That truly depends on how you use that white gesso color on the canvas. Often, I use the white of the canvas to get a transparency that I like which is similar to my watercolors. Depends on the intention and outcome you are wanting for the final result.
I keep my dispensed paint in a covered watercolor palette betweeen sessions with an open container (a pil bottle cap) of clove oil. The vapor keeps the paint from drying sometimes for 2 weeks. I don't mix it into the paint because once it is on the canvas I want if to dry quickly.
I really love using chalk IN the paint, but it never occurred to me to paint INTO the chalk- I bet it’s just beautiful, I can’t wait to try. I also tried walnut oil because of your recommendation in another video and it has changed everything for me. Thank you for sharing!
This is my translation of Antonio Palomino's recipe for a quick drying (heat bodied) walnut oil from his 1715 manuscript "museo pictorico": Take: - half a pound of walnut oil (250ml) - an ounce (30g) of ground glass powder - an ounce of litharge powder(massicot) - an ounce of red lead powder (minium) - an ounce of white lead powder (cremnitz white will do) Grind the white lead powder with some of the walnut oil into a paste (make paint) Put the paint with the rest of the ingredients into a double boiler (au bain marie) and boil the water for 1 hour while continuously stirring the walnut-lead-glass mixture. Pour the mixture of into a preheated glass bottle or jam jar or whatever and let it settle for a few weeks (2 weeks or so will do). This results in an awesome quick drying walnut oil apparently used by the old masters, it dries glossy but non sticky in about a day. It's great to grind colors with or just to use as a medium to add to your paint. It's suitable for whites, blues and flesh tones and will not yellow. Lead is toxic though, so best to handle it with care.
never thought to paint into a chalk putty for early layers. the chalk will make it dry faster too (i like quick drying layers, esp in early stages). i’m always frustrated early on by dry brushing bc i never can get longer marks and will lose my idea by the time i make additional marks on larger works. also heat treating the walnut seems like a great alternative to stand oil (which i like but have grown suspicious of lol)-thank you!
Okay, i have a question. If you put heat treated walnut in the upper layers, doesn't that go against the rule of putting quicker drying things under slower drying things?
Aluminium stearate does not yellow, but you have to be careful because in those quantities it is harmful to the paint film. Maximum 1% by volume. To make the consistency more stiff use the mull, you can't make a color with just the palette knife (it's impossible to disperse the pigment in the binder).
The one oil I definitely cannot use is clove, For some reason the scent of clove makes me a bit nauseous. I had a set of paints which were excellent as well as brush oil which used clove. Had to give them away. Walnut oil is my choice.
Very informative. How can I prevent dark yellowing? I have to store my paintings in the dark for several reasons. I have already tried linseed, walnut, poppy, safflower, but all the same problem to an extend. I don’t want to use solvents (toxic). Love the oils blending, and the workable surface but yellowing is such a big problem
Yes, these artist oils are all highly comparable. It just won't dry as fast. But don't paint another layer of linseed over that paint that you mixed walnut.
The fatty acid ratios are very similar to poppy oil with some minor variations due to location and yearly weather patterns. Some paint makers add a very small percentage of linseed, perhaps to adjust for this and to keep the paint oil on the drying side of safflower's semi-drying nature.
If you're not salt sand sun processing your linseed oil as was done by many artists before the 20th century, we are comparing apples and oranges ... Linseed oil that's salt and sun processed is as pale as anything here...
Yes. Finally someone who doesn't use a white gesso when the underlayer needs to be neutral or lightly colored. Great video.
That truly depends on how you use that white gesso color on the canvas. Often, I use the white of the canvas to get a transparency that I like which is similar to my watercolors. Depends on the intention and outcome you are wanting for the final result.
I keep my dispensed paint in a covered watercolor palette betweeen sessions with an open container (a pil bottle cap) of clove oil. The vapor keeps the paint from drying sometimes for 2 weeks. I don't mix it into the paint because once it is on the canvas I want if to dry quickly.
Fascinating, informative and wonderful tutorial. Thank you both so much. Xxx❤
I really love using chalk IN the paint, but it never occurred to me to paint INTO the chalk- I bet it’s just beautiful, I can’t wait to try. I also tried walnut oil because of your recommendation in another video and it has changed everything for me. Thank you for sharing!
