Loose Oils

[ShannonTeague]

Hiya everyone,

I looked around for this information for a while but I didn't find a thread that addressed it fully.

My question is, could anyone offer an opinion on what artist quality brand has the most loose paint straight out of the tube? I have a serious dislike for a thick paint (that almost drove me away from oils because I was using a very thick paint) and would like to get a brand that will require little or no walnut oil to thin for detail painting. (I don't use any toxic solvents). In a few threads Rembrandt was mentioned as being very loose? Any others?

I'd appreciate any advice you'd care to offer.

Thanks!

[buraky]

maimeri classico

[NancyMP]

Vasari is just right. Not too thick, and not so loose it floats in oil.

[boomerbeach]

"...would like to get a brand that will require little or no walnut oil to thin for detail painting. (I don't use any toxic solvents)."
As noted above, you don't care for toxics and already seem familiar with walnut oil medium, therefore, you might try some M. Graham paints. My experience is limited with M. Graham, only recently buying two tubes and finding them very creamy and easy to work with. I am considering more of same and appreciate their marketing info on "non-toxic" product.

[Einion]

Talens Rembrandt was the first one I thought of Shannon, you might like to also do a search for comments from gunzorro about the Permalba range from Weber and the Rublev paints from Natural Pigments.

Not sure about how consistent any of these are in terms of stiffness though, Rembrandt for example definitely varies a bit from colour to colour or batch to batch.

Einion

[gunzorro]

That's tough to call! Most people don't want oily/oil-rich paints and prefer to thin them to the desired consistency.

I agree with Einion: Rembrandt is the first one I think of.

Nancy is right -- Vasari is quite low in viscosity and easy to work.

As Boomer said, you could try M. Graham.

Not too much else along that line. Sorry I can do more than confirm what you've already gotten as good advice.

[Dharma_bum]

I think you would like Graham, and if necessary, could use his walnut/alkyd medium, which contains no solvent.

Dan

[llawrence]

Rublev

[sidbledsoe]

The first paint to select for consistency consideration is your white. White is the most used in terms of volume so with a loose white you are way ahead from the start and your colors can be thicker, in general.
I pick a regular titanium white such as Permalba that is already creamy. Then I add a soft mixing white to it half and half. This mix is as loose as I would want a paint. Graham's titanium white in walnut oil is the slickest loosest regular titanium I have used yet, right out of the tube. I have tilted my palette and had it slide off on to the floor.
Looser paint brands I have used are Graham, Rembrandt, Grumbacher.
No matter what paint you have now or how thick it is, you can always precondition it by adding some oil and mixing with a palette knife before painting.

[ShannonTeague]

Many thanks everyone. That's definitely what I need to make my decision. I'm going to give each of the mentioned brands a try.

[Roisin]

Try Art Spectrum if you can get them... nice creamy and loose paints.

[ShannonTeague]

Hi Laura,

Thanks for the recommendation. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they are easily obtained in the US.

[Crystal1]

Shannon, I think you mentioned before that you really liked Grambacher oil colors. They are probably just as fluid, if not more fluid than some of the other paints mentioned. For some reason Grambacher has not been as popular as it used to be, but it is still a good artist grade paint. If you're happy with Grambacher, there's really no need to change paints. By the way, even though Talens Rembrandt is my favorite oil paint, it is not as fluid as Grambacher.
Have fun painting.

[ShannonTeague]

Thanks for the advice Crystal. I'll probably end up testing the other brands just to satisfy my curiosity but Grumbacher will probably be the brand I fill my palette out with initially. So far I've been very pleased with it.

[stapeliad]

I also agree with the comments on Vasari- it is the softest consistency paint i have used that retains really strong tinting strength and coverage. A little goes a long way. If you are primarily glazing a tube will last you forever.