what is the best way to paint in oils?

[shrinkinviolet]

The only way I can paint with oils, is with knives and then pray very hard I do not get it on my skin!! Because if I do, I’m sick for up to three days. Its the linseed oil in the paints. Azure

Have you tried some of the brands that are ground with walnut oil? I use M Graham and love it.

Judy
"Simplify-Look around-observe See in nature the source of art, of
craftsmanship of truth, of the beautiful"

[aszurblue Citrus Heights California]

Hi Judy, I wanted to use up what I have before trying the M.Graham’s. I read somewhere that someone said they were slick-slidey paint?? I know I love the colors tho’, and can’t wait to try them. Azure

[shrinkinviolet]

Hi Judy, I wanted to use up what I have before trying the M.Graham’s. I read somewhere that someone said they were slick-slidey paint?? I know I love the colors tho’, and can’t wait to try them. Azure

Slick-slidey?? Nope, I don’t think so. I really love them for their buttery consistency as well as the beautiful colors.

Judy
"Simplify-Look around-observe See in nature the source of art, of
craftsmanship of truth, of the beautiful"

[Georgi]

I’ve just sneaked in and poked my head around the corner! I’ve not yet tried oils. I’ve been painting with acrylics, some water colour and graphite drawings. I definitely want to take the plunge this year in oils, banishing my uncertainties!:evil:

You’ve certainly made it easier for me with your most definitive answers! I’ll be adventurous and follow the advices of all of you!:D

Thanks,
Lee:cat:

[aszurblue Citrus Heights California]

Hi Judy, I love your painting and colors that are used.
I was thinking of ordering a warm and cool of each of red,blue,green, yellow and a white, But unsure of which ones. What would you recommend?? Azure

[WFMartin]

Earlier in this thread, a fellow Arizonan, Atapaz, jokingly related her rather indecisive “method” of painting in oil. It seemed to involve intermittant paint applications, followed by “scraping”.

I really must say, I’ve been painting in oils for over 20 years, and don’t believe I have EVER “scraped” the surface of my painting. I’ve never been quite sure–are artists talking about scraping wet paint off, or scraping dried paint off? I’m not sure what tool I would even employ to do this operation, either wet OR dry.

I realize this scraping technique is quite accepted by some, and I’d truly like to know for what purpose one scrapes their painting (I usually paint right over MY mistakes–It IS OIL paint, after all), and how the heck one does it–like what sort of tool, and held in what particular direction or angle?

Perhaps, if I found that it was comparatively easy to do, I might be tempted to use it, once in awhile.

Just curious, I’m afraid.

Bill

wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

[donn_granros]

I paint in layers. That is the only way. I have always said that if everyone were to do exactly as I say the world would be a better place.

Donn Granros

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." --Will Rogers

[rroberts]

I really must say, I’ve been painting in oils for over 20 years, and don’t believe I have EVER “scraped” the surface of my painting. I’ve never been quite sure–are artists talking about scraping wet paint off, or scraping dried paint off? I’m not sure what tool I would even employ to do this operation, either wet OR dry.

I realize this scraping technique is quite accepted by some, and I’d truly like to know for what purpose one scrapes their painting (I usually paint right over MY mistakes–It IS OIL paint, after all), and how the heck one does it–like what sort of tool, and held in what particular direction or angle?

Perhaps, if I found that it was comparatively easy to do, I might be tempted to use it, once in awhile.

Just curious, I’m afraid.

Sometimes referred to as sgraffito, you can scrape wet or dry paint for varying effects. One such effect is to reveal an underneath color.

Tools for scraping wet paint would include the tail end of a brush or anything similar you can imagine or that does the job for the effect you want.

There are tools for scraping dry paint (see below). Maybe you just want to carefully remove or reduce an unwanted paint ridge. Maybe you want to scrape away an entire section of paint, or re-purpose a canvas. In his book Problem Solving For Oil Painters, there are a couple of examples where Gregg Kreutz has very effectively utilized scraped-down areas of re-purposed canvases to lend textural effects for buildings, allowing portions of the scraped section to remain visible.

cheers!

-- Robert

[loop]

Earlier in this thread, a fellow Arizonan, Atapaz, jokingly related her rather indecisive “method” of painting in oil. It seemed to involve intermittant paint applications, followed by “scraping”.

I really must say, I’ve been painting in oils for over 20 years, and don’t believe I have EVER “scraped” the surface of my painting. I’ve never been quite sure–are artists talking about scraping wet paint off, or scraping dried paint off? I’m not sure what tool I would even employ to do this operation, either wet OR dry.

