Beginner questions -- Painting w/ Oils
Mark Miszewski
My interest has taken over and I've purchased an oil painting set from
Utrechts. I've completed 3 painting already, and am waiting for that call
from the Louvre. (Just kidding, but it never hurts to aim high.)
Until they call, I've got several questions....
If I paint over paint that's still wet, the two colours mix together on my
brush. Am I supposed to add something to the 'top' colour so it doesn't mix
with the colour already on the canvas?
What is linseed oil used for?
What is the little metal cup that attaches to my pallette used for?
If I mix turpentine or linseed oil with paint, how do I do that? Do I use
an eyedropper?
Thank you.
Mark
P.S. If you want to send me an email, just remove the 'xxx' from my return
email address.
RBrac53660
>If I paint over paint that's still wet, the two colours mix together on my
>brush. Am I supposed to add something to the 'top' colour so it doesn't mix
>with the colour already on the canvas?
No you would have to wait for the paint to dry.
>What is linseed oil used for?
As a medium for the pigment.
>What is the little metal cup that attaches to my pallette used for?
To spit in ;)
>If I mix turpentine or linseed oil with paint, how do I do that? Do I use
>an eyedropper?
You could. It depends on how thin or streched you want the paint.
Not bad for a photog huh? I love to use paints but never have the time any
more :(
Andrew D
Miszewski <mmisz...@halcyon.com> wrote:
+Hello everyone,
+My interest has taken over and I've purchased an oil painting set from
+Utrechts. I've completed 3 painting already, and am waiting for that call
+from the Louvre. (Just kidding, but it never hurts to aim high.)
+Until they call, I've got several questions....
+
+If I paint over paint that's still wet, the two colours mix together on my
+brush. Am I supposed to add something to the 'top' colour so it doesn't mix
+with the colour already on the canvas?
You need to use a very "light" hand when painting your top colour. Put
**plenty** of paint on your brush and lightly drag it over the painting so
you leave a film of top colour - then leave it be, don't go back and brush
it unless you need to blend it.
You should only do a few strokes before picking up more colour off your
palette. If you do pick up some 'undercolour' on your brush, then wipe it
clean and then grab more paint for your next few strokes.
Generally speaking, your undercolours should be thinner (lean) and your
top colours thicker (fat).
I'm not sure how good the libraries are where you live but here in Oz the
public library system has a weatlh on information *freely* available in
books and videos. If you can get your hands on some good videos ("good"
will depend on what sort of art you like) then you might find these are a
very useful and inexpensive teaching aid.
Andy.
"I'm a great speller - but a hopless tpyist!"
Andrew
Mark Miszewski <mmisz...@halcyon.com> wrote:
> If I paint over paint that's still wet, the two colours mix together on my
>
option is to let the paint dry between layers. Whether you work wet on
wet or wet on dry is really up to you, your technique, your patience and
your desired product.
> What is linseed oil used for?
Oil paints use oils such as linseed oil as a medium for the pigment.
Linseed oil stretches the medium. It thins out the pigment a little.
It's especially useful for glazing and other techniques where thin
layers are more desirable than thick 'blobs' of paint.
>
> What is the little metal cup that attaches to my pallette used for?
Oil
>
> If I mix turpentine or linseed oil with paint, how do I do that?
I pour them out by eye and then mix them. As Andy pointed out when
mixing turps and oil paint "fat over lean" in other words the under
layers of the painting should contain a higher proportion of turps than
the top layers. The reason for this is that turps causes the paint to
dry more quickly. The underlayers of paint should dry faster than the
upper layers otherwise the upper layers will crack. (This mainly applies
if you let the paint dry between adding layers. For 'wet on wet', oil is
probably fine to use and adding turps to the oil will just encourage the
layers to mix and the paint to dry unevenly)
> Do I use an eyedropper?
>
If you want but it may be a pain to clean.
I agree with Andy's comment about findng a book or video. For a beginner
who just wants to paint for the hell of it, these are great (and, if
they're from a library, free). Courses are good and will give you some
hands on experience but if you're painting for yourself and are not out
to impress anybody are probably not necessary. Personally I think that
as a beginner the main thing you should be working on is technique and a
physical understanding of the medium (ie understanding literally 'how to
paint'). Of course if you want to pursue art further formal training may
be ideal.
silverpoint
10 years to master and requires the utmost commitment. Or less. Then
gradually learn to paint casually and have a blast with it. Just keep
trying till things gell and actually somehow start to work. And never be
discouraged if nothing "works right." It doesn't for anyone.
