Whites a few months later........

Well, it has been a few months (Jan 21, actually) since I posted a test on whites. It is interesting to see what has happened in even this relatively short time period. 

Recap: this is two pics of the same panel, the second does have two additions which show on the bottom pic. In the lead side I have added a dollop of Blue Ridge's cremintz which I got a week or so ago. On the titanium side I added a blob of windsor newton titanium about seven weeks ago. Both pics were taken in an afternoon indirect light.

Discarding the two additions, something to check later and I will find it interesting to see how they age, it is curious to see what the others have done. Remember these were smears dragged down with a knife and no medium.

The lead whites tend to be warmer anyway and have all yellowed. In this strip the Blue Ridge remains the whitest. Frankly, the Old Holland Cremintz alone or with zinc, the Natural Pigments flake and the Windsor Newton lead foundation yellowed about the same.  The Williamsburg flake yellowed the most to a deep french vanilla shade.

Onto the titaniums: I think the Blue Ridge edges slightly the Grumbacher but both stayed a smidge whiter than the Old Holland. Remember, the Windsor Newton on the end is still too new.

At the same time we mixed several mediums into the Blue Ridge flemish and the Grumbacher titanium. Firstly we were interested in the finish a medium imparted: matte, shiny, etc. I am including a pic of the board with the whites mixed w/ different mediums. It is divided in two: lead Blue Ridge white on top. Grumbacher titanium on the bottom. Below this board is the whites test board.

I have heard that placing a painting in sunlight will cause whites to brighten. Having not tried it I do not know. The test boards I have had spent their durations in the indirect daylight of an east window.

I do not have a pic of the mediums test from a few months ago, (fail as a "real scientist") as we were mainly curious for ourselves more with what quality each medium imparted into the paint. But for yellowing, well, I find it of interest that mixed with a variety of mediums mostly caused these two paints to yellow less.

So, what is the practicality of all this? Undoubtedly questionable! Seriously, it does depend on how one paints. Lead whites are, by nature warmer, more translucent than titaniums. How a paint handles come into consideration, and that is personal. And really, how much does one consider how a paint will yellow? Whites do tend to get mixed into a fair amount so that stays constant. If it fades, yellows, all fade, yellow depending on how much is in conjunction with what it has been mixed?

Well, okay, a warm undertone of skin may not be so changed by some yellowing and, as our test board shows, mediums make a difference here, too. But what of a snow scene? Well looking at my two test boards and considering that the mediums tests were done with Blue Ridge flemish and Grumbacher titanium, with only slight variations, a medium seems to keep whites, well, whiter.

Perhaps what this all shows mostly is the fine need to have more than one white on the palette, always allowing choice for the moment needed.

Getting out

Part of painting is the tools we use and they can not be undervalued as good tools do make the process of painting easier. Good tools make anything easier. Think of things you wanted when young that just did not encourage you to go on and learn more about your chosen craft. I think of the bad ponies that would as soon bite, kick and dump the kid, any kid or that first guitar with strings so stiff and high off the fret board no way the average small person had the strength to form a decent chord, forget playing fluidly.

Some things become a matter of preference, nice, as that makes for many choices. It is coming hard on spring, warm and early in many parts of the country. Sorry for you if this was the year to see the cherry blossoms in DC over the holiday. Happened last month. But on schedule is the rounds of plein air competitions coming up, regardless of weather. So, along with daffodils and cherry blossoms, painters think about what to use when painting out.

Here are two painting in Ireland, wish I could walk up to the one on the left and see her set-up!

So, if you are anywhere near a good sized paint out? Go look. Best advice I can think to give anyone looking for the perfect paint box for themselves. If there is a good turn-out chances are you will see just about everything available these days. Of course doing an internet search will give you a heads up about what is out there.

Here is LindaW painting with her Art Box set-up. She is willing to carry all her paints, brushes, mediums and all else in another carry all. The very large folding palette is designed to hang off any tripod and there are several different size panel holders available. It does make for a compact set-up.