I realize this scraping technique is quite accepted by some, and I’d truly like to know for what purpose one scrapes their painting (I usually paint right over MY mistakes–It IS OIL paint, after all), and how the heck one does it–like what sort of tool, and held in what particular direction or angle?

Perhaps, if I found that it was comparatively easy to do, I might be tempted to use it, once in awhile.

Just curious, I’m afraid.

Bill

I have scraped ,with a palett knive, wet paint off, sometimes the painting just gets away and there is too much buildup to keep painting, you can let it dry, or scrape it off. I first discovered the power of the scrape, when I wanted to clean my panel for a different painting, I scraped the entire (wet)painting away and what was left was amazing, it was a ghost of my image(it looked better than the painting). It would make a great underpainting to build on and the paint was (obviously) whisper thin. as for direction… I had no expectations as I just wanted to clean my panel and did it rather haphazardly, but the outcome was , as I said “amazing”. Try it sometime as an experiment

my BLOG
"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great" - John D. Rockefeller
"even when you win the rat race you're still a rat" - Joan Collins

[Moosehead]

Hi Bill. I have scraped with the best of them -but only when it is still wet. I do it for two reasons-1 to get rid of texture, and 2-to avoid contamination from the wet layer in the “new” paint (so I scrape, and then wipe). In other words-if I am impatient.:D

As you say, if painted without much texture then you can just paint over top, if you have the patience to wait for it to dry.

[12777]

I usually scrape out of agravation and diapointment. At times I scrape to avoid mixing wet color. The most wonderful use I ever saw of the technique was by Thomas Wilmer Dewing. I had a chance to see one particular work of his at Stanford a year or two back. Lady in White #2. The only image I find online is from the Smithsonian and poor quality. What was amazing was that the area over the vase in front of the sugject was the same value as the area behind her. The light was from the front of the subject and that area was painted opaquely. The area behind her had obviously been painted and scraped down leaving a ghostly impression. While the scraped part was the same value while standing 10 feet away, the texture pushed it back and the flat opaque areas came forward. I must have studied that thing for a hour. Very cool.

Steve

[kazucks]

This is a very interesting question, because basically it calls for the advantages and disadvantages of a set procedure. I really don’t have an answer to this question but I spend a lot of time thinking about this and working on a better procedure. I have used many different combinations of layering in the overpainting and underpainting phases. I have used grissaille (black and white underpainting), wipeouts, progressive wipeouts, two tone underpaintings, imprimateurs. I have tried most types of underpaintings that have some internal logic to them. Underpainting is excellent for figurative work, particularly grissaille or monotone underpainting in that you can get the form correct to avoid correcting the hue and chroma as well. You only have to correct the form using value. Even though my paintings are composed of many, many layers, I would agree with those that have said that alla prima painting is more complex and more demanding. The possibility of making mud and cruddy looking forms is enhanced if you are not a master of alla prima control. This being said, I enjoy layered painting and understand the control that is inherent in it, but I don’t like the surfaces that this creates. I have been experimenting recently with increased texture in the underpainting (to change the uniform and smooth surface) and working on sanding and abrading some of the initial layers. I have used many kinds of mediums for overpainting but now mediums seem to contribute to an overly smooth surface. I find full alla prima painting too limiting in it’s potential but also am not happy with the translucent overpainting phase of layering. So I have no answers. I know what I don’t really like but have not come across a working technique that fully embraces the full range of expression that I am striving for. I am including an image of my work for reference. It was produced in a layered technique.

Best Wishes, Kazucks

[WFMartin]

Wow. Thank you, to all you “scrapers”. I appreciate your comments regarding the scraping process. I already knew that many oil painters did this, and often as a pre-planned technique, rather than out of desperation, as some are prone to do.

Thanks for your answers!

Bill

wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

[carla_perfecto]

i get the same exact feeling sometimes!!!

paint your first layer and you think that your all set…then comes the second layer and you wish you had just stopped at first…then i scrape it off hoping to undo the misdeed..but there you have it..then i ask myself, do i really want to do this for the rest of my life…to get frustrated everytime? i never really answer myself..but i just continue painting…until i think the piece is done…thus answering my question..yes, i do…

i like finishing my piece in one go…at least most of it in one sitting…well two if you count the underpainting…can’t imagine painting over several weeks let alone months…

[eohippus]

I sure can relate to that approach!
Bonnie Gruenberg

[Author]

Posts