"Mark Miszewski" <mmisz...@halcyon.com> wrote in message
news:Xns90BDDE0DA89E6RO...@206.63.69.132...
Junie Buhg
>
>Technique is irrelevant-- learn to draw first.
Absolute personal opinion! Has no relevance when
it comes to art and especially not to painting.
And especially poor advice to a person who simply
wants to enjoy the "fun" of painting.
I began PAINTING first - and only began drawing
when I developed an all-encompassing interest
in art. But I didn't have to know how to draw
to "copy" something in the form of a painting.
And my first painting was fairly successful,
as you can see for yourself:
Junie Buhg
right@the_end.of.my_tether says...
>+Hello everyone,
>+My interest has taken over and I've purchased an oil painting set from
>+Utrechts. I've completed 3 painting already, and am waiting for that call
>+from the Louvre. (Just kidding, but it never hurts to aim high.)
>+Until they call, I've got several questions....
I have no way of knowing how old this thread
is or if the original poster is even still around.
But for anyone who is just learning to paint
the most invaluable resource is:
THE ARTIST's HANDBOOK, by Ralph Mayer.
I don't know what the current edition is - number 8?
But anyone serious about painting needs to have
this book as their reference. While there are
a few "experts" in this forum, most of what you'll
get here are personal opinions, not necessarily
accurate ones. I don't know of two artists who
agree on "how best" to paint a painting. My own
"best" methods could easily be contested by
someone with "better" methods of their own.
Junie Buhg
>I have no way of knowing how old this thread
>is or if the original poster is even still around.
>But for anyone who is just learning to paint
>the most invaluable resource is:
>
>THE ARTIST's HANDBOOK, by Ralph Mayer.
There is ANOTHER book with the same title that
is available in the UK, by Ray Smith. This book
is a good one too but lacks the comprehensive
technical information on painting of the Mayer
book. It does cover other art mediums that the
Mayer book doesn't deal with, and the Ray Smith
book has nice photographs illustrating the
various techniques, which the Mayer book lacks.
lauri levanto
was "as good as painting by numbers". I got it as a gift,
and after reading I disposed it as contaminating waste,
so I cannot re-check if my judgement was right.
- lauri
"Junie Buhg" <ju...@noemailever.com> wrote in message
news:3b28c...@oracle.zianet.com...
Chris
respects: it is very accessible to artists beginning work in unfamiliar
territory (from a technical aspect); it is well researched, and is much
clearer than Mayer's book in a number of the aspects that can be reduced
to straightforward formulations (such as mixing ratios for glue sizes,
etc.) It is also more up-to-date.
Not that I would like to be seen as disparaging Ralph Mayer's work in
any sense, as his handbook is also superb. It goes into much greater
detail and is addressed to an audience with a higher degree of technical
interest than Smith's (for example, his many pages of plots of spectral
response for different pigments is not for the faint of heart :).
Ideally, I'd say that any bookshelf could easily accommodate both, along
with Cennini's "Il Libro dell'Arte" (which dates from the 15th century),
available both on the web as a downloadable document, or from Dover as
"The Craftsman's Handbook", translated by Daniel V. Thompson. This last
is the touchstone of all artist handbooks, and (being easily readable)
is worth spending time with if only for the delightful style of writing,
it's parenthetical points, and above all it's Renaissance enthusiasm
which are as applicable today as they were 500 years ago. Each
complements the others.
FWIW, Ray Smith's book is also available in French, I believe.
Regards;
Chris
Junie Buhg
>It is also more up-to-date.
FYI, the Ralph Mayer book, ARTIST'S HANDBOOK
has gone through at least eight revisions since
it was first published. Although Mayer has been
dead for years, someone continues to update the
book and reprint it in numbered editions. That's
why I said originally that the latest edition
is, I THINK, number 8. I don't think you'll get
much argument from knowledgeable artists about
Artist's Handbook being the "Bible" for painters.
It's title is a bit misleading, I think, since
it certainly doesn't cover the "field of art"
but rather is narrowly written to be the technical
reference it is for painters. I suppose a more
correct title, therefor, would be PAINTER'S HANDBOOK.
Mark Miszewski
some beginning painting questions.
I appreciate your time and your advice.
I especially like the tip about 'Il libro dell'Arte'. Heck, even if I
wasn't trying to learn how to paint, it sounds like fun.
Thanks again to everyone.
Mark
P.S. to reply to me via email, remove the 'xxx' from my return email
address.