Home › Forums › The Learning Center › Color Theory and Mixing › Translucent Layers Oil Paint ? How to?
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July 30, 2011 at 9:48 am #989146
Anyone know what medium to use to create layers of translucency in oil painting. I am trying to create an effect of deep invisible layers.
Theresa M. Quirk
http://www.tquirk.com
http://www.quirkworks.comJuly 30, 2011 at 1:38 pm #1151238What do you mean “invisible layers”? Such invisible Medium must have a refractive index 1 which is vacuum or air refractive index.
Most of translucent materials like glass, solvents or polymers have a refractive index from 1,3 to 1,8 and because of it are visible. You can use picture varnish or alkyd varnish or even translucent epoxy resin to make a translucent layer but you can`t reach invisibility in it.July 30, 2011 at 2:44 pm #1151243Remove the canvas and just keep the frame /duck.
Trying to learn painting by watching someone paint is like trying to lose weight by watching the Olympics.
July 30, 2011 at 4:13 pm #1151246Anyone know what medium to use to create layers of translucency in oil painting. I am trying to create an effect of deep invisible layers.
Do a search here at WC for “glaze medium” or “glazing medium” or couch medium / couch. But they are not invisible, really.:)
July 30, 2011 at 11:49 pm #1151244Most of translucent materials like glass, solvents or polymers have a refractive index from 1,3 to 1,8 and because of it are visible.
Do you work in glazes usually Gigalot?
For anyone who cares btw, Acrylic medium (binder, not the paint that is) is around 1.4. The binder needs to be special because you don’t want the pigment to reach the surface underneath or you might as well not glaze at all. And certain pigments won’t work well, the ones with bigger pigments and the ones with high refractive index don’t work well, even if you add big amount of binder to them, you can’t change the pigment size and it would impede the film from drying correctly. Doesn’t mean Acrylic isn’t great for glazing, it’s at least as good as oils, it works the same way except for the binder. I can get the same effect with both.
Trying to learn painting by watching someone paint is like trying to lose weight by watching the Olympics.
July 31, 2011 at 1:46 am #1151245With acrylics and some mediums thrown in. If you add molding paste you can make those slime toys kids play with. I wish I had some fluorescent paint, it’s pretty expensive though.
Trying to learn painting by watching someone paint is like trying to lose weight by watching the Olympics.
July 31, 2011 at 8:43 am #1151239Wow Goldie, it looks great!
Linseed oil has refractive index 20℃)1.4785-1.4840 but can`t use it as much as you wish to make more transparent and thick paint layers.
It turns into a sticky brown paste when dry. Natural resin varnish is easy to crack and not recommended to use it over 5-10 percent in oil paint.
Synthetic alkyd makes good durable and translucent films but oil and alkyd mixed together became matte after drying.
Salvador Dali in his book “Diary of a Genius” said he has a terrific troubles when paint layers lost its brilliancy after drying. After a few experiments I prefer to paint a very thin “watercolor looking” glaze layer as thick layers are unstable.
Acrylic binder is kind of translucent glue and seems to be much better to make thick transparent films I guess.July 31, 2011 at 9:17 am #1151237Beautiful painting, Gigalot!
Salvador Dali in his book “Diary of a Genius” said he has a terrific troubles when paint layers lost its brilliancy after drying. After a few experiments I prefer to paint a very thin “watercolor looking” glaze layer as thick layers are unstable.
Surely this is manageable with some of the techniques that have been discussed over in the Oil Painting forum – oiling out for layers, then using a glossy final varnish over all? I’ve also recently begun adding more linseed oil to my paint, particularly white, and it does make a noticeable difference in the appearance of the dried paint.
Theresa, I think I know the look you’re talking about. I’d go with pigments that are more transparent in oil – or alternating transparent with more opaque layers – perhaps with extra linseed oil added to the paint to improve gloss and increase transparency, followed by that glossy resin final varnish.
My website: http://www.rusticportraits.com
My artwork blog: http://llawrencebispo.wordpress.com
My art materials blog: http://sunsikell.wordpress.comJuly 31, 2011 at 9:34 am #1151236I thank you all for your info. I am worried about putting acrylic on top of my oil painting. I am now trying wax medium to create a “peeking into” effect. Had anyone tried Wax Medium? I have used it before but not to this extent.
Theresa M. Quirk
http://www.tquirk.com
http://www.quirkworks.comJuly 31, 2011 at 11:06 am #1151240Thank you, llawrence!
It is safe to paint acrylic over oil paint but only after complete drying of oil paint layer. It can take a few month or 1 year depends of thickness and paint properties.
August 8, 2011 at 10:45 am #1151247Oil works as excellent material for applying layers of transparent paint.Pigments chosen should be transparent and brightly colored.Care should be taken not to block light.
August 8, 2011 at 10:56 am #1151242I honestly don’t think oils should be used for this. Yes oils can be used transparently to great effect, but it sounds like we are talking about glassy transparent layers of a appreciable thickness here. Rather than putting acrylics over oils, I would go with acrylics all the way. Pure acrylic medium, when dry, appears quite clear and transparent in my experience. I have never used it like this but I think it could work.
August 9, 2011 at 6:03 am #1151241I am totally agree with you, Trond. Thick transparent oil is not an oil!
But I am not going to move to acrylics for many other reasons.Crafty acrylic manufacturers assure us in its constancy? If this is true then better not to do experiments with unknown materials and use trusted acrylic but in the case of an emergency – in the last layer over oil (or on isolated painting area) because of its dangerous rubber looking softness in the underpainting (I remembered Bitumen melting cracks in many 19 centuries paintings.)
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