About

Painting Methods

An oil painting is a complex object. I aim to create paintings that will last many centuries and with modern materials this is extremely likely.

Substrate

I paint on a variety of surfaces. When painting on wood I prefer Medium Density Fibreboard, the most stable wood surface for oil painting^[1]. I more commonly paint on rigid supports than flexible canvas^[2].

I prefer to prime surfaces with Acrylic Gesso Primer, first applying a base coat of archival acrylic size where necessary such as GAC100 by Golden. Acrylic is chemically tougher than oil paint. Oil or alkyd primers are less stable on surfaces that accept acrylic^[2] (surfaces such as metal might work better with an oil based primer).

Technique

I paint in several very thin layers. The basic technique of oil painting is to apply oily flexible layers over thinner less flexible layers. I aim to paint in just two layers, an opaque underpainting of fairly dry paint with minimal media and paint "from the tube", and a glazing layer of more transparent colours. Sometimes supplimentary layers are used for special effects. For film toughness I avoid solvents in my media apart from the occasional droplet of Spike Lavender Oil. I work on several paintings at once to ensure the correct drying time between layers. At the correct time I varnish my paintings using modern removable varnishes.

Pigments

I paint with Blockx, Micheal Harding, Old Holland, and Winsor and Newton artist's oil paints. Each of these manufaturers aim to ensure long term stability in all of their colours, however I am also selective in pigments, I avoid vermillion and aureolin (cobalt yellow) for example because their stability is uncertain. I use metal oxides where possible and avoid organic colours, preferring the most permanent option at all times.

Media

For flexible surfaces such as canvas I paint using safflower oil and stand oil. For solid substrates I like to include James Groves' Amber in my glazing media. Amber gives a tough, resistant film to paint and a beautiful glass-like appearance. I avoid all siccatives, additives to speed up the drying of oil paint, because siccatives speed up ageing as well as drying. A painting should dry slowly with grace.

There are many different tree resins used by oil painter but I avoid all except amber. I believe amber to be the most stable for several reasons; Firstly amber crystals do not vary in colour, indicating long term stability; amber crystals are millions of years old. Amber remains one of the few resins tested and sold by the renouned Blockx art materials company. Finally, in the summer of 2007 I was admiring the Elizabethan portraits in the National Portrait Gallery in London when a passer by commented on the shining particles on the surface. These were reflections from the gallery lighting of a unique and silvery nature. I recognised this sparkle from my own paintings as the flourescence of amber, a material that glows under ultraviolet light. The excellent condition of the 500 year old paintings convinced me of the long-term stability of this material.

Conclusion

Some painters are addicted to technique at the expense of their artwork. I know that what is painted is always more important than how, but the correct knowledge is important. I am self-studied, and as a scientist of painting I actively test new materials, and I understand enough about the chemistry of oil painting to produce stable as well as good artworks.

References

1. Concerning MDF for fine art use:
http://www.hudsonhighland.com/woodglossary.htm
2. The stability of a solid substrate and acrylic primer vs. oil primer:
http://www.goldenpaints.com/justpaint/jp24.pdf