Filling pans with tube paint

sidbledsoe · #1 08-09-2012, 09:30 AM

Ok, I have read the threads about this topic and I have some WN Artists paints that I want to put in a folding tray. I am reading that because of their formulation that they don't rewet as nice and easy as say the Grahams do.
Ok so I have plenty of glycerine, or I can go get some gum arabic too.
What I want to know is what is the best thing to use to add to these dollops so that they rewet, and also, how much do you need to add?
WN tubes are 5 ml total. Let's say I squeeze out a dollop that is the size of about 2 mL. How many drops would be a good amount and how many would be too much. If you have any volume I can probably convert it to what I need. Thanks for any suggs!

**Yorky** · #2 08-09-2012, 09:54 AM

I find my W&N watercolours rewet easily, I just wet the paints before I start to use them. You don't want them too runny if you are going to fold and transport your palette. I would fill them, leaving a slight depression in each then leave the palette open overnight for them to dry. I had trouble with M Graham paints, they did not set and ran all over the palette when folded.

Doug

virgil carter · #3 08-09-2012, 10:09 AM

When I contacted W&N they stated that the formulation of their pan and tube paints is slightly different, such that the pan paints rewet a bit easier than their tube paints. No other manufacturer that I know of distinguishes between their tube and pan formulas (if they make pans).

That said, Doug's advice is good: just spritz or wet the tube paints in their pans and let them saturate a bit before use.

Paints using honey as an ingredient, such as M. Grahram and Sennelier, stay moist in the palette, but this is a mixed blessing which has it up and down sides. The advantage is that these paints normally mix easily and apply with a high paint to water ratio. But paints from other manufacturers also mix easily with high saturation when damp and/or frest from the tube.

The downside of honey-based paints is that they have a tendenacy to run in closed palettes, from well/pan to well/pan, intermixing various paints and filling the mixing areas--particularly on warm/hot days and when the palette is carried in other than a perfectly horizontal position.

Different strokes for different folks.
Sling paint!
Virgil

CreativelyMe · #4 08-09-2012, 10:29 AM

I think, at least with the M. Graham paints, that they will either dry or not dry up, depending on where you live and the humidity. I live in Southern, Oregon. We lower in our humidity, especially in summer, it actually gets very hot here. But my M. Graham paints completely dry up, in my palette. All I have to do is mist them with water, a few minutes before I want to paint. I know you didn't ask about this, but thought I would put it out there, incase others are wondering what the M. Graham paints do in a dryer area. I haven't had them during winter yet, as I didn't start painting until Spring time. I do remember they still dried some, and didn't run all over the tray, but weren't as hard dry, as they are now.

sidbledsoe · #5 08-09-2012, 10:29 AM

Thanks Doug and Virg and Lisa!
I would probably rather not add anything so I will go ahead and put some small dollops in there to dry and see how it works, as Doug says it works ok for him. I have a little spray water bottle and I guess you guys just give it a mist before using?

FLNH · #6 08-09-2012, 10:33 AM

I have done what Doug says for many years with no problems with W&N; I like a little spritz with water. Some pigments, such as cerulean blue, will cake more than others; but still a minor,not major problem.

sidbledsoe · #7 08-09-2012, 10:35 AM

Thanks Karl, this is good to know, I didn't want to mess up and waste my costly WN paints by doing the wrong thing.

**Yorky** · #8 08-09-2012, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Some pigments, such as cerulean blue, will cake more than others; but still a minor,not major problem.

Yes, I find Burnt Umber is the chief culprit, but as I use it often to mix greys iy keeps moist.

Doug

sidbledsoe · #9 08-09-2012, 11:19 AM

thanks Douglas, any and all info is very good!

Marcio C · #10 08-09-2012, 11:20 AM

I've had good results with adding a drop or two of glycerin to non-honey tube paint, and I live in a very dry climate, but take my paints with me to other states too.
I use M Graham and have only had problems with spill with two colors: cobalt violet and cobalt teal... all other colors have stayed in place.

Brindle · #11 08-09-2012, 11:33 AM

Here in VA, it's fairly humid in summer. Even in my air-conditioned house, M. Graham paints squeezed into full pans or the small jars I use typically have to sit out for several days...sometimes more than a week...before they set up well enough to trust for transport. And if I get them too wet while painting plein air or sketching on location, they must be handled with care and not tipped on the way home or I will have paint all over the place.

Despite this inconvenience, I do love M Graham paints. They are so reliably rich and juicy! So it's worth some extra effort to be more careful with them when I'm transporting palettes that contain them.

baeserj · #12 08-09-2012, 12:30 PM

I have put American Journey (Da Vinci) tubes in a palette. The main problem I had is that some of them dried out if I didn’t use them for a while. I had one palette that had the cakes fall out if I stored it on its side.
Lately I have used Daniel Smith paints in a folding palette with great results. Someone had suggested putting a paper towel on top of the pans when transporting the palette. That prevents the damp paint from mixing with its neighbor!. Then I remove it when I get home.
As mentioned above, I also either spritz the pan I plan on using or add a few drops of water. It all works great.

sidbledsoe · #13 08-09-2012, 01:06 PM

very nice to have all these tips coming in, thanks a lot.

StephJBee · #14 08-09-2012, 01:10 PM

My situation is the same as Lisa's. I live in California and there's very little humidity here, so W&N paints dry rock-solid and I can't moisten them at all, no matter how much water I add or how long I let it sit in the wells. M. Graham paints are perfect though; they dry solid but I can re-wet them easily. I've had good luck with Daniel Smith too, though it seems to vary a bit based on the pigment.

Basically, take the advice here with a grain of salt, because it can vary quite a bit based on where you live. I struggled with W&N paints for a long time because no one else seemed to have a problem re-wetting them and I thought I was just doing something wrong.

sidbledsoe · #15 08-09-2012, 01:28 PM

Ok, this info is coming together nicely, I live in Maryland, not that far from the coast and mostly it is above average humidity but it can vary seasonally. So I should give it a good try out and if I do run into a problem rewetting then maybe I should add the drop or two of glycerine like Marcio does. I am determined to use these WN artists in pans because of the way I like to paint.

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