Here she is with it on a windy beach:

Even before searching the internet consider what you want the box to do? I can’t tell you what you want, but I can what I wanted. About twelve years ago, it seems the only thing available easily was the French easel, Julien by choice, and anyone I know who has an older model (like from way in the last century) likes them. Even though they have developed a history of wonky legs, screws, etc....seems the further away these get from Julien’s (whoever he was) touch the wonkier they can be. Those dozen years ago, though, I wasn’t painting out so much but was looking for a box to use in a figure studio. And, let me tell you, several French easels set up in a small space makes negotiating to the bathroom an experience. I wanted something with a smaller footprint.

I have had those wooden 11 x 14” or so paint boxes, also an old French sort with four legs (gave that away) both were heavy. I had watched people setting up to paint outdoors with more stuff than I take camping, boxes, bags, chairs, all but the butler and take so much time to set up. I didn't want to carry much. It had to set up quickly, like in a couple minutes.

So, I can tell you what I wanted after thinking about it and checking the internet. I didn’t know of “plein air” happenings so I did not go check any out.

Here is Annie’s guerilla box set up in Texas, note she has added wings which give her extra palette space. She also had a glass palette made for the inner section. Her box is a bit heavier than mine but between us we’ve flown, hiked, taken horseback, kayaked, canoed........

and Annie painting in Ireland, here you can see the panel holder in the top part or the box and the telescoping easel holding the panel at the top:

Anyway, I wanted a small box that could carry everything I needed to paint away from the studio. It needed to house paint tubes, brushes and caddy, several small panels, turps & medium jars, a palette knife, a few small odds & ends, paper towels. Enough to take care of my painting needs for a couple hours, a day or two, even a few weeks, (okay not all the panels needed for a few weeks) and even be shovable into a smallish luggage bag.

My choice was Judson’s 9 x 12 guerilla box, chucka block full it is about ten pounds (the box itself is, I think about 5). At the time I was looking solely off the internet and it was frankly cheaper than some of the other options. The Open M box, (my runner-up) has its merits and those I’ve met who own one of the Alla Prima’s just adore them. Some will say the French box is still the best (still think it is an unwieldy thingy that has more faults than pluses). Have seen some home-made boxes that are drool-worthy and have an old ebay find that is ever so small it can go anywhere.

My guerilla box showing the brush caddy, panel adapter, which I use to prop the panel on and the telescoping easel attached to the cover:

Here I am w/ a critic painting in R.I. This spot met many of my criteria: easy enough to get there, good parking, a restroom nearby and close enough to carry box. Being the shoreline it was lacking in shade –I can almost always find a good view from under a tree - so provided my own, although it was too windy for the clip on umbrella.

I can paint easily up to 16 x 20” on my guerilla box and have taken it many places. It, and most pochade type boxes, need a really good sturdy tri-pod. Get the very best you can afford. Meanwhile ‘tis the season, if you are looking for the perfect box, check a plein air event to see what others like. Here is my box and tripod, more than a decade old, ready to go and as easy to grab as pulling on those muck boots.

Get Out

OK

Friends really matter. We just finished a "workshop" at my beach house. 4 of us hauled our equipment [and dogs] to Bethany to paint paint paint. Predictions of thunderstorms...

hmmm.

Well, what the heck.

Here we are ...

acknowledging the need /importance of support, shop talk and shared action.

I also keep in mind two key elements to creating good work ... ENTHUSIASM and DISCIPLINE [thank you, Dick Bond!] For me , both of these are fostered by my connection to fellow artists. I am charged up by conversations about the craft of painting, struggles to define "ART", the joint angst of a group of artists in an atellier, challenged by each other and/or a teacher to stretch techinique, improve skills, change perspective...

Its like breathing out in out

diving into my production mode ... creative mode and then surfacing to look around,

GET OUT and join with friends. Look back with new eyes at my work, their work... our work.

Somehow the word graceful fits into this pattern of creative movement. Get out and back gracefully.

Good Hands

I grew up crazy for two things: drawing and horses. Living in a small New England city, one was for dreaming, the other to illustrate the stories of dreams. Part of growing up is getting to live your dreams. I have had that. The drawing developed into painting and training at a small school (Swain in New Bedford) that believed in basics. Most of my adult life has included horses. Of course as a subject, horses are grand. Love painting them. But there are other points where knowledge of horses and horsemanship relates to painting and the skill it requires.

