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Water mixable oils
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Message
Posted
Hello everyone. Ive been trying to us these water mixable oils thinking they would be better than the traditional one. Which is my preferred medium. I found that they dont mix very easy or load on my brush as i wish. Try to blend with other colours oh no. Or create shades . Im I the only one having this problem? I have almost completed my painting but not to happy with result. Id appreciate anyones thoughts.
Posted
Lesley, I have tried water mixable oils in the past and found them to be very much like "real" oils. The main advantage I see in them is that they are almost odourless and you use water instead of turps. Other than that they take as long to dry, they blend like oils, and they look like oils.
You may also want to take a look at a similar thread on this forum where you will find lots of information and videos on the subject http://www.painters-online.co.uk/forum/Topic58442.aspx?Keywords=mixable
Edited
by landscapeart
Posted
The downsides: under-pigmented paint; the manufacturers are extremely coy about revealing the detailed contents, and the composition of their modified oils - and advise, apparently, against mixing water miscible brands - because they don't know what's in their rivals' oil vehicles: yes, 'modified' Linseed Oil, but modified with what?; the paint (this might be why you have mixing problems) isn't so much soluble in water, as capable of being mixed with it; and we have no idea at all how they're going to perform over the long term: they might be absolutely fine, and better than traditional paints without lead whites - paint with lead is another subject - or they might not. They've not been around long enough for anyone to be sure.
The upsides: no fumes; easy clean-up; less toxic - (no oil-based paint can honestly be described as non-toxic). To be honest, I'm struggling to think of any others, but these will be significant for people who can't tolerate mineral spirits or turpentine, or whose partners can't. I've not used them often - I tried the Grumbacher brand, who were one of the pioneers of water miscible oils, and would tell you how that painting held up, but for the fact that I lost it some years ago .... helpful, eh...? I also have a few tubes of Artisan oil, which I've not used as water-based paint, I've mixed it with regular oils which the manufacturers say is safe to do; I found those colours somewhat muted, but then that was what I was after at the time. I don't recall any great difficulty mixing them with my usual paint.
A very good painter here on the Isle of Wight, Anne Toms, who is very environmentally-conscious, tried the water-miscible oils for some time, but I know has reverted to regular oils because, presumably, she couldn't get the working properties and depth of colour she needs from the former. On the other hand, Murray Ince, who is a regular contributor here and yet another rotten rival, I mean artist, on the island always uses the Artisan range and is an ambassador for them, because his partner can't stand the stink of regular oils and their solvents - and he certainly produces some fine paintings with them.
As for me - well, I don't like them, because they don't have the depth of colour I want, and I'm concerned about the long term (even though I realize my paintings might not HAVE a long term, whatever they're painted with): so ... you takes yer choice. Mine is not to use them, but then I don't (yet) have issues with allergic reactions.
Posted
Reeves WERE a good company - they've been around a very long time, i.e. over 100 years at the very least; but they did seem to undergo a bit of a dip in quality and cater for the hobby/student market in more recent years. Even so, I used to use their oils and found them of good quality - and hope they still are. There are several brands apart from Reeves: Cobra, Artisan (from Winsor and Newton), Daniel Smith (new range), and Holbein - and did I see Jackson's and/or Ken Bromley offering their own water-based oils a little while ago? I think I did, and am not imagining it. So the choice is there - I would suggest you stick to one brand, though, just to avoid the possibility of adverse chemical reactions between differently formulated oils. Or at least, don't mix them up.
I honestly doubt that you'd come to any huge grief if you DID mix 'em up, but this is the advice at least one of the manufacturers has given, and there's no point asking for trouble.
Posted
Hi Lesley, I spent most of yesterday painting with water soluble oils (artisan) and I find them to be very good. I used them neat although you can use linseed or walnut oil with them or liquin to quicken their drying time but I do find that they dry quickly anyway.
They do tend to dry with a Matt sheen but I do prefer that to a shiny sheen.
i am aware that I haven't stored my oils that well this year, leaving them in my shed/studio which gets very hot this time of year but they seemed as good as new and I've had them for at least ten years as I haven't painted many in oils for a while.
Keep persevering, definitely better pongs in the atmosphere from them rather than being haunted by that turpy, oily aroma that seems to hang around forever with the natural oils.
All the best
Sarah Bottjer