Playing with WN Artisan Oils, - getting ready to start 1st painting question

[Ken Nielsen]

I have been opening the tubes of WN Artisan oils and smooshing them around on the palette, and have a question: Is it better to add 'stand oil' in a small amount to the darker colors before applying them? It seems that the darker colors dry a little faster, like almost drying out right away while working with thin coats. The lighter colors, like Lemon Yellow, stay wet for days, even when using thin coats, and I like that because they behave more like traditional oils. I would like my colors, not to run when the painting is standing upright, but to stay suitably wet until at least for the next day. How can I best achieve that? I assume I will need to evaluate each color better as I begin painting, but for now, I'm just trying to get in touch with each color's character and behavior.

[Crystal1]

You can use the pigment chart that dcorc gave you to find out a lot about your paints and mediums. On page 5 it will tell the drying time of different types of pigments. It's normal in regular oils that some colors dry faster than others, but it's probably more noticable in the Artisan's because they are faster drying. Also, on page 9 and 10 it tells you what your stand oil and other mediums will do. Notice that it says the stand oil will not only make it take longer for your oils to dry, but that it will also add more of a gloss to your painting. I wouldn't use the stand oil only on certain colors, I would use it on all your colors or not at all, because you want your painting to have an even sheen. When you consider that it takes 6 months to a year before you can varnish your painting, it's good to have your painting have the same gloss throughout the picture. This is important if you plan to show or sell your pictures before you varnish them. Good luck and have fun!

[Zoe Sotet]

The Windsor and Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oils...?

I find the darker colours all take longer to dry than the lighter ones...

[Ken Nielsen]

I'll reference the pigment chart. I'll reconsider the adding of other mediums, and maybe not add anything at all to just let the experience of using the paints by themselves be my teacher.

Thanks for the replies.

[Ken Nielsen]

First painting experience and I am favorably impressed. I'm just wondering from the more experienced here: How can I increase drying time while not adding gloss to the medium.

[Crystal1]

The stand oil will add the most gloss of any of the oils or mediums. All of the oils will add some gloss, the thinner will not add gloss but it does not extend the drying time. The linseed oil would probably be your best bet. It extends the drying time and doesn't add a lot of gloss. For the longest drying time without a lot of gloss, the Safflower oil would be it, but it doesn't dry as hard as the other oils. Some of us also use Walnut oil that will extend the drying time, but also adds some gloss.

Of course, when you varnish it, you can use a matt finish varnish.

[Ken Nielsen]

Okay, One way to find out is through trying this stuff. I just got back from the art store with WN Artisan Thinner, Safflower Oil, Linseed Oil, Oil Painting Medium, Gloss Varnish, Stand Oil and, since WN does not make Artisan Walnut Oil, I got another brand of that only. NOW, I am set to do some testing. This could take a while, but I will use it all (except the Gloss Varnish of course) on small paintings for experimental purposes.

Direct Experience Teaches!;- )

Thanks guys,

Ken

[Ken Nielsen]

Results of my testing today in somewhat regulated conditions and each applied with fresh clean brushes:

All Artisan Water Mixable Media except where noted.

OIL PAINTING MEDIUM
Like the 'feel' of this. Dipped brush in small amount of medium and mixed using brush - Very little mixing needed - Mixed right away.

LINSEED OIL
Only takes very slight amount. Very 'oily' - Attacks & disolves with paint easily.

GLOSS VARNISH
Not a medium, but tried it anyway. Seemed like no effect on paint.

STAND OIL
Super greasy but works nicely after mixed in.

THINNER
Smells funny. 'Creeps' into brush quickly, Be careful to not use too much. Thins out paint better than water. Carries color with it. Could be good but be sure to use sparingly.

WALNUT OIL (NOT Artisan or Oil Mixable Medium)
Pretty nice with reservations, Somewhat oily, Does not creep into brush, so easier to control amounts, Makes paints soft like room-temperature butter. Maybe a little too soft.

SAFFLOWER OIL
Penetrates, mixes with color aggressively, Does not 'creep' into brush too much. Softens paint but not too much - Retains much of unaltered paint qualities.

