Cheap oil paint for a beginner - how cheap can I go?
Michael
can barely draw. I went to the local art store and their oil paint kits
were over $100. I live in France so ordering from Cheap Joe's etc. isn't
really an option. Ok, then I was at one of these cheap stores that just
sell a bunch of misc. crap and they had a set of 8 tubes of oil paint for
$5. Yes $5! They also had a set of 5 painting knives for $5, and a brush
set for, yep you guessed it, $5. Would it be a bad idea to spend $15 and
just start having fun? Would someone who's never painted before know the
difference between $5 paint and $100 paint? My plan was to buy some paper
for oil painting and just play around, learning techniques and practicing
with a book (The Oil Painting Book by Creevy). Assuming that the $5 made in
China paint isn't a good idea, what is the cheapest oil paint I can get?
The problem is the brands here are limited, I haven't seen most of the
brands I see mentioned in this newsgroup.
Regards,
Michael
Jeff Wilson
I don't have the addresses but there are several art stored on the Left
bank between the Musee d"Orsay and Notre Dame. I've bought acrylics
there at about the US price. I've bought Lefranc et Bourgeois acrylics
in Paris for about 4 Euro a 40 ml tube. It may be the magic of using
paint I've bought in Paris but I'm pleased with the pigment load,
consistency and paintability. I believe that L&B stated out as the
colormen for the impressionists.
The problem with cheap paint is that a beginner usually attributes the
poor results as the painter's fault. I'd buy a selection of about 6
colors, including white. If you stay with the primaries and secondaries
with maybe an "earth" or two you should be able to mix just about
anything you want. I can't suggest which specific oil colors to buy.
I'm sure that any reputable paint store can give you good advice.
Ditto with cheap brushes. Still, as a beginner, I would buy inexpensive
bristle or synthetic brushes, until I felt that they were holding me
back. As an acrylic painter, I prefer a medium to good quality
synthetic for the type of painting I do. I like hog bristle but can't
seem to be disciplined enough to not leave them in the water cup. Water
makes then soft. Not a problem with oils.
IMHO kits are not any bargain. I've done that, still have the paint to
prove it.
M
--
Jeff Wilson
"And now these three remain; faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love."
...... Seek harmony and balance in the mountains.
Find harmony and balance within.....
Gud E.Tushus
please_do...@hotmail.com says...
>Would someone who's never painted before know the
>difference between $5 paint and $100 paint?
Obviously not! But most art teachers will
tell you that buying 'student grade' paints
is only adding another handicap to learning
to paint from scratch. I advise my students
to buy a few tubes of 'brand name' paint
rather than 'no-brand economy' paints. And
several 'good quality' brushes rather than
the cheapest grades sold. Remember - you
only need the primary colors plus white to
start with, providing they are all from the
same manufacturer.
Dik F. Liu
writes:
>Remember - you
>only need the primary colors plus white to
>start with, providing they are all from the
>same manufacturer.
>
Nonsense. You can mix and match oil paints from different manufacturers.
Dik
Marc Sabatella
> I'm planning on starting oil painting, just for fun. I'm not an
artist and
> can barely draw. I went to the local art store and their oil paint
kits
> were over $100. I live in France so ordering from Cheap Joe's etc.
isn't
> really an option. Ok, then I was at one of these cheap stores that
just
> sell a bunch of misc. crap and they had a set of 8 tubes of oil paint
for
> $5.
You are probably best off with something between these extremes. A
typical tunbe of decent student quality oil paint costs around $3 in the
US, and you don't need more than half a dozen of so tubes of paint - $20
should cover you. Similarly, decent quality brushes can be had for only
$5 each, and you don't need more than two of them to start. A perfectly
palette knife shouldn't cost more than $5 either, and one should
suffice. So $35 in equipment will get you started with something that
is bound to be much, MUCH better to work with than what you are looking
at. Of course, there is also the matter of the canvas & solvent - that
will be more of an ongoing expense. Still, a canvas bad, cheap
hardware store mineral spirits; a painting shoudn't cost as much as $1
in expendable materials.
