Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Does anyone use Casein paint?

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20413
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7157
Posted
Having a fairly long period of reflection - needed because of my mental health condition, which benefits from periods of doing sweet sod all for a while - I've been lurking around YouTube, and watching other people do some work.  Always satisfying..... I've found a Cornish-based artist named Andrew Barrowman, who normally uses oils - which is why I sought him out - but also uses Casein paint: a milk-based paint, made in the USA, which was very popular there (for animation, and for design work for print) and became somewhat less so with the advent of acrylic.  Seeing what he can do with it has awakened my interest - it has similarities to gouache, and to acrylic and oil - but sufficient difference from them to make it a prospect worth trying. Before I take a plunge into my bank account though - never a popular activity here at the Batcave - I'd be very interested to read of anyone else's experience with it, particularly if they use it regularly or often.  I've got gouache, watercolour, acrylic, and oil - pen and ink, pencils regular, charcoal and carbon, conté crayon, Chinese ink: and I admit - you'd think that'd be enough, particularly given my work-rate is a fraction of what it once was; but I'm sufficiently curious to give it a go, liking the subtlety that Andrew Barrowman achieves with it.   Do by all means tell me if you think I'm just procrastinating - looking for something new to make up for not doing a lot with the materials I've already got: I know I can do that, and sometimes need to be told!  I shall not take it amiss, particularly as that would save me money.....

Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA

Tessa Gwynne

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 6707
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 2634
Posted
How interesting, milk based paints! I’ve never heard of them Robert, so naturally looked them up and learned that the dried paint film is inflexible and brittle, therefore not suitable for heavy impasto work or flexible supports such as canvas. Otherwise usable on canvas boards etc.. I think most of us have acquired a stash of different media/mediums, some rarely touched, but always fun to try something new!  I did just have a peep at Barrowman’s work and rather like his landscapes, also his charcoal and graphite drawings. Could be one for Dixie’s list. I have the feeling you will make your own mind up on this, whatever we say! Hope you have a better day today. X

Alan Bickley

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 9085
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 3434
Posted
Yes I do Robert, but in addition to my watercolours rather than a complete painting using casein. Pelikan Plaka is the stuff, it comes in small 50ml jars with airtight lids, important because they will dry out if exposed to air for unlimited periods. Rowland Hilder used it, and that’s how I first learned of it back in the eighties! They only had a small handful of colours back then, but they were the useful earth tones which were perfect for landscape work. Now the range is more extensive although many of these colours aren’t of any significance certainly for myself… The consistency of the bottles (obviously water based) is smooth and easy to apply, and dries quickly to a flat surface, excellent and sits well alongside watercolours. There’s a white in the range of course, which is excellent for mixing small areas of body colour in a landscape, something Hilder did repeatedly! Just to add… it’s waterproof, so you can lay a colour down and work over it with repeated washes if you so desire… 

Edited
by Alan Bickley

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20413
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7157
Posted
I hadn't thought of the Plaka range - the only casein I'd seen is imported from two manufacturers in the US.  Shall investigate further!  Thanks for the advice. 

Alan Bickley

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 9085
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 3434
Posted
This is the stuff…

Jeannie Johnson

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1
Posted
I do!  I was given some several years back and I absolutely love them!  Here is my first picture I did with them.  Of course I did it on canvas not realizing that I probably should have done it on a board but so far it has held up.  This is my first real painting.  Reference photo used by permission from Michael Christoff Photography. 

Edited
by Jeannie Johnson

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20413
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7157
Posted
That's a fine painting, and you have rekindled my interest in the original question.  I backed away from the cost at the time. I thought I'd commented earlier, but that was when I'd only just crawled out of bed and it seems I forgot to save it: I tried to assuage any concern you had about the painting's longevity, saying that provided the canvas tension was maintained, the painting should be OK: I would add to that - if you have any concerns about it cracking, you could mount the canvas on a rigid board.