Max oils - How to avoid streaking?
Tony Wypkema
I'm adding Grumbacher Max Medium Quick Dry to my Max oils on gessoed art
board, but still getting streaks when I try to blend colors. My brushes
are clean, so that's not the cause.
Could it be because I forgot to sand the art board before painting on
it? (The art board had already been gessosed before I bought it at an
art supply store.)
Should I buy some Max Linseed Oil to avoid streaking?
(I tried asking these queries on the usually informative Grumbacher Web
site discussion group, but the discussion group access hasn't worked for
days, and they haven't responded to my requests to have the problem
fixed, and now the Grumbacher offices are closed for the holidays.)
Thanks.
Tony
Degas5
>
>How can artists avoid paint streaking with Grumbacher Max oil paints?
>
>Tony
Gessoboard is a smooth surface. I bought some way back and never used it. It
looks like masonite with a solid gesso covering. When working on gessoed
masonite, it takes alot of paint to cover the surface because it just sucks the
first thin layers right up, but masonite does have it's advantages once you get
to know how to work with it and so it may be with gessoboard. Is the paint
streaky in the early stages or throughout the painting? I would imagine it's
just streaky in the early thin layers and when you start painting with more
body you canpaint smoother blends. If this is not the case, then it might be
the Quick Dry. Then you could use Max Linseed and add a little Liquin or
Galkyd (and still maintain the water soluble feature). I use Max with water or
no medium at only use it for on site alla prima painting and not stage
painting. I do have a painting that I did in Max and want to work into it. I
have the Alklyd Gel in a tube
by Max and I'll probably try that as a medium. If I do have a chance to do it
in the near future, I'll post a note as to how it turns out. Experience is the
best teacher Tony and since it's a relatively new medium you got to experiment
. Good luck.
Tony Wypkema
Thanks, Degas. I think it was too much Quick Dry Medium that caused the
streaking, because only some areas of the painting are streaky. I tried
more water and bought Max Linseed Oil and added that on your
recommendation, but was disappointed that neither of those suggestions
helped, so I'll try using a little Galkyd or less Quick Dry next time
(when I muster enough determination to try to go back to the oils and
finish the painting).
I've temporarily switched from the Max oils back to fluid acrylics,
because the oils are frustrating me. They smell strongly; they're messy
and get on clothing, furniture and other places where I don't want them
to because they take longer to dry; I have to wear solvent gloves or
apply sticky hand-protecting cream to avoid absorbing them into my skin;
I have to wait for as much as a day to work on certain areas that are
too wet; I can't get the oils to look as graceful as fluid acrylics; and
even though I think I'm cleaning the brushes thoroughly with soap and
water, the brushes are hard when I go to reuse them later, requiring me
to use a strong solvent to clean them.
And If I refrain from using a drying medium -- as you said you do -- the
paint takes weeks to dry.
Tony
Degas5
>Thanks, Degas. I think it was too much Quick Dry Medium that caused the
>streaking, because only some areas of the painting are streaky. I tried
>more water and bought Max Linseed Oil and added that on your
>recommendation, but was disappointed that neither of those suggestions
>helped, so I'll try using a little Galkyd or less Quick Dry next time
>(when I muster enough determination to try to go back to the oils and
>finish the painting).
>
>I've temporarily switched from the Max oils back to fluid acrylics,
>because the oils are frustrating me. They smell strongly; they're messy
>and get on clothing, furniture and other places where I don't want them
>to because they take longer to dry; I have to wear solvent gloves or
>apply sticky hand-protecting cream to avoid absorbing them into my skin;
>I have to wait for as much as a day to work on certain areas that are
>too wet; I can't get the oils to look as graceful as fluid acrylics; and
>even though I think I'm cleaning the brushes thoroughly with soap and
>water, the brushes are hard when I go to reuse them later, requiring me
>to use a strong solvent to clean them.
>
>And If I refrain from using a drying medium -- as you said you do -- the
>paint takes weeks to dry.
