Happy Painting, Everyone!
Using amateur oil paint for Earth colors such as Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber or yellow ochre, especially for beginners is fine. The fillers have little to no consequences in the overall projects. Another good way to save money regardless of profession. Earth tones in amateur products do just fine. Consider what Rubens and Rembrandt used for these...etc. Expensive professional concentrated pigments are only needed with bright colors....Cad.red, Cad.Yel., Cobalt, etc. Save your money.
good advice.
A great compromise between expensive stretched canvas and smooth MDF panel [not to everyone's liking], is to buy rolled natural canvas and apply it to an MDF panel. I love it!... Technical term for it is "marouflage". I simply size the MDF panel with a suitable sealer on all sides. I wet the fabric in hot water, about the same temperature as your shower, I guess 40 degrees Celsius?... I let it dry and iron it, then glue it to the panel with archival glue - like Lascaux 498HV or Lascaux 303HV. I glue the front, side edges and the back area where the canvas is going to fold onto. Finally prime it with acrylic gesso, white or sometimes I tone it with a bit of a suitable acrylic colour, like Raw Umber, or a mix of Earth colours. By toning, I mean mixing the acrylic colour straight into the acrylic gesso. Hope this idea helps.
Another fabulous video, Florent, thank you!
I use a tube wringer to get all the paint out, sometime the tube will split a little, but I just cover it with duck or electrical tape. I cut open almost empty tubes and use them as the pallet to eke out every last little bit. Finally, I shake paint tubes really well before opening to distribute the pigment; this is especially important with new paint, and with acrylic and watercolour.
Incidentally, acrylics will stay wet much longer if you put a damp cloth on a tray and place a sheet of tracing paper or vellum on top; place the paint onto tracing paper and use that instead of a conventional pallet.
I used to but paints but now I make them myself by mixing pigments with oil. That way I get great quality paint for 1/3 of the price I would pay in the shop and I exactly know what it contains. Besides that it's always fresh. I also have a jar where I store all the leftovers and use them to stain sketchbooks. I also hardly ever wash my brushes -just leave them in non dring oil like olive oil or sunflower oil and it keeps them like new for years. I also strech canvases myself. I use old plain linen tableclothes or bedclothes since they are widely avalible im my country, cheap and good quality.
Where do you get pigments and how did you learn to make your own? Thanks for the tips!
How long have you been using the sunflower and olive oil ?
Do the non-drying oils not contaminate your painting then, and prevent it drying properly?
I thought that you had to use high linoleic safflower or walnut oil or linseed oil to clean or rest your brushes, so that it didn’t mess up your painting?
Have. Become disabled and lost. Maybe it's time to return to my passion. You have inspired me .. thank you ! Paula Marie
Paula Marie how are you doing ❤️
@@ElinWinblad to
U r inspiring..
I wish you the best 💐
Paula, do you know the joy of the Lord, Jesus? If not, He's a guaranteed way of conquering that lost and destroyed feeling, and He'll never let you down. I know this comes years later, but I think there's never a bad time to return to God's loving presence. He's real and He loves you very much. Anyhow, I hope you're doing much better these days. Be blessed.
Titanium white, quin crimson, pthalo blue greenshade, Indian yellow... can make any color with those 4 paints, except of course neon colors, but u can make neon illusions still
You can paint the underside of a piece of glass with Tremclad grey paint. Makes a nice neutral mixing surface.
Use Cove Oil to preserve left over paint. Put a few drops of Clove Oil on a small piece of rag inside a sealed container with your paints. The fumes from the Clove Oil significantly slow oxidation in the paint.
Eugene I use it as a brush dip instead of washing them each time. My studio smells amazing
I keep brushes in a roller paint tray which slants down. I keep linseed oil at the bottom inch. After painting, I place the brush in there after wiping off the excess paint with oil. I rarely use solvents at all. I clean out this tray about once a month and I always make sure the brushes are soaking in the oil. I never have to wash brushes at all, and I’m always ready to paint.
I always try to buy supplies at the beginning of the school semesters, (in the US at least) most art stores have huge sales at this time. I often get 50% off brushes, paint and canvas. I save a lot of money by painting on wood though, oil painting should be done on hardwoods like birch which can be bought as a plywood pretty cheaply and most places will cut it to the dimensions you need for free or a small fee. Additionally I always look out for thrift stores and yard sales.
Great tips ! Thanks for sharing !
do i have to prime birch plywood?
