The topic of student’s oils vs. artists oils comes up again and again in my classes, so this is an attempt to de-mystify selecting oil paints. Let’s look at the main differences between Artist and student oils: Oil paints are made up of pigment, oil and binder (and sometimes filler). You can make similar colours using cheaper, often synthetic pigments (although some synthetic pigments are fantastic); and you can use cheaper oils and binders/fillers to bulk the paint out, meaning that you … [Read more...]
A few more frames
I have now chosen a few more frames for my skies, large still-life paintings and tiny tree paintings. The sky paintings are 20cm x 20cm and I have flat contemporary frames, with a deep bevel. The frames are 7cm wide. I would describe these frames as 'crisp'. My little tree paintings, 10cm x 10cm needed to keep their sense of miniaturism. The paint is textured and applied really thickly, with delicious globs of pigment. The cradled frames are about 5mm wide on top and 2cm deep on the … [Read more...]
Customised frames for oil paintings
Some people varnish their oil paintings to protect then from dust and grease; some people put glass over their work. Most artists these days take their chances. I varnished my paintings once and so hated the gloss, that I removed it again a week later. Varnish is meant to be removable. And nowadays there is a new kind of glass called Artglass that has no reflection at all and is invisible. But it will raise the cost of the framing! A lot! The painting should not touch the glass, so a special … [Read more...]
Framing oil paintings
Oils are so much easier to frame than other artworks, because they don't have to have glass or mounts. There are several options to consider with framing: If the oil painting is on stretched canvas, especially if it is deep, or if it is on board with a deep edge, you can 'get away' without a frame. Having said that, a frame almost always makes it look even nicer and protects the edges. However, large works cost a lot to frame properly and this has to be built into the selling price. If you … [Read more...]
Reflections – My year in paintings 2016: part 4
I am looking back at my creative year and goal setting for 2017. This is helping me keep track of the way my work is trending. I'm very keen to work at contemporary landscape this year and with this in mind, took numerous photos of one of our daily views which I titled 'The Lone Tree' - actually an isolated clump of trees on a large hill, or barrow. The site is called Brightwater Barrow and it is next to Wittenham Clumps. My format for this series will probably all be square with a 'Big … [Read more...]
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