How do you use painting medium?

[Jeff Fuchs]

I had to re-read my post. I never claimed that there was a big secret, although the demonstration I cited claims that the method had been largely abandoned because of the influence of the Impressionists.

All I wanted to know was whether this is a traditional use of medium, and whether anyone here does it that way.

In a parallel universe somewhere, there's a guy posting a question about sight-size painting, only to be chastised by responses urging him to avoid so-called "secrets of the masters".

If I haven't learned it yet, it's still a secret to me.

[Minh Thong]

In a parrallel universe somewhere, there's a guy posting a question about sight-size painting, only to be chastized by responses urging him to avoid so-called "secrets of the masters".

I know how you feel, bro. I haven't had that feeling here yet, thank God/the Buddha/Mohammed. But I have had that feeling other places. I think it's often due to the difficulties in conveying intention/meaning via the written word, and also sometimes due to the rather strong predjudices and opinions many accomplished artists hold.

When I first started drawing in pastel I had someone YELL at me in all caps to "STOP SMUDGING IMMEDIATELY!", as if my children would certainly be born naked, bald-headed, and unable to speak the Queen's English. Artists, I am learning, are an opinionated lot. Not as bad as pilots, who will fist-fight over 'power v.s. pitch'. But still very opinionated.

Most folks mean well, though. And I usually learn much, even when my original question is misconstrued or otherwise unanswered.

Minh

[Michele Rushworth]

The more you read about the use of mediums the more you'll find that there are as many approaches as there are artists.

I trust the input of artists like Virgil Elliott who work with the ASTM, studying longevity of artists materials. He recommends a philosophy of "less is more" with mediums. Fewer extraneous ingredients and less of whatever you do use. He especially cautions against including any varnish in the paint layers which causes dramatic darkening over time (and that includes all the mastic varnish in the Maroger's).

I use paint and a bit of linseed sometimes. That's it. I can paint alla prima, glaze or scumble with different proportions of oil and paint, but either way, I don't use much linseed.

I will sometimes rub a very thin layer of it into any sunken in darks and then wipe much of it off. It does restore the gloss and depth of color in the darks and it allows me to blend wet edges, but I use this technique only once in a while.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

I use paint and a bit of linseed sometimes. That's it. I can paint alla prima, glaze or scumble with different proportions of oil and paint, but either way, I don't use much linseed.

I will sometimes rub a very thin layer of it into any sunken in darks and then wipe much of it off. It does restore the gloss and depth of color in the darks and it allows me to blend wet edges, but I use this technique only once in a while.

Hi Michele,

I hope you don't mind me quoting you from over half a year ago! I was reading through old posts after doing a search on scumbling and I came across this post.

I am wondering how you get your soft edges? I'm thinking specifically of your recent work "Flowergirl", the edges were so lovely and soft. Instead of me assuming I could know how you did this, could you explain your method of getting those soft edges? I would have thought you used lots of layers with linseed oil?

I am just starting a painting and I'm going to try out the 'layering' method, layer upon layer of scumbles over my 'underpainting'. So, before I start my scumbling, I'm reading about how it's done.

Any information is greatly appreciated,

Thank you,

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

I do generally "oil out" dry paint layers with a 50/50 mixture of linseed and mineral spirits nowadays, and wipe as much of it off as I can. Then I put on the new layer of paint.

I "oil out" mostly so the old colors come up to their original saturation. Then I can match the new colors to the old paint more accurately.

Then I paint on the new layer and blend one color into another with a fuzzy old sable brush, and then go over it with a synthetic fan blender, to get the soft edges. I put relatively thin layers of paint on the canvas (compared to what I used to, anyway!) because thick paint is much harder to blend.

Most parts of my paintings typically have one to four layers of paint on them by the time I'm done.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Thank you Michele for your thorough answer. I just learned a tough lesson when I put too much paint on my last portrait. It was very hard to blend, what a mess, so I scraped that off after working on it for 2-3 days. So now I'm experimenting with thin layers.

I've read a lot of posts about 'oiling out' and I am wondering why use the linseed oil and the mineral spirits instead of just straight linseed oil?

Of course, when I went to the art supply store to buy linseed oil last week they had cold pressed linseed oil and refined linseed oil! So I came home and found a post by Marvin about what the heck the difference is. After learning what the difference was I am prepared to go buy the cold pressed linseed oil. Should I be mixing it with mineral spirits? Hmm.

Thanks again,

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

You want as little linseed as possible in your paintings, to minimize yellowing. Just enough to have good binding with the pigments.

Oiling out with 50/50 linseed and mineral spirits helps me keep the oil layer thin, as the mineral spirits just evaporate away.

[Patricia Joyce]

Jeff,

You are right, the site did imply this was some "great" way to process through a portrait painting. They sucked me in until I read the posts here. Some days (most days, I'll admit) I feel like a boat adrift needing direction.

[Minh Thong]

Oh, and since no one's yet weighed in on the actual question:

I started lubing the canvas prior to painting into it last Winter, as opposed to mixing the Maroger into the paint like David Leffel teaches. But I only do it because that way the paint pile stays open and usable for a couple days if I cover and refrigerate it. An interesting side note (like you needed another one): I was told that Odd Nerdrum, Rembrandt's red-headed stepchild, grinds his medium into the paint or mixes it into the piles. He says "that's the way it has always been done".

But then again ... he's probably opinionated, too.



Minh

[Mike McCarty]

For what it's worth ...

I use oil paint (of varying brands and denominations), odorless mineral spirits and linseed oil.

In the very early stages I may thin the oil with spirits to apply thin washes but from then on it's just paint and that perfect amound of linseed oil to create the consistency that I need for the particular passage I am working on.

I went through a stage of using Liquin but have abandoned it mostly for the sake of simplifying my ingredients. Also, I think it has made my hair start to fall out on top, gain unwanted pounds around the middle, and generally have less energy than I used to have.