--------------
Marc Sabatella
ma...@outsideshore.com
The Outside Shore
Music, art, & educational materials:
http://www.outsideshore.com/
Gud E.Tushus
says...
You're correct, but what you don't say is
that mixing manufacturers is NOT the BEST
way to achieve secondary colors from primaries.
The reputable manufacturers formulate their
paints to intermix - but not necessarily with
those of another manufacturer.
I was trying to help someone
by giving them advice for learning to paint
with a minimum of handicaps - and mixing
paints from different mfrs when one is first
learning is a definite handicap, IMO.
Dik F. Liu
>t, but what you don't say is that mixing manufacturers is NOT the BEST way to
achieve secondary colors from primaries. The reputable manufacturers formulate
their paints to intermix - but not necessarily with those of another
manufacturer.<
That's simply untrue. As anyone who have painted with oils can tell you: oil
paints are seldom available as primary colors. Liquetex tried doing this years
ago (late 70's), and failed. Rather, oil paints are available according to
their PIGMENTS - Cadmium, Iron Oxide, etc. I know of no brand of oil paints
which can not freely mix with that of another brands'. If such a brand exists,
or if that's the brand's spiel, I'd very suspicious of their paints.
I am not just a typing artist. I am in this painting business to make a living
- have been for years. I know whatof I speak.
Dik
Gud E.Tushus
says...
>I am not just a typing artist. I am in this painting business to make a
living
>- have been for years. I know whatof I speak.
>
>Dik
Whoopee doo for yoo. Does it count that I
have been painting since 1967? And have two
University degrees in Studio Art?
I suspect you were either not even born
in 1967, or were still in diapers. I was already
32 years old. Since you seem bent on
disputing everything I say to someone who
is asking about "beginning painting" - I will
defer to your superior knowledge and experience
and you can take over this 'advice column.'
Karin Switzer
Dik is too modest to mention that he has taught painting at several of the
best art schools in New York, including SVA, for many years. He does know
exactly what he's talking about.
It is not esoteric knowledge that different brands of paint can be used
interchangeably.
As to your long painting career: I've seen your work on line. I'm reminded
of a story that a friend in the corporate world told me: He was upset
because a new employee didn't seem to know what he was doing. He complained
to the vice president, 'but this man has 20 years' experience!' The vice
president said, 'maybe he just has one years' experience 20 times.'
Mani Deli is certainly a nutso, but he is partially correct on one point:
the art schools do graduate a lot of people who can't make professional
quality fine art in any style. If you live another 100 years, I imagine
you'll be painting in the same amateurish style.
Karin Switzer
"Gud E.Tushus" <gu...@dontemailme.com> wrote in message
news:3f56...@news.zianet.com...
Dik F. Liu
writes:
>Whoopee doo for yoo. Does it count that I have been painting since 1967? And
have two University degrees in Studio Art?
Gud, why are you posting your resume? <g>
I as you are trying to help a beginner. This is why I think it is important not
to mislead him. I understand your wanting to show that your are right. But,
being right is not nearly as important as being helpful.
Dik
Dik F. Liu
>He was upset because a new employee didn't seem to know what he was doing. He
complained to the vice president, 'but this man has 20 years' experience!' The
vice president said, 'maybe he just has one years' experience 20 times.'<
That's funny! I will have to remember this one.
Dik
3243
>
> > I'm planning on starting oil painting, just for fun. I'm not an
> artist and
> > can barely draw. I went to the local art store and their oil paint
> kits
> > were over $100. I live in France so ordering from Cheap Joe's etc.
> isn't
> > really an option. Ok, then I was at one of these cheap stores that
> just
> > sell a bunch of misc. crap and they had a set of 8 tubes of oil paint
> for
> > $5.