Jamie May yes
Brand new to oil paints as it always seemed pricey but I found a set of 10 tubes at the thrift store for $2 so now I’m painting! Not a high brand but still very good deal!
Surfaces: I have steered away from canvases altogether, mainly for the fact that getting a smoother surface is made that much harder by adding a canvas to begin with. Also, by switching to 1/4th inch plywood, I save an enormous amount of both time and money by cutting out the stretching time and the expense of the canvas itself. I replace that step with wood glue. Seal the plywood with a layer of wood glue, front and back then prime the panel several times, sanding back to a smooth finish. I can add a backing trim to buttress larger panels as needed.
What I did to save money was doing small paintings on primed HDF boards. Never painted anything bigger than 8x10 inches for years. Saves paint and boards are about 1$ each, already primed. Small brushes are cheaper too. Paints lasted me so long I could easily afford professional and premium paints.
I like Windsor and Newton Monarch synthetic mongoose for oil or acrylic. They’re not for scrubbing in paint, but are good for under painting or getting smooth application without brush strokes.
I am addicted to your videos. You are SUCH a good teacher, and I LOVE your voice.
Another cheap surface alternative is to use gessoed cardboard. Especially for beginners with student grade paints, gessoed cardboard could be a great for excercise purposes. I mean I wouldn't waste good canvas for beginner color mixing or line work.
Thank you ! Great tip !
TheDemethar yeh cardboard is lovely I like cereal boxes the inside brown side is so smooth 🎨👍😁
I use old China plate as a pallet from second hand store x works well for me and with a soft wire pot cleaner gets the stuck on bits clean off . A damp tea towel loose over the plate gets a few days out of the oil . I use empty spice pots for storing white spirit as I only pour what I need and the lid keeps the smells at bay . i
Great idea
I re paint an old canvas with black gesso for a new painting adventure !😉
Great advice. I'm moving from graphite and charcoal to oils. Big jump, still learning. Thanks!
great tips, Florent, i havent made the switch from acrylic to oil yet but watching your vids i feel ive done enough research to do it confidently.
hi everyone, I work as a house painter and therefore have access to those materials, but even if you buy them at diy stores they'll surely be much cheaper than gesso from art stores: I've always primed mdf (masonite) panels with white wall paint, I prefer transpirant type which conserves a little absorption when overpainted with oil... thanks Florent for helping us
I would not use industrial turps on artist brushes but each to their own.
@@Mulberry2000 It's exactly the same as artist turpentine. You can also buy linseed oil, and large brushes.
Great tips! I didn't knew about putting the actual oil mixes underwater to prevent them from drying. Very useful! Thank you!
I own a small farm and i have lard soap, if you use lard soap it seems to keep the brushes soft and supple and because the soap is processed from lard (fat) it bonds with the oil better than harsh dish soap. My brushes remain smooth to this day, take my advice with a grain of salt though, find out what works best for you!
+Johnny Jones Wow ! Impressive... never thought about it. I don't have access to lard soap though, but I would really love to see how it works. Thank you for your comment ! Let me know if you make a video about it one day or write an article about it.
Florent Farges - arts
Go to your local farmers market, you'll find it. Or search for it online :) Works Great!
I'll post a video when i clean my brushes next time.
My neighbour and I made tallow soap with added pumice, it needs to cure but makes a great soap for really dirty brushes.
Thanks for the useful tips on saving money from painting materials!
Additional tip regarding saving money on surfaces:
If you like to paint on larger surfaces (those canvases can cost a fortune) it's perfectly fine to sand and prime larger plywood. Plywood because it's resistend to warp and humidity.
instead of buying a palette I got a old white plastic board and sanded it,made it smooth and cut it out like a palette, works great!
the best thing is, it cost me $0 :)
Another useful little tool to extract the last bit of paint from oil tubes is a tube wringer or tube sqeezer keys.
painting on slick surface is tricky but is an excellent training, it pushes you to used properly your brushes: stiff big brushes in the beginning, soft/small toward the finish; it also educate you how to use medium properly (i only use for washes). I have recently changed from homemade laminated wood boards covered with 3 layers of gesso to linen canvas that i primed with oil ground. I have to say painting now on canvas feels much more easy and you will be amazed by the results.
i keep oils on palette fresh if i need to leave for a few days by just putting a couple of drops of clove oil on the palette (not on the paint) then putting some kind of a lid over it all (i use anything i can find as a lid, right now i use the plastic base from something i found in some junk) thanks again for great videos
Excellent advice. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together.