“Good hands” is a term horseman use to recognize when a rider’s sensitivity with a horse is readily apparent.

Always when you get on a horse, you are training it, for better or worse. Pick up a brush and how, what you practice becomes a consideration. I have been working on a large, for me, painting on panel using a medium I like. It is a resin, Venice turp in this case with stand oil and spike, usually a medium sure to make a small work glow. Yet I am using it on a large piece and have been pleased with the results.

Things cycle through fads, what’s the newest and greatest, what’s the recipe used by the masters. And this holds true for painting as riding. And in both fads will hold sway.

In the horse world, often riders are looking for the perfect bit, that piece of metal that goes in a horse’s mouth and gives the rider control...like a medium. Snaffles, pelhams, full bridles, the terms may sound strange to a painter as would, stand oil, damar, spike oil, balsam to a horseman. Venice turp? A painter might mix it with linseed oil, a horseman would paint it on hoofs.

All these things are used to get a required result. And another thing that I think translates to each skill? The hand.

With a horse, you may indeed have a bit a horse likes better and that should be considered seriously. More, though, is the hand holding the reins, some are just better than others. Anyone may be more comfortable with one bit over another. Me? I am better with a snaffle or a pelham over a gag bit or a full bridle. (Annie will get this, lol!) For mediums? Give me a resin - balsam, Venice - with stand and a good turp, I will get results.

There is not doubt that, like a properly bitted horse, the right medium will enhance one’s ability to produce the painting one wants. So, it is good to be facile with different mediums when painting a picture, as with bits when training a horse. Knowledge of tools is good. But....but....it does all come down to the hands....and the brains behind them. The magic of the masters, equine or art, is not so much the tools used but the sensitivity of the hands through the brain.

It is not the mediums used, but the skill given. In riding the snaffle is considered a soft bit to the horse. But it can be as cruel as anything in a ham-fisted rider who has no feel for creature at the other end. As any medium, what happens at the end of brushes determines the beauty of the painting.

It has been said that good hands make the horse, perhaps the painting as well.

Reformed Radish / Jane Rowe

My intention to paint the oversize radishes from Joe's garden went from a morning studio exercise of 20 minute timed sessions to a finished painting. I'll try to describe how and why I ended up putting a frame on it and hanging it in a gallery instead of leaning it against the wall or wiping it down.

Image sent to Soupbones Gallery bloggers.

Reformed Radish, oil on panel, 12"x24"

With nothing particular in mind, but having a desire to put brush to canvas, I found myself casting about the refrigerator for veggies to place in a shadow box. There they were--Radishes, really large radishes, about 12 inches or so long--.no leaves--stark, colorful things, wonderful. I headed to the studio with my find. An aside to all this is that my husband Joe grows a lot of veggies and has a CSA. I frequently find unusual things from his garden in our refrigerator or he leaves little offerings of things he's found on our property in my studio. When my studio is in order I find them promptly, when it's not, it can take me days to find his contributions. So now, back to the radish painting. I put the radishes in a shadow box, spent less than a minute placing them and adjusting the light and proceeded to lay paint out on my pallet. I just wanted to paint--not create a masterpiece. No time to waste and I squeeze out ultramarine blue, titanium white viridian green, cadmium yellow light and dark, cadmium orange, alizeran crimson, and violet dioxazine--block in with burnt umber. Got it ready and working now, set the timer for 20 minutes, then another 20, then another 20, then no more timer. After an hour break or so, back to the easel to take a look. At this point I think I sent an image to other soupbonegallery bloggers. Comments back: you didn't think much about the background did you--oh right, and correct, I didn't; two lovers dancing in space or something like that--what? Yes, they are somewhat suggestive of anatomical parts that shall go unnamed, but what's that? an idea, Oh no, here I go in another direction. I'm reading "Caravaggio A Life Sacred and Profane" by Graham-Dixon and re-reading "The Body of Raphael Peale"by Nemerov, both of which artists, I find inspiring. Caravaggio for his bold compositions, disregard for convention and his use of light and dark. Raphael's Venus Rising from the Sea-A Deception is one of the first paintings I fell in love with as a child and his paintings of roasts and chops delight me. Alright, so now I working the radish idea in my head and talking to Peale and Merisi. They suggested that I add fig leaves, though I'm sure neither one of them would have utilized the convention. Hmm, fig leaves--its the dead of winter, but okay let's see what I can find. Lo and behold, lots of very brown, wet leaves piled under the trees. I need green leaves, bright fresh green leaves and to a garden book I go. A week or so later and after a lot of thought and angst, I'm back in the studio. Time to paint the fig leaves. An hour later, I'm done. Sign it and throw a frame on that thing and take it to the gallery.