If you want your paintings to last, without your paints fading on you
or otherwise changing color, it pays to stick with the artist quality
paints. Some of the student quality paints from the reputable
manufacturers are okay also to start with. Winsor & Newton's Winton
oil paints are a good example, and they don't cost much.
Now, may I be so kind as to recommend a palette with which to begin?
You'll need two yellows, two reds, two blues (a warm and a cool of
each), and titanium white. Zinc white is a bit transparent, and flake
white (or lead white) is not only non-permanent, but it also presents
health hazards due to its lead content.
WARM
cadmium yellow medium
cadmium red light, or naphthol red light
phthalo blue
COOL
cadmium lemon yellow
quinacridone red (also known as permanent rose), or quinacridone
magenta
ultramarine blue
With the aforementioned seven colors, you may mix just about any other
color your eyes and/or heart may desire. Notice I left out earth
colors (browns) and black, as you do not need them. The colors I
listed can be mixed to produce a wide variety of browns and grays,
even black, which are much livelier than any brown or black pigment.
To get your mixtures that result in grays or browns, you can mix two
complimentary colors, which are colors located directly across from
one another on the color wheel (such complimentary oppositions are
red/green, blue/orange, and violet/yellow).
I hope this helps you out, man.
Michael
> in Paris for about 4 Euro a 40 ml tube. It may be the magic of using
This is funny, I went to Auchun which is kind of like a walmart with
groceries. I just wanted to see what they had. Turns out they had Lefranc
& Bourgeois Louvre brand paints (Louvre is a mark of L&B which is a lower
student quality). They had a set that was $30 including a canvas, 2
brushes, a painting knife, palette (really small), etc. The L&B Louvre
paints individually are about $2.50 for 20ml. This was pretty cheap and
hopefully enough quality for some throw-away paintings for a beginner.
Thanks
Michael
Flobby Bischer
You SHOULD go as cheaply as possible. Buy lots of colors and paint as much
as possible.
An artist doesn't get anywhere until he/she covers acres of canvas.
(paraphrasing Hawthorne.)
Dik F. Liu
<please_do...@hotmail.com> writes:
>Turns out they had Lefranc
>& Bourgeois Louvre brand paints (Louvre is a mark of L&B which is a lower
>student quality). They had a set that was $30 including a canvas, 2
>brushes, a painting knife, palette (really small), etc. The L&B Louvre
>paints individually are about $2.50 for 20ml.
I have never seen the Lefranc & Bourgeois Louvre brand paints. They might not
be available here in the States. Lefranc & Bourgeois regular line of paints is
very good. The company was sold about six years ago, and their new paints are
not as good. Still, it's a solid brand.
Classico, Winton, Van Gogh, and Etude are the more popular student paints. Many
students use Winton, although I find them too waxy and "short" for a painterly
technique, and too transparent for those who paint thinly and gingerly.
Compared to Winton, Van Gogh is more oily - it's like painting with oxygen. If
you can afford it, the slightly more expensive Rembrandt is an excellent line
of paints for its price. Please note that regardless of brand, student grade
cadmium "hue" paints are too transparent. This is especially true of cadmium
orange hue. You are better off using genuine cadmiums paints.
As you are just starting out, here is an article that you might find useful:
http://www.artfaces.com/artvoices/features/featured/oct992.shtml
Hope this helps.
Dik
Goody
says...
>Dik is too modest to mention that he has taught painting at several of the
>best art schools in New York, including SVA, for many years. He does know
>exactly what he's talking about.
I'm sure that you're hoping this testament gets
you an "A" for the fall semester. Just be sure
you wipe the umber-colored ring from around your
nose before you attend your next class.
>If you live another 100 years, I imagine
>you'll be painting in the same amateurish style.
>
>Karin Switzer
Oh dear god, you've burst my bubble. And here I
was hoping against hope that one day I too would
be adept enough at handling paint straight from
the tube to be able to paint with a palette knife
until I got it right!