Great tips in the video and in the comments. I especially like the idea of using acrylic for under painting. I use old phone books and news papers for initial brush cleaning. Dawn dish soap for cleaning. Try not to get paint all the way up into the feral of your brushes. Lastly never EVER lend out your sables!!
Excuse, i like your videos, i see you know the traditional painting tehcniques very well and i would like to ask you a question about scumbling technique ( paint without oil/medium ), how is this applied over a layer ? or it is better to applied, and is not brake the rule fat over lean ? or would brake it ?, can you do a video of this technique please, or explain me ! :) i will thank you a lot. :)
Fantastic and generous advice ..Thank you Florent :)
+paddockman2 Thank you so much :)
Florent, I think you are one the best balanced artists out there. I like your techniques and the compromise you achieve between the traditional techniques and a slightly more lose, relaxed and painterly style. Paintings look more engaging like that. Best regards :)
Putting oil colors in water for preservation is a pretty good idea I am gonna try it ,I also started using a eyedropper for storing linseed oil so I can drop few droplets on colors as needed thankyou so much for these revolutionary tips ^_^
your channel is brilliant very indepth explanations and demos, i have learnt so much in such a short space, keep it up man your inspirational
NEVER THROW AWAY OLD BEAT-UP BRUSHES CUZ THEY CAN CREATE ALL SORTS OF SPECIAL EFFECTS.
Exactly, sometimes I can only get certain looks by using some of my worse brushes. Great tip!
I do this also, some really bad old brushes can be used to make interesting marks.
I literally just put gesso/ white acrylic on anything flat and sand it if the surface is not ideal. When at the lower level it rlly doesn’t matter and for me I find this quite enjoyable, adds a sculptural element to my surfaces and edges.
There is also paper that you can paint on with oils. I use one that is suitable for oil and acrylics. Plus, I use empty (cleaned) food packaging as palettes
ah good one.
My palette is a 2€ glass board meant for restaurants that I found in a store. I painted one side with neutral grey acrilyc to see the values and I just scrape the dry paint off
I would advise buying an oil painting 'set' (buying some colors in a box set). I bought the Sennelier Plein Air oil paint set, and then calculated the difference of buying each tube separately, and found that I saved about $25.
That's great, I never found a great set that suits my use, I usually don't need all of them, or need some more... and on the long run, most of my tubes don't go empty at the same time, but I am sure it's great when you want a good starting set.
Thank you again, Florent. Super helpful! I have glass lying around, that would make a better palette than my wooden palette.
I use Murphy s oil soap to clean my brushes, it also condition s them
Well done, it's a good series of videos. Bizarre how similar your processes and methods are similar to the ones I also use.
I like painting on boards. For large work, I sometimes buy interior flush hollow doors from Home Depot. They are about $30 to $50 depending on size. The dimensions are a little funky but they are very resistant to warping because of temperature variations.
ztog
You are really a great artist and great man, very talented and explain in such a professional way. Thank you for all the tips and wish you lots of success.
Thank you for the video! Really helpful to know what to do with the 'mud' and how to store the paint for a few days! :)))
Thanks for all the great ,informative and very helpful videos.
This was a great video! Thank you for your help )))
Great video! Thanks 👏
The best hint I think I ever got to save on paint is, if your style allows it, make the underpaint in acrylic (much cheaper) and paitn over it with the oils for the finer and more subtle stuff. If the aera under the oil is already of the correct general color, you will use much much less paint at end.
Hello from Indonesia! your video's very clear and helpful, thanks florent! :D
very helpful and easy to understand - thank you
I have a good tip. I don’t always clean my brushes . if I’m going to be gone for two or three days from the pallet I wipe my brushes with a paper towel and dip them in brushed dip. made of safflower oil and clove oil. This will keep the brushes wet for two weeks before they would have to be dipped again . essentially you may never have to clean brushes again if you use the same color for the same brush. I typically clean up everything at the end of the completed piece.
beckyholt thank dear for your tips and guidlines .
I heard from someone that putting the paint in the freezer is bad because it messes with the components of the paint. I personally found useful to buy a set of small containers from the 99cent store and save my left over paint there. It lasts wet for about a month or more
+Kvera Probably, but the components of oil paint are oil and pigments, so as long as you give it time to come back to room temperature before you use it again, I don't think it's really that bad. But who knows... As I said, it's not a perfect solution... I try to avoid it as much as I can ! Thanks for your comment !
You can also keep them in the refrigerator
Thanks for the tips
Just discovered your channel. Awesome! Transitioning from music into painting. This is my university! :) Thanks!
