Here’s a page to post questions in the comments (below—scroll down). If you post a question about painting or other issue relevant to the subject matter at All the Strange Hours, I’ll try to answer.
Obviously, I am quite stump-able, as the first question demonstrates. But if you have a question, please feel free to post it here. If you are a reader and you have a good answer to someone’s question, please post. It’s not exactly a forum, but it will do for now.
Caveat
You can find many people, like me, who give out free art advice on the internet. I think I mostly know what I’m talking about, but there is no reason why you should take my word for anything. For all you know, I could be a clueless blowhard.
Never take anything I or anyone else says about art materials, techniques, or (especially) art safety as gospel.
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Do you happen to know any details of Courbet’s techniques of painting? Or any pointers to specific books which detail it? I’ve found this much so far, but I do not know the accuracy.
1. Imprimatura / Undertone for basic Chiaroscuro
2. Limited Palette of Umber and Blue —for warm and cools - values 1-10
3. Dragging Paint over top of substructure with both brush and his revolutionary use of the palette knife to create intricate surface textures, applied in layers.4. Courbet painted in a low value range. Black 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 white
He painted between #1 and #5 to model forms5. Darks where kept very thin and transparent, lights where built up in thick impasto. The undertone was left uncovered in many areas of the paintings which added to the aesthetic, enabled light to penetrate and should evidence of the process.
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@Greg -
Greg,I’m afraid that 19th century painting technique is not my area of expertise (I’m much more of a Renaissance guy). It’s clear that you know much more about the details of Courbet’s method than I do. I did run across this fun tidbit, however:
Courbet, incidentally, was one of the very few masters in the history of art who did not recommend looking at the work of other masters, or copying in museums as a method of learning. However, he condemned this practice as a propaganda move against his arch-enemies the Romanticists, who tended to be too derivative. As a matter of record, Courbet spent years training himself by copying the works of seventeenth-century Spanish masters.
That’s from Painting Techniques of the Masters, by Hereward Lester Cooke.
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I am interested in the various substrates used by 15-16th century painters- specifically wood. Which species of wood was commonly used and how were the panels constructed? I am assuming they had to be constructed very well in order to have lasted centuries without warping- a problem I am currently having. I am using birch plywood with Gamblin’s Traditional Gesso.
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@Bethann -
Bethan,Thanks for the question. I’ve answered it, as best I can, in this post:
http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2008/06/23/question-about-panels/
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I have been changing from oils to acrylics — not so much for reasons of toxicity, but because I am basically a slob and cleanup is so much easier with acrylics. With its quick drying time, there’s also lots less transfer of paint from my hands to the furniture. My wife thinks I’ve improved as a husband and human being.
That said, I have been having a very hard time painting outdoors. Even with a Sta-Wet palette, the quick drying time is a problem that detracts from the pleasure of plein aire painting. I have tried adding retarder to the paint, and have not noticed any improvement. Spraying hasn’t been particularly effective, either. So, my question: are there solutions that I’m overlooking or is this something one just has to put up with? If so, I’m tempted to go back to oils outdoors and just be more careful about cleaning up before getting back into the car.
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@Phil Tolin -
Phil,I switched from acrylic to oil and tempera some years ago, and I never painted with acrylic outdoors. I used to do a lot of spraying my palette with water. The fact is, in dry weather, water-based paints are going to dry out really fast. Unless you are willing to constantly attend to the nature of the paint, or work with really watery acrylic, the paint’s going to dry out sometimes. Egg tempera dries out fast too, although a little slower.
C’mon. Go back to oils. You know you want to.
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david, thank you for posting a blog about tempera grassa!
i work primarly with egg tempera, i actually find it very easy to use, much like drawing.
i’m currently working on a larger painting, linen on stretcher bars, sized properly with rabbit skin glue and oil ground after. i’ve started a very thin layer of just oil paint, very light solvent, and a dash of poppy oil. thus my first layer is very lean. i want this painting to have the same delicacy as a fine graphite drawing and tempera painting.
i want to work with the oil tempera emulsion, so my question is: can i use the egg oil emulsion after my first coat of paint? i figure that the egg is fatty and would work. i’m just not sure.
also, is it best to mix the yolk with linseed oil, not damar.
any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated!
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Thanks, David. I needed that.
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@taravat talepasand -
Taravat,I agree that egg tempera is quite wonderful.
For these purposes, egg is very, very lean. So putting it over even a lean layer of oil paint, especially on a flexible support, would be a bad idea. That would be less of a problem on a panel, but still not optimal.
I like to use oil rather than resins in emulsions, but that’s more of a preference than anything else.
Good luck.
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thanks david!
so with a first layer of very thin oil, egg oil emulsion can not be used on top due to the lean egg? what if my mixture is yolk, damar, and linseed? isn’t that fatty? urgh, it’s tough getting back into oils…i really want to use the egg oil emulsion but i can’t get a for sure answer anywhere whether this is possible over a thin layer of oil paint. i see your point that teh egg isn’t fatty enough to put over the oil layer, but if damar is involved could it be the right step?
am i just better off using damar and tossing the Tempera Grassa out the door?
i apprecaite your advice, feedback, and big no no’s.
tvat
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Taravat,
I would not say “can not be used.” I would say rather that it is not the best practice on a flexible support. I would personally not do this on a painting intended for sale or other permanent display. For a study, no problem.
