This is a yellow ochre just being wet with the oil. You can see the light area is still dry as the darker area has oil in it. It is important at this point to add the linseed oil slowly to the dry pigment to make a paste. By adding drops at a time and mixing it in prevents getting too much oil. Remember it is easier to add than take away. It is … [Read more...] about Oak-er Not Okra
Birch Panels
In addition to the linen canvases, my plan is to use 4 birch panels as a painting surface. Pictured here are 3/4 inch birch panels cut to size. Traditional gesso made with rabbit skin glue, chalk, and water was soaked, heated and applied in 7 coats, sanding lightly between each coat. This mixture is applied with a fine soft brush stroking in … [Read more...] about Birch Panels
Priming
After the glue is thoroughly dry the fabric must be sanded lightly to remove the fine furry particles of fiber from the face of the canvas. It is now ready to prime. Here I have used an oil lead primer from Robert Doak & Associates. It is applied to the surface with a step down palette knife in a thin coating. After several days of drying add … [Read more...] about Priming
Glue Sizing
The next step after stretching the linen over the bars is to prepare the glue sizing. Rabbit skin glue comes in a crystal form and looks somewhat like cream of wheat. This is truly one of the historic materials and techniques and has been used for centuries. The crystals are soaked overnight in water and then heated in a double boiler where the … [Read more...] about Glue Sizing
Preparing the Supports
There are several supports which can be used for painting with oil. Canvas, wood panel, copper are some. For this project I will use only linen canvas and panels made of birch. Here I am stretching raw, unprimed linen over sturdy stretcher bars. Making sure there is enough to pull around the bar, I staple the back side securely, but not too … [Read more...] about Preparing the Supports
Studio Abandonment
Several weeks have passed since grinding enough colors to get a good start on this project. And, in spite of the holidays, I am now on painting #3. Painting #1 is based on a portrait by Franz Hals which is of interest because of the wonderful lace collar on the gentleman. It is a very mono-chromatic painting with bravura brush strokes, showing … [Read more...] about Studio Abandonment