NEKKID PAINT
Rather 'stiff' and unyielding compared to traditional oils.

I'm watching these dry in test painting with brush and with palette knife strokes. Used three paints: Burnt Umber, Permanent Sap Green and Titanium White. Test done on 300 series Strathmore Canvas Paper so I can see how much oil absorbs through. Linseed Oil, Safflower Oil and Walnut Oil absorb through most noticeably and in that order.

[Crystal1]

Thanks for letting us know the results of your tests. I hope you'll let us know what you think of them when they dry. This information could be a great benefit to all of us. Thank you.:clap:

[Ken Nielsen]

Others have posted their experiences with most of these mediums but it is difficult to convey with words what the experience with each is like. Comparing them all together at one time does awaken to options that each represents. I agree that it will be interesting to see the drying time for each set. So far after a little over 24 hours I stuck a clean ladies hat pin in each of the thicker parts that were laid down with a palette knife and moved it to the side very slightly to test:

W = white G = green U = burnt umber

OIL PAINTING MEDIUM
W-moist fudge
G-wet
U-wet

LINSEED OIL
W-wet
G-wet
U-fudge-like

GLOSS VARNISH
W-wet
G-fudge-like
U-dry fudge

STAND OIL
W-wet
G-wet
U-fudge-like

THINNER
W-wet
G-wet
U-fudge-like

WALNUT OIL
W-wet
G-wet
U-fudge-like

SAFFLOWER OIL
W-fudge-like
G-fudge-like
U-almost dry

NEKKID PAINT
W-moist fudge
G-moist fudge
U-like fudge

[Ken Nielsen]

I've got to say, at this point I'm already favoring what WN Artisan calls 'OIL PAINTING MEDIUM.' I don't really know what it is made of, but it seems to keep the paints of all colors workable for a longer period of time. That, plus the fact that it was immediately apparent to me that this medium was making the Artisan WS Oils act most like traditional oils. I had been using WN traditional oils recently and the feeling came back with this medium that I had the traditional oils in my hands. I put a small dab of medium on my brush and worked a few strokes into each color on the palette. It also 'painted down' onto the working surface with that delightful traditional oils feel.

I think Walnut oil, Safflower oil and Stand oil were in close contention for similarity to how the paints came off the brush stroke and were similar to traditional oils. The advantage again, to me in this test, is that the Oil Painting Medium makes the paints stay wet longer, also more like traditional oils.

In close third place for 'paintability like traditionals' was Linseed oil and egads - Gloss Varnish (not that anyone is going to use that) Thinner was also okay for painting but smells horrid.

In last place is Nekkid Paint, it is just too stiff and 'bunches up' into a mount to fight the brush hairs, so you need to work harder or with more authority to teach the stuff to behave. I don't like having to compromise my painting style now after being spoiled by traditional oils.

I am very happy with the result of finding this ARTISAN WATER MIXABLE OIL PAINTING MEDIUM as my choice for winner. Others results may vary.

I would easily choose the THINNER over water to thin the paints.

I will report back after three days drying to tell which, if any, are hanging in there with workable wetness.

Live, from the White Green and Umber spotted carpet,

Ken

[Crystal1]

Verry interesting... So far I have used the W/N Oil Painting Medium, a little bit of the W/N fast dryer, and thinner. It's good, but I like it to dry a little faster. I can only do short painting sessions, due to a bad back, and like it to be dry to touch by the time I come back to it. I used to use Rembrandt oils in the regular oil paints straight from the tube, and W/N has always been too dry for me. It's been discouraging for me using these WMO's, and I'm having trouble forcing myself to paint enough so that I get used to them. I have most of these W/N painting mediums and need to try them all. Your table of mediums has encouaged me. Thanks!