As far as yolk, damar, and linseed, it would depend on the relative proportions of each. I personally avoid soft resins such as damar in paint, although plenty of people don’t worry about that. I use damar only as a final varnish.
My suggestion, overall, is to finish this one with just oil paint—there’s nothing wrong with that. Then plan the next one from scratch according to the layering scheme you want to use.
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got it. so i’m gathering that egg oil emulsion is best on a support or panel, using chalk gesso and going from egg tempera to the oil emulsion.
i despise varnish, it causes so many problems, but when it comes to glazing it makes sense. there is a difference between making your own damar from crystals and “picture” varnish or “retouch” varnish.
for this painting i want to obtain the kind of detail that i get from egg tempera (using small brush work) but with a slower drying time of oil. i’m more concerned with the build up of colors and glazing in this piece, keeping the line work and brush strokes thin and delicate.
i’m that close to ripping off the linen from these slightly warped stretcher bars (seriously slanted on one side!) and figuring it back to a panel…it appears that flexible supports are difficult and restricting. any thoughts on this?
i’m gracious for your response.
tvat
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Taravat,
It depends on the emulsion formula, but it is probably an appropriate generalization to say that panels are best for painting in emulsions. Then again, a properly constructed panel is probably better, overall, for permanence.
If by “when it comes to glazing, it makes sense,” you mean that you should add varnish to your paint when glazing, I disagree. Glazing means painting thinly enough that the top layer interacts optically with the lower layer or layers. (If there’s a lot of white added to the pant, it’s usually called a “scumble” or “velatura,” but the principle is the same.) You can do that with unmodified oil paint. Diluting your paint with damar or other oleoresins doesn’t help and can affect the integrity of the paint film. Soft resins can cause problems if the painting is later cleaned, because the solvents used in cleaning can more easily affect the paint.
Here’s a post on glazing:
http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/10/01/glazing/
For thin, delicate brush work in just a few areas, it is probably just fine to paint with emulsion directly into wet oil paint. You can even do that with plain egg tempera (although I’d probably avoid it on a flexible support). You should avoid doing this over large areas to avoid possible cracking, but for small details it can work well. The tempera tends to sink into and bind with the oil paint without smearing. This requires a little practice.
Overall, I paint on rigid supports much more frequently than on cloth. It is definitely my preference.
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thank you again david for all your insight and direction!
i know not to use varnish in my paint, but i have made my own damar and may use it in my final stages of glazing. the glazing post was very helpful.
how do you feel about poppy oil?
here is a crazy question…can i remove my linen from a flexible support and transfer it on a panel after i have painted? probably not worth it, but i’m curious to know what you think.
thanks!
tvat-
Taravat,
I don’t use poppy oil. It’s not as strong as linseed or walnut and dries slowly. I find the marketing spin about yellowing paint to be rather overblown (old paintings in museums have not been spoiled by yellowing, so why should I panic?), so I have no problem with linseed, even in whites.
That’s not to say that there is something awful about poppy oil, at least when used in moderation. I just don’t find that it solves any problems I have.
You can certainly transfer a painting on canvas to a panel—conservators do it all the time. I have no real idea how to accomplish that, but I know it is possible.
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Hi David,
What is meant by picking & stoning a canvas? How is it done?
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Hi,
I am currently studying Visual Arts Studies as a year 12 subject at, in Adelaide South Australia. For my student choice topic I have chosen to study the “What were teh sigificat social adn cultural iflueces which ersult i the use of such rich ad ibrat colour throughout Italia paitig durig teh reaissace period”. During my research I came across your internet site and was extremely pleased with it’s content and relevance to my topic. The information on the site was most useful, however I was wondering if there was any additional information that you would be able to supply me with.
thak you so much -
Michelle,
It’s a good topic, but I don’t know how to answer. There are thousands of books and articles, and thousands of museum collections, that would be applicable. Can you be more specific?
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@Colin -
Colin,
I thought I had replied to your question, but it seems not to have published. Sorry about that.
Picking and stoning refers to preparation of linen canvas for painting. Picking means using a metal tool to pick out foreign matter from the fabric (this was back before really reliable machine manufacture). A small knitting needle, inserted from the back of the fabric, can work well for this. The idea is to pull out any fibers or junk that is sticking out and would mar the surface.
Stoning involves rubbing the surface of the stretched canvas with an abrasive stone—usually pumice. This opens up the fibers and prepares them to receive the initial layer of sizing (hide glue/rabbitskin glue).
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Hey David,
Thank you for your reply. Good to know. I thought it might have been something along that line (for the stoning at least, picking I had no idea) and appreciate your response.
Best.
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Phil might want to try the new Open Acrylics by Golden. They stay workable much longer.
