10 Simple Rules for Painting in Oils 1.) Use a white ground which is firmly anchored to its support. 2.) Canvas should be prepared with oil grounds; emulsion or true gesso grounds belong on panels. 3.) Be sure there is good adhesion between paint and ground. 4.) Use sufficient paint to produce a full, normal paint coating so that the final picture has the desired paint quality, but do not overlaod the work with extremely thick or exaggerated impasto. Avoid, at all costs, a continuous, thick, pasty layer of paint; heavy or thick impasto strokes are best used in isolated spots. 5.) Remember the basic rule for all paint coatings and layers, that is, always paint flexible coats over less flexible layers, and never use brittle coatings over flexible ones. 6.) The degree of absorbency and texture of the ground should be suited to the type and kind of painting. Control of paint and its permanence are greatly influenced thereby. 7.) Thin the paint with a little turpentine when desired; avoid the excessive use of painting mediums and (egg) emulsion-stiffened whites except when the occasion calls for glazes and special effects. 8.) Remember that previous painting or underpainting has some effect on the final results and that careless overpainting may lead to unwanted effects as paint films become more translucent with time. 9.) Oil paintings must be varnished eventually. It is desirable to wait a minimum of 3 to 6 months before varnishing, but it is better to varnish them too soon than to put them into circulation or exhibit them unvarnished and unprotected. 10.) Use fresh colors that have not thickened on the palette. The safest materials to mix with tube oil colors are Stand Oil, Sun-Thickened Linseed Oil, Damar Varnish, Rectified Turpentine, and the balsams Venice Turpentine or Strasbourg Turpentine. Layering Medium 1 part Stand Oil 1 part Damar Varnish 5 parts Turpentine Reduce turpentine in succeeding layers to increase oil (fatty) content. May also be used for glazing. Glazing Medium 4 parts Damar Varnish 2 parts Sun-thickened Linseed Oil 1 part Venice Turpentine 4 parts Turpentine The danger in this medium is that both Damar and Venice Turpentine are resoluble in Rectified Turpentine after drying. Retouch Varnish For 'oiling out' sunken in areas between coates as needed or for quick varnishing to even-out the sheen of a finished painting until a final varnish can be applied. 1 part Damar Varnish (regular 5 lb. cut) 2 parts Turpentine To truly oil-out an area, simply rub some linseed oil into the dull area(s) with a rag until its sheen is consistent with the rest of the painting. Linseed is more flexible and less soluble than damar and is a more natural element of the painting's structure for use between layers. A Warning from Ralph Mayer concerning the use of modern synthetics "The careful painter who has a good knowledge of his materials, who adheres to sound principles, and who uses approved, time-tested paints will not discard them in favor of newer, less proven systems without good reason. It is not wise to adopt the newer materials simply to be up-to-date, or "in tune with modern technology," but they are to be used because they have special properties that are not duplicated by the traditional materials and performance characteristics which the older ones lack. The experimentally-minded painter is justified in the use of promising materials...when they have no proven faults and when the older, approved materials fall short of serving his aims and purposes. "The museum technical people tell us that they have more trouble with modern paintings going bad by reason of the mususe of modern materials than they have with ancient ones. The great majority of industrial resins have been rejected by the experts because of obnoxious odors and toxic effects of their poisonous solvents. Quite a few cases of serious poisoning among "experimental" painters and sculptors have been recorded in recent years, and the disappointing results of pictures going bad in a very few years from this cause has become quite common. The careful painter will use only the products made especially for artists...." Buy the Book Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques By Ralph Mayer SECTION INTRO  SANDERS-STUDIOS.COM INSTRUCTION HOME