Gamblin Artists Colors
Oil Painting Techniques


Q: How do I make an oil painting that will withstand the test of time?

A: Artists can choose to make permanent paintings. The choice offers you a chance to contribute to our collective culture for hundreds of years to come. The earliest oil paintings ever made are still in existance after 550 years. Through the centuries, those artists still communicate their personal vision.

Remember there are no rules when it comes to the aesthetics of painting. There are, however, two technical requirements: oil painting materials must be permanent, that means made from raw materials - the pigments, binders and resins, that conservation science has recommended based on their historical and contemporary research; and the materials must be applied to the support using the techniques that make paintings permanent. If the best materials are used without the proper tecniques of painting, the art may not outlive the artist.

Support: Paint on a panel, preferably a panel to which canvas has been laminated. The panel will insure that the oil painting will not be subject to movement because of its firm unyielding foundation.

Size and Ground
Adhere the canvas to the panel with a neutral archival pH glue. Size the canvas with Gamblin PVA Sizing. Ground the canvas with an oil ground such as Gamblin Oil Painting Ground. Apply two or three very thin layers of Gamblin Ground with a large spatula style painting knife. Sand each layer lightly to achieve good tooth and an even surface. Sand the last coat if there are any glossy spots.

Paint Layers
Use artists' grade oil colors that are Lightfastness I. You can determine this from our printed color chart or from the Artists Materials pages. The lightfastness rating of the pigment is also on each tube of Gamblin Artists Colors. If you do not see a lightfastness rating on the tube, consider another brand.

In the first layer or two, you can use only solvent to thin oil colors. I recommend you use only pure odorless mineral spirits. Be careful not to thin too much or you may break the binder. If you prefer to apply paint that is as thin as water, add 25% medium to your solvent to insure your initial layer adheres well.

Do not use natural resin mediums. Alkyd mediums, such as the Galkyd painting mediums are much more stable as they age.

Follow the FAT OVER LEAN rule: apply oil rich colors over more matte colors so that the oil rich colors do not break the leaner layers in order to dry. Oil rich artists grade colors are shiner. Lean colors are more matte.

Build your painting as simply as possible. The simpler the structure of the painting, the longer it lasts.

Use one painting medium per painting. Gamblin Galkyds are alkyd resin mediums. Thin with Gamsol or other high quality OMS in the under layers. Add more medium in the upper layers. Use full strength for glazing. Galkyd painting mediums can be intermixed in the painting. Do not mix alkyd resins and natural resins in the same painting. If you prefer natural resin painting mediums, use sparingly in the under layers. Use full strength for glazes.

Thin natural resin mediums with the solvent used to make them. Consider turpentine toxic and handle with care.

Varnish Layer
The purpose of a varnish is to saturate the colors and unify the surface of a painting. Varnishing is an aesthetic decision. We live in much cleaner environments. For example, coal is no longer used to heat homes and fewer people smoke tobacco so paintings will not get as dirty. Also, contemporary oil colors are much stronger than paints of the past. So if you do not like the way any varnish looks now, consider adding a line of text on the stretcher bars or on the back of the panel that says: "OK to varnish in the future." This way you can let future conservators add a varnish layer if appropriate.

Q: I have two old paintings that I took out of storage and both are very yellow. What should I do?

A: Put the paintings in direct sunlight. Oils naturally yellow in the dark and recover their color when returned to the light. It takes about two weeks of bright light for them to fully recover.


  
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Telephone: 503.235.1945  Fax: 503.235.1946