No, I haven’t lifted my boycott against Old Holland. But a comment on this related post sent me looking at my dwindling stock of Old Holland supplies–things I bought pre-boycott. This photo shows my bottle of Old Holland Oil Painting medium. The ingredients are nowhere found on the label. Based on smell it contains linseed…
Category: Shop Talk
materials, Shop Talk
Canvas prep
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•materials, Shop Talk, Uncategorized
Is there something wrong with stand oil?
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•After reading some of my disparaging remarks about stand oil, a reader asked me if there was something wrong with stand oil. The short answer is no, there is nothing wrong with stand oil. The longer answer is, well, complicated. An ancient and still common method to improve oil is to heat it. Heating oil…
Main Street, Paintings, Shop Talk, Studio Corner
What’s in the kitchen
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•This corner of my studio shows two paintings that I’m working on. The unfinished painting on the floor is the latest in my Main Street series. The large vertical painting is the newest work in my Amusement Park series. I had my first painting session with it yesterday. I’ll continue to work both of these…
materials, Shop Talk, Uncategorized
Basic oil painting medium
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•There is a lot of information about painting mediums on my site but if you’re new to painting, an abundance of information is the same as no information. Where to start? The good news is that you can easily have a medium that supports ambitious work and serves as a baseline for exploring other mediums…
materials, Reviews, Shop Talk, Uncategorized
Rublev Sun-thickened oil
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•Rublev’s new version of sun-thickened oil is much improved from its earlier offering and is good oil. This is far different from my conclusion of their first attempt at this product. Sun-thickened oil’s consistency should be similar to that of stand oil. Rublev’s first attempt produced an oil little different from regular linseed oil. With…
materials, Shop Talk
Brush graveyard
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•My brush graveyard is getting too big. I throw out most of my worn-out brushes. I’ve also been known to snap in two misbehaving brushes. Those I also throw out. But my favorites I inter into the graveyard after distinguished service. I started pruning the graveyard to make room. Having a lot of brushes extends…
materials, Shop Talk, Uncategorized
Transparent earth colors
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•Oil paint can be profitably judged for either its covering strength or transparency. This comports with some well known bits of studio wisdom: “fat over lean,” and “thick lights, thin darks.” Covering colors, often called ‘body’ colors, hide everything beneath them. Transparent colors modify what is beneath them while leaving them visible. In watercolors, transparent…