Checking email & other things

this is a test, seriously to see if adding your email to the box at right works. Not yet.

Beyond that, the local wine shop is having a sale, 30 buck Artesa chardonnay for $12. Is this better than the 9 buck Feltzer, yup, two bucks better for sure, but would I spring for 30? Hah! And if I was going to? well I'd ask a wine merchant a bit further away in Snow Hill her thoughts.

And to keep this art related, it is needed to cut shellack flakes with alcohol. Usually it is denatured alcohol, but you can use vodka. Shaken, stirred? Oive, lemon?Lol, who wants to test the bennys of using Grey Goose over Popov?

Oh! and emails? Please considering adding yours to the handy icon at the right top and join us chatting about painting.

Surfaces

This painting was done on a linen covered board, a commercially prepared piece I bought. I really like painting on the color of raw linen. Some of that can still be seen through the loose background I've scrubbed in here.

The color is nice, I like linen, the most difficult part of this is buying it. Just had to remember to stock up when I saw it. Which was often easier than doing it yourself. Sorta.

Because much as I like the color of the linen, the clear acrylic "gesso" used to seal these boards renders the surface so rough it it like, well, painting on #60 coarse sandpaper. Truly, with this "gesso" finish it does not matter what it covers, that material, even the finest cloth, will be rough. Until you have some base down, brushes wear out before your eyes on this stuff.

"Gesso" is in parenthesis because the word is becoming as universal as "kleenex", although I think any nose tissue on the market is closer to a "real kleenex" than these acrylic-based grounds (white, clear, whatever) are to true gesso.

Several board makers (New Traditions makes my fav, a bit $$$) make beautiful portrait grade linen on boards finished with oil grounds that are lovely to work on. I just feel these give the end painting a better finish. Right now the look and feel of portrait linen works well for me.

For many years I have painted on true gesso panels, have even made them, rabbitskin glue, whitening, chalks. Well, actually I used an easy mix that Natural Pigments offers. Real gesso is a smooth surface that can be thirsty but is wonderful for detailed work.

So I will use up what boards I have. And truthfully, much as I thought how neat that raw linen would look behind the painting, I haven't really used it that way.

thanks,

LindaE

Sea Shells and thoughts on solvents...

,
Hi, Annie here:

First of all these paintings were a welcome end to a day of more theory and testing painting materials.

...The "why are we asking these questions anyway " part. We are at the beach and its

rainy and cold so we brought sea shells inside, dried off dogs and ourselves and set up for a quick sketch. Spent 1 1/2 hours with three breaks. Quit with reluctance when all light was lost.

Now...

Here's a problem I've had.

I have been stopped in my tracks by the warnings on the gamsol and rubisol [Odorless Mineral Spirits or OMS] bottles. Do not use OMS with damar varnish because it will cloud. Implying that the "oldfashioned" mediums are incompatable with this "new fangled "stuff.

Hmmm

Well my first and main inclination is to use no medium in my painting ...or just a small amount initially in a "lean" mix for an initial washy sketch. But at the last phase of my paintings, a medium to create a buttery smooth paint texture IS useful for the detail and finish work. Also I would like to have the option of a glaze without compromising the structure of the paint-film.

So

After we tested the mediums at the workshop [see previous 3 posts] we mixed equal parts OMS and the various mediums and elements of the mediums.

First: mediums are made up of a solvent [often spirits of turpentine] , varnish [a resin and /or wax], and an oil.