I think that the best way to save money Is using plywood as painting surface and priming It with acrylic gesso. Plywood Is very cheap and you can cut everysize you want directly in the store you are buing, plus choosing the depth of the panel you will paint on. Eventually you could also skip priming and do only Sizing with an acrylic gel medium to make the wood less absorbent and paint on top of that wood letting the color of the wood act like an imprimatura. I agree with you when you say that you shouldn't save money on paint tubes quality, as soon as possible I will buy some artist grade paint. I have a question for you: Since all manufacturers are slightly different in terms of colors even if the name Is the same, would you reccomand sticking with only a brand ? Tha's a question that I am asking myself since I would like to buy some good paint . Who konws wich Is the Real cadimium orange for example? how can I know wich manufacturer Is more precise on color? and mixing different brands will lead to bad habits in terms of color miksing due to the differencies among colors from others brands?
+ghostvillage1 Hi ! thank you for sharing your tips ! I really like the idea of leaving the natural color of the wood, I have to try that ! I paint mostly of canvas because I need large surfaces, but I would love to explore the possibilities of panels a little bit more... I will give your idea a try, sounds fun !
About manufacturers and differences in the pigments, I think it's a good thing ! I don't shy away from using several different brands together. For instance, Winsor and Newton's burnt sienna is transparent, but sometimes, I would like to have the same color but more opaque, and I can find it using Sennelier or any other brand. All brands have their own idea on what the color is supposed to look like, depending on their research. For instance, W&N says that their burnt sienna is synthetic, because the real best quality earth has all been exploited during the Renaissance and can't be found with the quality the ancient masters had... honestly, I don't care it's not natural, it's really working amazingly for me, I really like it. But I don't like all their colors, so I am glad I have access to other brands too... Try to find the brochures of each manufacturer, they usually explain in great details how their colors where made. After that, what sucks is that you have to try it to know if it's made for you. But there's no bad habits there... Mixing colors should feel right, no matter what brand you use.
Put few drops of clove oil on cotton swab, place it on palette, cover the palette with cover. The clove oil fumes will stop the hardening of paint for much longer time.
I was just going to order clove oil to ad to my oil....This sounds very great too. Is there a problem with using it in oil? My medium is oil and Venice turpentine mainly. Stand oil actually. But my brushes store in walnut oil and so sometimes safflower and walnut oil for medium depending. I was planning to use just a little little bit.
@@cynthiamarston2208 CAUTION. Clove oil is not for mixing into paints. It never dries. It is only to wet small cotton swab so that clove oil fumes delay the nearby wet paint from drying. If you mix clove Oil into paint, it would be a disaster and not dry for months or years. Beware. Another example. If you have a rectangle glass palette on which wet paint has been put, take a slightly larger cardboard box cover lid (or light plywood lid), rub little clove Oil on inside of the cover and then cover over the wet paint (not touching wet paint). The clove oil fumes will greatly delay wet paint from drying.
@@anonymousfellowindian oh! Ok. Thanks
Very useful for anew artist !!
Heyy i love all of your videos about oil painting. Make a lot of it 😄
+Fadhil Aiman Thank you for the support !
You are so cute, i’ve learned a lot from you. Thanks for everything.
Great video , amazing ideas
! really helpful thank you Florent
+hadeel abdullah Thank you very much
Great video ,help me too much in painting , guid me to v impirtant ideas .thank you for exeplanation .
Very helpful and useful advice. Thank you very much
Some painters use a canvas instead of a palette ( for example Igor Sakharov ) it is very handy when you are drawing with a palette knife ( it bends very well ).
I sometimes use a flat box ( a bit wider and flatter than a cigar box ) so after I'm finished i can close this box and maybe put this box in a freezer. Besides of that I can imagine a relatively high frame that is layed down on/around the palette and covered by something from above ( a canvas?). I've heard that experienced painters advise that the least thing that should be cheap are brushes the second last the canvas.
Thank you for your comment and ideas.
great video! great content! Thank you
What about cleaning brushes with Master's Cleaning and Preservative? I find it cleans the brushes beautifully
very helpful, great video, thank you!
+Dean Marsh Thank you !
Very useful, thanks.
Thank you for this
Hi, I'm new to oil painting. Instead of gesso as a primer, can I use acrylic as you mentioned?
