Don't get overwhelmed by all the fancy stuff you will find in the painting section of the art store! There are always going to be fancy products that come with fancy price tags (read: overly expensive). Walking down the aisle without knowing what you're getting yourself into can become a lot to take on! I remember when I was getting started with oil paints, seeing all the different oils and solvents was like reading an ancient language that I had never heard of before. I'd consult the internet and books on which products to use, but then I realized something, each recommendation was originally coming from some other artist... and it turns out that each of them essentially have a different idea of what works for them and their work. It really had come down to the moment of truth when I started to mix my own mediums and started to realize what was working for ME and the work that I WAS DOING! Experiences are what make us grow. Each piece of artwork is a growth opportunity and should be taken as such. Start simple. Simple ways to get into oils are starting with acrylics and understanding what it is like to have your paint dry within minutes. Traditional oil is a different beast and will dry much slower, but if you want it to dry faster/slower/shiny/matte/texturized/etc., there is HUGE selection of options and Google seems to offer the answer to just about anything now-a-days. So start small, get a couple items you research via web or books, yes, you can still find things in books, and get painting. You'll find out sooner or later what works for you and what doesn't.
In most of my oil paintings to date, I've enjoyed using Galkyd Lite as my medium of choice which in most cases I end up mixing directly with the paint. It typically dries overnight and adds a high gloss to the finish. I've been getting creative with the medium concoctions lately, adding stand oil and poppy oil to play with the drying time and making the paint more fluid. If I could explain the way the oil paint with medium feels under the bristles of my brush with words, I would... for lack of better words, it is "awesome" and complete satisfaction; enough of a reason alone to keep painting!
Keep Painting Painters! You too can enjoy that sensation... today!
-Joshua Grabowski
Showing posts with label painter's mistakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label painter's mistakes. Show all posts
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Painter's Mistakes takes on New Name!
Last Monday I decided to start including a blog post about some type of mistake novice painters might make, sharing my wealth of knowledge to those who may not know what I know (and hopefully inspiring others who are reading that know more than I do to in turn share with me!). I've decided that instead of limiting it to "mistakes" that I will just make it "Monday Painting Painter Wisdom" or something else catchy, suggestions anyone?
Anyways, my advice/tip/whatever-you-want-to-call-it for today is, plastic wrap! This is a must have in the studio! Unless you are working with small palettes that you use in one day, you will most likely have paint left over and the easiest way to not waste the left over paint is to simply cover it with plastic wrap. Simple! Cheap! Disposable! The next day, just peel off, toss in garbage (or get crafty and make a collage or something), and paint. :) If working with acrylics, you might want to spray with a water bottle to add some moisture to paint and give the plastic wrap a little something extra to stick to. When working with oils, you just want to make sure that the big globs of paint are secure under the wrap. Chances are, when working with oils, you will have to worry less about it drying out overnight, but if you don't plan to be back to work for a couple days it is just nice to know your paint is protected from dust aside from the drying issue. I'm still a firm believer in disposable palettes which are very similar to wax paper. They make a huge selection of options including some shaped like a traditional hand-held palette with a thumb hole. You can pick up a pack of sheets at most craft stores carrying oil paint supplies for under or around $10.
Again, the best advice I can offer is just trying things out. Jumping into it yourself will show you what works best for you.
-Joshua Grabowski
Anyways, my advice/tip/whatever-you-want-to-call-it for today is, plastic wrap! This is a must have in the studio! Unless you are working with small palettes that you use in one day, you will most likely have paint left over and the easiest way to not waste the left over paint is to simply cover it with plastic wrap. Simple! Cheap! Disposable! The next day, just peel off, toss in garbage (or get crafty and make a collage or something), and paint. :) If working with acrylics, you might want to spray with a water bottle to add some moisture to paint and give the plastic wrap a little something extra to stick to. When working with oils, you just want to make sure that the big globs of paint are secure under the wrap. Chances are, when working with oils, you will have to worry less about it drying out overnight, but if you don't plan to be back to work for a couple days it is just nice to know your paint is protected from dust aside from the drying issue. I'm still a firm believer in disposable palettes which are very similar to wax paper. They make a huge selection of options including some shaped like a traditional hand-held palette with a thumb hole. You can pick up a pack of sheets at most craft stores carrying oil paint supplies for under or around $10.
Again, the best advice I can offer is just trying things out. Jumping into it yourself will show you what works best for you.
-Joshua Grabowski
Monday, June 14, 2010
Painter's Mistakes
Recently I have been getting emails and messages from fellow artists looking for advice in oil painting. Since I enjoy writing about my "craft," I figure I can post tips on my blog regularly (which will keep me up on my game anyways). So here it goes:
Mistake No. 1 - Cheap Brushes
When starting out with painting, you may think that most brushes are the same. Walking through the aisle of the art supply store seeing high price tags on some brushes might just seem silly when there is an economy pack on the end cap with 10 brushes and a neat-o little plastic holder for $9.99... but please, don't think these value brushes are anywhere near the same as the more expensive brushes (this also applies to most all materials, but this post is particularly about brushes - stay on track, josh!). Shell out a little bit of money for nicer brushes, it will be worth it. Shown below, I've posted a picture of bristles in my paint! How frustrating! I actually think that the culprit here was excessive shedding from my head (notice the dark color compared to the white bristles), but non the less... hair/bristles in your paint makes a poor quality piece - that also means all you pet owners out there should be cautious too!
I've found that the more that you work, the more that you will realize that you have favorite brushes. My favorites have been with me for quite a while now and I think that has something to do with taking care of my brushes! Treat them well, and they will treat you well - and last long! My best advice to easy cleaning and care for your brushes is a combination of Silicoil Brush Cleaner Tank, followed by Ugly Dog Brush Soap (click links to purchase). Rinse well, then apply a small amount to the bristles again and reshape the brush back to the correct shape. I store the brushes bristle up to air dry over night.
Hope some of this advice can pay off to someone out there. I'll try to make this "Painter's Mistake" thing a regular weekly post... I have plenty of mistakes I've made to share! Paint on, painters!
-Joshua Grabowski
Mistake No. 1 - Cheap Brushes
When starting out with painting, you may think that most brushes are the same. Walking through the aisle of the art supply store seeing high price tags on some brushes might just seem silly when there is an economy pack on the end cap with 10 brushes and a neat-o little plastic holder for $9.99... but please, don't think these value brushes are anywhere near the same as the more expensive brushes (this also applies to most all materials, but this post is particularly about brushes - stay on track, josh!). Shell out a little bit of money for nicer brushes, it will be worth it. Shown below, I've posted a picture of bristles in my paint! How frustrating! I actually think that the culprit here was excessive shedding from my head (notice the dark color compared to the white bristles), but non the less... hair/bristles in your paint makes a poor quality piece - that also means all you pet owners out there should be cautious too!
I've found that the more that you work, the more that you will realize that you have favorite brushes. My favorites have been with me for quite a while now and I think that has something to do with taking care of my brushes! Treat them well, and they will treat you well - and last long! My best advice to easy cleaning and care for your brushes is a combination of Silicoil Brush Cleaner Tank, followed by Ugly Dog Brush Soap (click links to purchase). Rinse well, then apply a small amount to the bristles again and reshape the brush back to the correct shape. I store the brushes bristle up to air dry over night.
Hope some of this advice can pay off to someone out there. I'll try to make this "Painter's Mistake" thing a regular weekly post... I have plenty of mistakes I've made to share! Paint on, painters!
-Joshua Grabowski
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