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Message
Posted
There are two advantages to water miscible oils: one is that they tend to be cheaper than regular oil paints (which does ring an alarm bell in the back of my mind: WHY are they cheaper?), the other is that they're rather easier to clean up after use. Though I don't really think there's much in it.
If asked - and I wasn't, I know! - I would say to those who use water 'soluble' oils, why don't you try regular oils, with better quality pigments? I know they're more expensive, and if that's your reason for avoiding them, well of course I understand. If you're avoiding them because you can't be doing with the smell or hazard of solvents, though - there's a simple answer to that: don't use solvents. I do always have a bottle of Turps stowed away, just in case; but I don't use Turps or any Turps substitute in the painting process. It was a great discovery for me to find I just didn't need it - or Liquin, or any other foul-smelling brew. A little Linseed Oil is usually enough to get paint moving about; and many paints have more than enough oil in the tube to make them workable anyway.
I know of a very good painter who uses water-miscibles, and can't criticize his paintings for not being strong enough: but I did find the Artisan range rather under-pigmented, on the whole, and so had to use more of it to overcome that - to an extent at least. Each to their own, though, and provided you're not using Bob Ross paints ....
Posted
I have not heard of Artisan, as they are not available around here. I tend to stay away from ordering from Amazon, as the customs are almost a quarter of the price of the product.
I use Mont Marte's water mixable oil paints, and they were not cheaper than Mont Marte's regular oil paints. As you can see on this website, it's quite the other way around. A 37 ml tube of water mixable oil paint is the same price as a 75 ml tube of regular oil paint.
Do you have any advice on cleaning the brushes from regular oil paint without using turpentine?
Later edit: Never mind about the Artisan statement. I just did another online search and found out that they are indeed available in my country. I just didn't know that it was the name of a series produced by the Winsor & Newton brand. Artisan seems to be even more expensive than Mont Marte's water mixable paints.
Edited
by Lucian Hodoboc
Posted
If asked - and I wasn't, I know! - I would say to those who use water 'soluble' oils, why don't you try regular oils, with better quality pigments? I know they're more expensive, and if that's your reason for avoiding them, well of course I understand. If you're avoiding them because you can't be doing with the smell or hazard of solvents, though - there's a simple answer to that: don't use solvents. I do always have a bottle of Turps stowed away, just in case; but I don't use Turps or any Turps substitute in the painting process. It was a great discovery for me to find I just didn't need it - or Liquin, or any other foul-smelling brew. A little Linseed Oil is usually enough to get paint moving about; and many paints have more than enough oil in the tube to make them workable anyway.
Posted
I've never tried regular oils, Robert and started to use water soluable/mixable ones as they are the only ones allowed by the Art group I attend; I think this is because the tutor believes they are more difficult to clear up. We have a small kitchen area and at the end of a session there are many people around one sink! We also have some very messy painters who can transfer paint here and there!
Having gone to the expense of buying Artisan oils, I am getting to grips with them and don't want to go to the expense of replacing them just now. I suppose Artisan could be described as 'student quality' and there must be many more quality oil paints professionals use. Is there a brand you would recommend, just in case I get a lottery win? :)
Posted
Welcome Cordelia! I’ve been meaning to try water-based oils for a while but I’ve got a ridiculous stock of the normal stuff and can’t bring myself to buy even more :) I’ve also considered acrylics but was put off by their transparency the first time I tried them. Love your tiger by the way, so full of life!
Posted
Thank you, Anthony and I know what you mean about having so much to choose from. I do love acrylics and use Daley Rowney System 3, some of the cheaper brands can be very transparent, especially some reds and ultramarine blue. Acrylics do dry fast and I find this an advantage as I can paint over what I want to change and don't need to scrape off paint. They can also be used very thinned down and can behave almost like watercolour paint.
Posted
Just to add to the confusion of which paints to use, I use acrylics, water soluble oils and ordinary oils, sometimes all in the same painting. I usually start with an acrylic underpainting as it dries so fast. (Daler Rowney Heavy body for opaqueness) Then water soluble oils, which tends to be a bit thin. Then if it needs a bit of texture or thick paint I go to regular oils. Water soluble oils do mix with regular oils if necessary. Then clean up with Zest-it, to avoid the smelly toxic solvents, which are not allowed in my art group either.
Posted
Thank you, Linda and that's good to know. I knew about having an acrylic underpainting but didn't know about mixing water soluable with regular oils. Or painting with regular oils on top of water soluable. I've been painting with water soluable oils on an canvas board and found it takes a lot longer to dry than on a stretched canvas, I can see why now.
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