Oil painting: preparing colors

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Oil painting: preparing colors
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Due to the thick, greasy consistency of oils, and to its very long drying time, oil painting
requires greater mastery than water-based techniques. Preparation is necessary for the colors
to come out fluid, luminous and resistant.
1. Colored background: a first, very diluted layer of color
The background should be well prepared, because it will receive many layers of paint. The
first layer should be thin and well diluted, to ensure excellent adhesion and reveal the
luminosity of the paints that will be covering it. Two options:
Highly dilute the paint with spirits of turpentine or white spirit, to decrease the proportion
of oil in it and make it more fluid. Wait for the layer to be thoroughly dry before applying
the next one.
Use paint that does not contain oil, such as acrylic: it has the advantage of very fast
drying.
2. Color layers: the thick on thin rule
For paint to dry without cracking and colors to be bright, the golden rule of painting is thick on
thin: each succeeding layer should have slightly more oil than the previous one. The first ones
should therefore have little oil and the following ones be richer and richer.
How is this accomplished? Dilute the first
layer of color with a medium composed of a mixture of about 60% linseed oil and 40%
spirits of turpentine. Increase the proportion of linseed oil with each layer. When you get
to the final layer, mix your paints with 100% linseed oil.
The medium also accelerates the drying time between the layers, varies the brilliance
and transparency of colors, alters the texture of the paint between fluid and thick, and
helps it resist aging. Now, figure out the proportions of medium and paint that work for
you: go ahead and create your own combinations!
Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before covering it: that way, you can keep the colors
from mixing with the ones in the next layer and from getting dirty.
Getting it right: Mixing the medium with the color
Dip the tip of your paintbrush in the medium.
Pick up a little paint on the end of the bristles.
Blend on the palette with a back and forth or circular motion.
Note that the consistency of the paint changes, so it spreads a lot more easily on the surface.
Keep in mind: you can add medium to the paint while applying a mixed color, but not while
preparing the mixture.
A lire aussi
Les notions de bases pour peindre à l?huile
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produisent-ils ? Aperçu des notions de base pour vous aider à les utiliser.
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VOIR CE PRODUIT [7]
Liens
[1] http://www.lateliercanson.com/techniques/huile
[2] http://twitter.com/share?url=http://www.lateliercanson.es/printpdf/592&text=Oil painting: preparing
colors http://www.lateliercanson.es/printpdf/592 via @CansonPaper
[3] http://www.lateliercanson.com/printpdf/592
[4] http://www.lateliercanson.com/print/592
[5] http://www.lateliercanson.com/type-darticle/notions-de-base
[6] http://www.lateliercanson.com/les-notions-de-bases-pour-peindre-lhuile
[7] http://fr.canson.com/huile-acrylique/canson-figueras