Interesting information about oils and mediums. Thank you for sharing this.
This is my translation of Antonio Palomino's recipe for a quick drying (heat bodied) walnut oil from his 1715 manuscript "museo pictorico":
Take:
- half a pound of walnut oil (250ml)
- an ounce (30g) of ground glass powder
- an ounce of litharge powder(massicot)
- an ounce of red lead powder (minium)
- an ounce of white lead powder (cremnitz white will do)
Grind the white lead powder with some of the walnut oil into a paste (make paint)
Put the paint with the rest of the ingredients into a double boiler (au bain marie) and boil the water for 1 hour while continuously stirring the walnut-lead-glass mixture.
Pour the mixture of into a preheated glass bottle or jam jar or whatever and let it settle for a few weeks (2 weeks or so will do).
This results in an awesome quick drying walnut oil apparently used by the old masters, it dries glossy but non sticky in about a day. It's great to grind colors with or just to use as a medium to add to your paint. It's suitable for whites, blues and flesh tones and will not yellow. Lead is toxic though, so best to handle it with care.
Thank you but what is used as a replacement for lead powder as it is poisonous is it not?
why do nerdrum students never finish mixing all the pigment? is it aesthetic choice bc they think old masters left dry pigment off to the side?
Not an artist but curious, can castor oil be used for oil painting?
Very awesome insider info. I worked for an artist who used linseed and it blew my mind. I will put this on my fun list to try!!!
never thought to paint into a chalk putty for early layers. the chalk will make it dry faster too (i like quick drying layers, esp in early stages). i’m always frustrated early on by dry brushing bc i never can get longer marks and will lose my idea by the time i make additional marks on larger works. also heat treating the walnut seems like a great alternative to stand oil (which i like but have grown suspicious of lol)-thank you!
Very good explainations!
Priceless vital information.
Love your vedios, extremely educational for painting. Many thanks!!!!
thank you , the information i needed...in case ''sinking in'' happens anyway, is there a kind of recipe for oiling out with walnut oil ?
Can you start with an underpainting with liquin and then continue with walnut oil?
Thank you!
awesome, oil + chalk is also called Velazquez Medium
Excellent information. Thank you!
Okay, i have a question. If you put heat treated walnut in the upper layers, doesn't that go against the rule of putting quicker drying things under slower drying things?
Aluminium stearate does not yellow, but you have to be careful because in those quantities it is harmful to the paint film. Maximum 1% by volume. To make the consistency more stiff use the mull, you can't make a color with just the palette knife (it's impossible to disperse the pigment in the binder).
The one oil I definitely cannot use is clove, For some reason the scent of clove makes me a bit nauseous. I had a set of paints which were excellent as well as brush oil which used clove. Had to give them away. Walnut oil is my choice.
Nice medium alchemy
Very informative. How can I prevent dark yellowing? I have to store my paintings in the dark for several reasons. I have already tried linseed, walnut, poppy, safflower, but all the same problem to an extend. I don’t want to use solvents (toxic). Love the oils blending, and the workable surface but yellowing is such a big problem
Bring your paintings out into a lot of light but not sun light and they will turn back to normal in 48 hours of constant light.
Bravo !! Excellent
Interesting, thanks!
can i use walnut oil as a medium along with my tubes of oaint that contain linseed oil? thanks
Yes, these artist oils are all highly comparable. It just won't dry as fast. But don't paint another layer of linseed over that paint that you mixed walnut.
what about safflower oil?
Ive been using that exclusively for about a year now
The fatty acid ratios are very similar to poppy oil with some minor variations due to location and yearly weather patterns. Some paint makers add a very small percentage of linseed, perhaps to adjust for this and to keep the paint oil on the drying side of safflower's semi-drying nature.
If you're not salt sand sun processing your linseed oil as was done by many artists before the 20th century, we are comparing apples and oranges ... Linseed oil that's salt and sun processed is as pale as anything here...
How’d you do that? Do you put salt and sand I to the oil and the you exposure to the sun light?
I never hear of salt in old paintings. Where can we find this info? It can deteriorate or alter the pH of the canvas/wood panel?
how long do you heat the walnut for?
Until it barely starts to change color. Make certain the jar with a lid is full and no air gets to it.
👍🙏