The problem of cloudiness seems usually to stem from the OMS being a less powerful solvent than "turps"[spirits of gum turpentine] or "spike" [oil of lavender] . Thus it just can't dissolve the wax or varnish.

Ok [ left to stand for 12 hrs]

Damar Varnish [utrecht] dissolved to clear in the OMS

The L.E. #1 [equal parts spike/stand oil/canada balsam] was slightly cloudy in the OMS

The Italian Varnish [Natural Pigments] separated with a very cloudy sediment and a darkened liquid above. [the wax may have been the culprit]

The canada balsam [ a resin] looked very flakey initially so we added a drop of denatured alcohol and left it. Totally clear the next morning!

so

I used my L.E.#1 in conjuction with my Steve Early Mix [5 parts OMS to 1 part stand oil] in my sea shell painting with no hesitation.

Linda E stayed with her turps and the same L.E.#1 medium that i used.

WHEW!

Whites Test

Several years ago I did a test strip of the different whites that I used. They were mostly flake, or lead, whites and it was interesting to see which were whiter right out of the tube and which once yellowed over time. The time was six years at least, the test strip stayed out on a shelf in the studio under whatever light was available, and while it is good to note the differences, most of those whites are no longer available.

So it was time to re do the test with whites available, starting with what was in our paintboxes. Across the top left to right are six lead based whites: OH creminitz w/ zinc - OH Cremnitz - Natural Pigments lead white - Blue Ridge fleming white - Williamsburg flake white and Windsor Newton foundation white w/ lead. Next are three titanium whites: Old Holland, Blue Ridge and Grumbacher.

Right out of the gate, the NP lead white has a distinctive yellow cast. The Blue Ridge looks the whitest, followed by the OH cremnitz w/zinc, OH cremnitz, Williamsburg flake and the WN foundation which has a grayish tinge. Fot the three titaniums, the Blue Ridge is brightest and whitest but a little gritty. The OH pulled down better. It will be interesting to see what time does to all of these.

This is by no means complete but is some of the whites I regularly use and can be bought easily.

thanks, LindaE

Mediums Workshop - Thurs. 1/19/12

During breakfast we discussed what paints we would like to see and/or compare.

This picture is one of the set-ups we did checking out paint. You know, the stuff ain't cheap and it is nice to see comparisons of colors. Like playing in some one else's paint box! All told we did three set-ups like the one below, placing in some cases the same color (like prussian or sap green) next to each other. Then took a palette knife, did a draw down of each and a tint with Williamsburg flake white.

Top first three were turquoise thalos from OH, GAmblin & WN, then Utrecht & Gamblin Cobalt Teals, Rembrandt Sevres Blue

Middle: Prussian Blues by Blue Ridge, OH, WN, Ceruleans by OH, WN, Holbein,

Lower: Ultramarine blue by OH & Williamsburg; Cobalt blue by Blue Ridge & WN, last OH Cyan Blue

The first tray was of bright yellows and greens

Top: Rublev Verona Green, Rublev Antica Green, WN Sap Green, London Sap Green, WN Green Gold, Gamblin Olive Green, WN ?, WN Prussian Green

Middle: OH Veridian green deep, WN viridian, Gamblin Viridian, Williamsburg Viridian, Varsari Cad Green Lt, OH Cad Green Lt, WN Cad Green, Blue Ridge Cad Green, WN Oxide of Chromium

Lower: OH Cad Yel Deep, Gamblin Cad Yel Deep, OH Cad Yel M, OH Cad Yel Citreon. WN Cad Yel Lemon, Holbein Cad Yel Lemon, Holbein Perm Yel Light, Holbein Perm Yel Lemon, Rublev Lead Tin Yellow, Sennelier Cad Yel Light, Holbein Indian Yellow

Top: Gamblin Cobalt Violet, Holbein Mineral Violet, Gamblin Manganese Violet, OH Schevenings Violet, Oh Schevenings Red Scarlet, Gamblin Napthol Red, Gamblin Perylene Red, WN ?, OH Schevening Lake extra, WN Permanent Rose, OH Alizaron Lake Extra, Gamblin Alizaron