Yes you can, he says this
Thanks for this video! 🙋
Awesome video
My experience is to spend more money on paint.(at least your are a beginners student)Then is to get good brushes, and take really good care of it. Make you own canvas from home depot. Last, buy your staff mostly online, and compare the prices for a greater deal.
Thanks for the information. Most of my world is blue but I work in pastels so I'm weird to start with.
useful tips. thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing, it's very useful
Can you put a link to all the supplies you bought for oil painting? Thank you 🙏
What's your opinion on linen? What are the benefits?
Awesome video! Thank you!
Hello Florent,
I wanted to ask you, since Pébéo is a french brand, maybe you've got some experience with it. Here in Czech republic it has a very good price but in my opinion a bit too good. I am talking about "Studio XL Oil". You mentioned that you (and many many others) recommend an artist quality paints. So, do you know what quality are these? On a tube it doesn't say anything about it, so I am a bit confused. At my local shop the owner recommended me these, cause I wanted to buy large tubes of paint. Do you recommend to stick with these or should I look around for other paints?
Thank you very much for the answer.
Hey ! I am not familiar with this range of products, I haven't tried any... It's called fine, which means it's between extra fine and student quality. The idea is to cut costs as much as possible and avoid using fillers. So you only find inexpensive pigments in this range and the manufacturing process is less "traditional". They also cut off costs by playing on quantities, so this is probably good for you. If the price is good you can try some of it and see if it works.
to tone my canvas, i have a really thinned out oil paint with liquin, i mean like 5-10% oil paint 95-90% liquin original. Its becomes dryish within an hour, and completely dry in in 12-24 hours, so you can wait 1-2hours or wait a day and you can use really oil paint for this.
i useally do 3-4 canvases ahead of time, or more if im bored. with this i have prepared canvases for atleast 2 weeks, they'll always be dry when i need them
Fabulous!
i was thinking if there is a posibility to put a drop of something in a sealed container with the oil paint that consumes the oxigen and that in combination with the freezer.
Thanks for your post:) I agree in all regards:)
any ideas how to size my own linnen before painting with gesso. or dont i need to. ? and what do you do with the curtain rails that you salvage?
If you paint with universal acrylic gesso, sizing is not absolutely needed. But you shoiuld probably add a few extra coats to be sure. But depending on the roughness of the fabric, sizing could be a safer option before gessoing : in that case use either animal skin glue or PVA.
If you pressed brush on netting in jar to clean, can you use again right away?
Regarding oil to clean with, are there any to avoid? Is one less acidic than the other? Canola, olive, peanut, vegetable, etc? Or does it matter?
Keep up the great work, by the way. 😄 You are one of the few artists who produce quality art videos - avec mes compliments!! Merci beaucoup!
+Aaron King Thank you very much Aaron ! If your intention is to wash the brush completely, any type of cooking oil is fine, because in the end, you have to get rid of all the oil with soap and rince thoroughly with water. Olive oil, sunflower... whatever is the cheapest. Just think : "What would I accept to put on my own hair ?". But if your intention is to create a brush dip to let your brushes soak or sit for a few days (never more than 5 to 7 days btw), then I would recommend a slow drying artist quality oil like poppy oil or safflower oil. Avoid linseed because it dries too quickly.
+Aaron King There are two other things you can try.
1. You can leave your brushes resting in a tray full of oil, that way you don't even have to wash them. Clove oil works best but even vegetable oil will work
2. You can dip them in Vaseline and let them sit, and they'll be good for at least a week before the paint starts to dry. The only disadvantage is you have to clean out the Vaseline with solvent before you paint again or it can keep your paint from fully drying.
Because you mentioned recycling the wood I give you a thumbs up:-) However, I do not clean my brushes, total waste of time. Just keep them in oil (slow drying oil. But careful with olive oil as it is very slow drying - many months - but if you clean the brush before use it's still no problem).
So you place the brushes after painting in a small cup of olive oil? Just standing in the oil? Please explain a bit more. Thank you
Very informative.
Where do you find Masonite? They had no clue what I was talking about at home depot
What oil painting medium exactly for the lower background layer on the canvas to paint with pellet knives on it, for the smooth running of the knife and smooth spread of the paint
If you want keep the oil paint fresh, put it in a tupperware with a little piece of cotton moistened with two/ three drops of eugenol (oil clove). This trick keep the oils fresh for weeks.
very helpful thank you.
Blue Ridge Oil Colors has single pigment premium oil paint for $19 for 150 ml. 100% Pigment and Walnut Oil.
Thank you
My palette is a cover of a white plastic bucket
What brand of paint is best to start with?