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Hi, when i was a teenager, I used to have a private teacher who taught the old masters style of painting, she was great, but she died. She used to make her own italian and flemish mediums, before she died she gave me the recipes, but I lost them years ago. I want to try to make my own medium but now I cannot find the recipe. Does anyone know where I can look to find out how to make these two mediums?
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Originally Posted By Renaissance Man
Hi, when i was a teenager, I used to have a private teacher who taught the old masters style of painting, she was great, but she died. She used to make her own italian and flemish mediums, before she died she gave me the recipes, but I lost them years ago. I want to try to make my own medium but now I cannot find the recipe. Does anyone know where I can look to find out how to make these two mediums?Ren,
My suspicion is that these mediums are based on those devised by Jacques Maroger. If you do a web search on that name, you may be able to find copies of his book (now long out of print).
If you search for “Maroger medium,” you can find companies that make versions of his recipe. I’ve used the stuff from Studio Products, and it is not bad. There is considerable controversy about whether his medium recipes are problematic in terms of permanence.
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Thanks, I did find a couple of books online, I may have to buy one if I cant get it at the library.
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Can you advise me on Egg tempera painting please? I started doing an Icon in Cyprus in a class run by a Greek orthodox priest, using traditional methods on chipboard. I only completed half the painting before I had to leave Cyprus. I am now back in UK and have ordered a set of egg tempera paints Sennelier Egg Tempera Starter Set so I can finish the icon. Can I apply them from the tube or must I mix them with egg yolk and water? Thanks….
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@Gordon -
Gordon,
While it would not be the same as traditional Eastern Orthodox icon tradition, there is no technical reason why you couldn’t apply the tubed egg tempera paints over handmade tempera. You can thin the tube paint with either water, or a mixture of egg yolk and water.
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Thanks, David, I’ll have a go! I had in fact half finished the colours and have done the gold leaf so I need to paint some more colours on the gesso base. Best regards…
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Gordon -
I would love to see your efforts. I have traveled to Cyprus on many occasions- my husband is in the business of making color - (more on that a bit). While there I have enjoyed visiting the old churches and seeing the beautiful icons.
Our connections to Cyprus as I said is due to the mining of umbers, ochers and siennas for use in the production of color for artists paints (including Grumbacher, Windsor Newton, Kolart, Golden, Daniel Smith, Chroma Acrylics), house paints, pigments and dyes.
David- I appreciate your allowing me to comment to Gordon. As to why I found your blog… I was googling to determine if PS RAW was a non-destructive way to process my photo images. I am a photographer with a canon 5D. I photograph weddings, families ect. and have been cleaning up my workflow-
Thanks again- have a great day- Teri
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T. Hoover,
Photoshop RAW can be non-destructive, depending on how it’s used. Camera RAW is entirely non-destructive.
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I am trying to prepare linen for oil painting. In Virgil Elliott's book "Traditional Oil Painting", he reccommended using PVA size and Windsor & Newtons Oil Primer for the ground. He says the conservators are saying this method will be more permanant than the traditional rabbit skin glue size and the white lead ground. The directions on the PVA size calls for appllying the size to the linen, letting it dry, stretching the linen and then applying the ground. When I did this the oil primer went through the linen and was visible on the back side of the canvas. Since the whole reason for the size is to prevent the oil from coming in contact with the linen, I have assumed that this method does not work properly. The consistancy of the PVA size is just like water. Do you have any experience with these products? It is so frustrating to have spent money on the linen and the other products, not to mention the time to stretch the canvase etc. and to get these results. I am thinking I should just go with the traditional methods. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, June
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June,
I have not worked with PVA size. I generally use hide glue, despite its potential problems. Actually, I usually paint on panels, which don't need to be sized.
Here's what Gamblin's web site says about your problem. It sounds reasonable to me.
Q: I see ground striking through the back of my fabric. Is this a problem?
A: You are probably using a linen with a more open weave. By correctly scrubbing the PVA Size into the fabric before application of your ground, the fabric is sealed. The ground is filling the space between the fabric that is fine. Consider applying PVA size to the back of the canvas too, so that any ground that is touching fabric on the back has been sized.
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I`m trying to reach the skin coloe od an unborn (9 month) infant. can you suggest an acrylic color mix?
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Bill,
There are lots of ways to get where you're trying to go. Lately, my skin tones have been mixes of raw sienna, burnt sienna, raw umber, and white. Not sure what to do with unborn—that would mean very red, I guess. I'd probably base the color on burnt sienna and mix from there.
I'm not sure what to suggest without further details on what exactly you're trying to accomplish…
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I live in my studio and paint in oils. I use turpentine for making damar varnish for large areas of pouring on my canvas. I am wondering if an open window is enough ventilation or if an air purifier will help.
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Janice,
If you use lots of turps, then I'd strongly encourage you to make sure you have very good ventilation.
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David~
I have most recently been introduced to the art of Pietro Annigoni (what a masterful painter).
Are there any books, recipes or videos providing proper instruction on how to apply/use tempera grassa as a painting technique?
Any direction you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
~Ajamu
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