[dragonesse91]

Hi Crystal and Ken-Here is my experience with WMO's Artisan Brand: I paint typically in the "Direct or Alla Prima" method, meaning each painting is done at one go. (Just in case anyone who reads this later doesn't know that...). Any how-I lay out all the colors on a number of either glass palettes (too heavy damaged my arm when I inadvertantly clutched it and painted 30 plus paintings in a month). Or you can use plastic plates or egg crate covers-they are wonderful if cut in half. I set my piece of gessoed Hardbord on my easel get a picture of something I like and start painting. I mix the linseed oil in as I go along-rather haphazardly intermixing more of either linseed oil or color if I am not keeping a bright but buttery-runny batch big enough to keep my painting moving along. I have enough brushes on hand that if I flub and screw two colors into each other as I am going so fast-I can drop that brush-scrape the color off with it onto a separate plate, and move along after mixing up a bit more of my chosen colors. ( I use the 'flub' paint as background on something else!) Also-if I have done a picture (and hate it!) I take a BIG BRUSH and diagonally swipe the paints and turn the picture and swipe it and swipe it until I have a heavy ground, then I just leap back in and paint another picture. Several of my prettiest paintings came about like this. So-even though a few hours went to dust-I came up with a painting I actually really liked!

Another thing I am going to mention I am trying (as of today!) is TILEBORD from Lowe's Hardware Store. My husband cut two sheets of it into 16 20' by 24" pieces-I used regular oil paint mixed with Walnut oil 1 to 1 ratio to prime on the white side of the tilebord. I have my fingers crossed that this will fly-as I am pretty dang tired of applying gesso coats again and again on hardbord since I like to paint at a furious rate and cannot afford that much in materials to keep up the output. (I am trying to build a large enough offering for a one woman show-as I have no local connections and do not intend to even try to build them-I am a loner by choice). Anyway-I hope my experience helps you and I sure do appreciate hearing your experiences! Thanks!!! (I will try to return when I can to tell you whether or not to try Tilebord with a regular Oil paint/Walnut oil medium).

[Ken Nielsen]

That was a great post dragonesse91, very inspiring to hear how you pour energy into the process and the techniques you use are also helpful to know. Thanks for your input on this.

[dragonesse91]

Hi Ken-You are truly nice-thank you very, very much.

I want to update you on the 'TileBord' now. The Walnut oil and REGULAR Oil Paint mixed is staying put! It is almost DRY! (I was afraid I was a hoarder-after watching a show-and went crazy moving out stuff and throwing stuff away! LOL!) I don't JUST paint-I silk paint and metal work and I am into several other things-so I had a loty of STUFF. Well, as I went hurrying to clear detritus. I KNOCKED over some of the Tilebords in my hurry and some I scuffed moving things. I only have the one work room and it is also my writing room, library, cutting table for sewing and dyeing fabrics and my exercise machine and my bookshelves and art storage shelves are in here too along with my jewelry stuff and and, and SO I accidentlaly scuffed some of the drying Tilebords! DANG it! I brushed the worst knicks down and got stray bits off of them and stood them up again to dry. Now they are almost dry all of them. WAHOO! Ok well-that is my 'rattleon' for you tonight Ken-I hope you are enjoying yourself very much and taking care of yourself too! ;D

[Ken Nielsen]

Everything sounds fine in your 'room' but I would completely remove the exercise machine from the room. Put it anywhere else, but not in the 'art' room. I think that would improve everything.

I fretted for months on what would be the best way to let paintings dry. I spent money on lots of things that did not quite solve the problem and I will probably never use. What I did come up with is the best and now my paintings are up high on the wall around my painting room, tipped just a few degrees forward so no dust will settle on them. Basically, I put up a long board about one inch thick and moly-screwed it into the wall (very strong) Then I simply put a pair of long (inches long from the hardware store) of flat -headed wood screws into the wall, but only just enough to hold strongly but also enough of the length sticking out to 'catch' the top edge of the paintings. The screws hurt nothing and there is no way the paintings are going to escape from their hold. I can admire my work, it is out of the way completely and safe (bottom edges rest on the long board next to the wall.) They could stay up there for 60 years, or until they are dry. Just some thoughts and ideas for you since you are so nice and I don't thing you mind me being 'up front' with some ideas you can consider and if you like, fine, if you don't like, just don't use them and we are always friends.

Ken