>
>Tony
>
>
>
>
>
>
Tony,
If you had more success with the fluid acrylics, you should go back to them. I
paint with mostly traditional oils and only use Max on the ocassion that I want
to paint outdoors or spontaneously, when I'm not in the studio. For those
purposes, they serve me well. Maybe, sometime in the future, you should try
them out again. Regarding the brushes not cleaning easily, what kind of
brushes do you use with the Max? The vendor gave me a couple of sample Max
brushes and they are most like the Galleria acrylic or burgandy colored
synthetic brushes if you can't find them. I use Winsor Newton's Argel to clean
and condition all my brushes used with oil. It keeps them looking real good.
I wish you lots of success in whatever medium you choose. It's a pleasure to
share experiences.
Bonnie
Tony Wypkema
> >I've temporarily switched from the Max oils back to fluid acrylics,
> >because the oils are frustrating me. They smell strongly; they're messy
> >and get on clothing, furniture and other places where I don't want them
> >to because they take longer to dry; I have to wear solvent gloves or
> >apply sticky hand-protecting cream to avoid absorbing them into my skin;
> >I have to wait for as much as a day to work on certain areas that are
> >too wet; I can't get the oils to look as graceful as fluid acrylics; and
> >even though I think I'm cleaning the brushes thoroughly with soap and
> >water, the brushes are hard when I go to reuse them later, requiring me
> >to use a strong solvent to clean them.
> >
> >And If I refrain from using a drying medium -- as you said you do -- the
> >paint takes weeks to dry.
> Tony,
> If you had more success with the fluid acrylics, you should go back to them. I
> paint with mostly traditional oils and only use Max on the ocassion that I want
> to paint outdoors or spontaneously, when I'm not in the studio. For those
> purposes, they serve me well. Maybe, sometime in the future, you should try
> them out again. Regarding the brushes not cleaning easily, what kind of
> brushes do you use with the Max? The vendor gave me a couple of sample Max
> brushes and they are most like the Galleria acrylic or burgandy colored
> synthetic brushes if you can't find them. I use Winsor Newton's Argel to clean
> and condition all my brushes used with oil. It keeps them looking real good.
> I wish you lots of success in whatever medium you choose. It's a pleasure to
> share experiences.
> Bonnie
I would like to master oils eventually, because I've seen so many
magnificent oil paintings and because it's such a popular medium.
I use a variety of brushes, including Robert Simmons and Holbein. I
think the problem is not the kind of brushes, but rather how I'm
cleaning them. I'll try to get some Argel. Thanks for the tip, Bonnie.
Tony
Degas5
>I use a variety of brushes, including Robert Simmons and Holbein. I
>think the problem is not the kind of brushes, but rather how I'm
>cleaning them. I'll try to get some Argel. Thanks for the tip, Bonnie.
>
>Tony
>
>
>
>
>
>
I would have to agree with you; Simmons and Holbein are really nice brushes,
but I still like the monofilaments for Max Oils.
Bonnie
Peter H.M. Brooks
chance to use it until this last week. I have been very impressed with
the results.
There is no smell of turps and oil, it has a lovely buttery feel and
dries in just over a day! I have enjoyed using acrylics for ages, and
find these as much fun, if not more.
Has anybody here had experience with this medium? I would be interested
in any comments.
Whilst here, I have been looking at the various white oils and wondering
if anybody could comment on where and how they are most useful. I have
seen zinc, titanium and chinese white, but haven't had time to really
experiment - any pointers would be gratefully received.
--
Peter H.M. Brooks
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
The Polymer Clay Pit
<pe...@psyche.demon.co.uk> writes
>I read about water soluble oil paint some time ago, but I didn't get a
>chance to use it until this last week. I have been very impressed with
>the results.
>
>There is no smell of turps and oil, it has a lovely buttery feel and
>dries in just over a day! I have enjoyed using acrylics for ages, and
>find these as much fun, if not more.
>
>Has anybody here had experience with this medium? I would be interested
>in any comments.
I have had a very brief experience so far - only been using it a few
weeks but I love it. I'm using Winsor and Newton Artisan paints and it
has also meant that I can paint at home without the rest of the family
objecting to the smell of oils! I'd love to hear the thoughts of any
others with a longer term relationship with these paints. My initial
reaction is all positive - as you say, a lovely buttery feel which is a
dream to paint with - I am doing some portrait miniatures and the
blending quality is superb.
Sue
--
The Polymer Clay Pit