Middle : WN Quinacridone Magenta, OH Ultramarine Rose, Graham Quinacridone Rose, Williamsburg Pereylene Crimson, Blie Ridge Terra Rosa, WN Terra Rosa, Rublev Pozzuoli Red, Roblev, Orange Ochre, Rembrandt Transparent Red Oxide

Lower: Blue Ridge Naples Yellow, OH Naples Yellow extra, WN (Lead) Naple yellow, OH Naples Yellow Deep Extra, Gamblin Yellow Ochre, Blue Ridge Yellow Ochre, Holbein Gold Ochre, Gamblin Gold Ochre, Gamblin Transparent Orange.

All told we looked at almost eighty colors and this did not include most cads, bright reds blues, browns, blacks & whites.

Mediums Workshop - Weds. 1/18/12

Ok, all day weds and most of thurs three of us (Annie Compton, Linda Wharton, me) met in my studio to experiment with different mediums

So here is a list of the above :

1: 1/1black oil/double mastic (maroger)

2: 1/1/1canada balsam/stand/spike Probably more useful1/1/2

3: 1/1/1 venice turp/stand/spike -

4: NP's Velazquez -

5: Amber -

6:NP's Italian Varnish -

7a: Wax already w turp 7 b: 7a with oms & linseed added -

8: a roberson's (mastic, copal, spike, drying oil) -

9: 1/1/2canada balsam/linseed oil/ turps

The photo above is a line up with each medium mixed into flake and titanium. Before painting with the mediums we all painted the two whites with mediums onto test boards; planning to see how each looks over the coming months, even years.

To try these mediums we set up a simple still-life: white egg on whitish napkin. Each of us divided a board into sections and painted the egg using a different medium for each section. This was not about making pretty egg paintings (although some are nice) but about the medium; how it feels to work with, how it lays down paint, can it be worked back into, do the brush strokes fuse, what sort of finish [shine] does it leave and how did it dry over night.

We spent the better part of a day painting these simple egg still lifes and also talking about them. We all still like the canada balsam/stand/spike and small variations (venice, linseed or turps); found both of the Natural Pigments, Velazquez & Italian mediums, useful.

Wax was not a fav but mixed with more oil and solvent (LindaW's idea) was useful if you want a matte finish. The black oil/dble mastic (maroger) made a yummy gel, fun to work with. Most were dry to tacky the next morning. One of our criteria was ease of use, which the wax didn't fill, nor did the maroger because if you can't find the ingredients ready made it requires cooking oil with lead. Which we decided is down below even grinding one's own paint.

Weds evening we donned our plein-air pants (flannel-lined jeans) for a speedy paint out in a duck blind at sunset. One of the things we were interested in was painting wet on wet so we took our boxes and the Velazquez and Italian varnish mediums out for the one hour blitz. The mediums preformed well as we froze.

I wish I had gotten a picture of the three us lined up on duck blind seat among the decoys trying to paint between marsh rushes as the sun set.

Hot chocolate on return then a late dinner and wine and talking by the fireplace kept us until midnight. Annie and Linda W make great fires, which the three dogs also enjoyed.

Mediums Workshop - Tues. 1/17/12

A few months back thought it would be fun and useful to spend time learning and experimenting with mediums for oil painting. Talked some friends into coming down to my studio for a few days to do it.

This evening the first friend showed up in time to pack our paint boxes and head out to a duck blind overlooking the marshes here along the Pocomoke River. We were set up by 4:15 and the sun set at about 5:05. Was just fun to do a quick-quick sketch.

Back at the house, after dinner for ourselves and our dogs, we went to the studio to set up for the next day. The next two days were dedicated to a few key things: working with different mediums, ones we had used, or knew about and seemed interesting; checking out different paints each other had – you know, who doesn’t like to snoop in someone else’s paintbox? – and to paint some! Also combining our efforts could ease the wallet. Who wants to buy a tube of expensive paint without really seeing it?

There are so many different mediums, evidently useful for many sorts of applications geared towards making the process of painting and the paintings themselves better. All of us have some idea but do not often have a chance to experiment.