Hi I am new to the forum (and to painting !)

Hi everybody

As my title say, I am very new to painting, I just discovered painting 3 months ago.
I tried acrylic, nice but to quick to dry, and I feel I need a lot of color on the brush for a little area.... (perhaps I am not clear..)
I tried oil, I immediately loved the feeling, the softness, the colors, the shining...
But I have asthma, and I think my asthma doesn't like turpentine, even with odourless one. So, I am trying Water soluble oils, I just bought Holbein Duo WSO tubes. Maybe for a beginner it is too much, I do not need such a good quality, but my retailer convinced me.
I just tried it, and I like it very much so far.

I am a 52 years woman, I have been living in Quebec fo 14 years, but I am french. I am very sorry for my bad English, I will do my best !

Gomme (Dominique)

  So happy that you have joined us. I'm asthmatic also and made the same transition. You have chosen excellent paints, getting Holbeins, and I know you will enjoy their creamy handling. I still have some reactions to things like the WSO linseed oil and solved that with using walnut oil for fatter layers and Artisan thinner for under painting layers. You can also thin with water for earlier layers, but some brands, like W/N Artisan paints tend to be sticky when thinned with water.

We look forward to seeing you around the forum and encourage you to feel free to ask for help or give suggestions.

Judy

Thanks for your welcome Judy !

I tried a first layer with Artisan thinner yesterday, and I was very happy with the paints.
Today I tried a second layer with a mix of Artisan thinner and Holbein WS linseed oil, it was horribly sticky, what is wrong ? I tried only with Holbein WS linseed oil, and my paint was still so sticky ! Did I miss something ?
Are you still able to clean your brush with water with walnut oil ?

But perhaps it is not the wright thread to ask this kind of questions, I try to find an other thread to ask !

Thanks again Judy !

You don't use the two together. The early layers are just the Artisan thinner, progressing to just the paint and then the linseed oil mixed with the paint. The thinner is to be use only on the early layers because it makes the paint leaner while making it more fluid. Glazing of later layers would have to be fatter so the paint would be made more fluid by adding walnut oil or other oils.

if you are not familiar with the fat over lean rule, you might want to take alook at this article I wrote for Squidoo. It covers a lot of info on using WSO.

http://www.squidoo.com/oil-painting-techniques  using Water Soluble Oils.

Hope that helps.
Judy

Tanks Judy
This evening I Will try the thinner Alone and then the paint and then the paint with oil. Thanks for everything, I'll take a look at your article soon.
Dominique

HI Dominique
Welcome to the forum! There is a lot of information here, and friendly painters!

Thank you Watermixableguy !
Oh yes ! I already found a lot of information, an help ! (Thanks again Judy !)
So far I like very much WSO, and my asthma too !
I just have to "tame" this new medium ! Well.... even oil, and even painting is a new medium for me !

Welcome Dominique! There's some really good help here and always someone willing to answer any questions you might have. The Holbien paints are really great and I'm a firm believer in using quality materials even as a beginner as it makes painting so much easier.

Just learn all you can about your materials then paint as actually painting is the best teacher!

Thank you Jan ! Yes, I had à new try yesterday with Judy's tips in mind, an it was a lot better ! I just need to practice !

Glad things are working out better for you.
Judy

Hi Dominique,

I would strongly recommend Holbein, if you are a beginner. The cheaper paints require a little experience to get over the gumminess of the paint. So buy quality material, if you can in the beginning. Once you get good then I don't see any reason to go back to cheaper materials…

Faisal Tariq

One more thing…. Buy a few paint tubes and stay with a limited palette. You will be surprised how little hue matters in a painting… it is mostly values, temperature and intensity and very little the hue. Also, limited palette will help you save money and teach you a lot about color and color mixing. Good luck.

Thank you Faisal ! Yes, I have 2 paint tubes from WN Artisan, and I like a lot better my Holbein's ! My palette is nearly limited, I have 11 colors, witch are the colors recommended by my instructor.
(I can't wait for september, when the lessons are back !)
Thanks for everything

Dominique, avoid the WN Artisan, since you are a newbie. WN Artisan will turn to glue the moment it touches water. 11 colors is a lot and definetly not for beginners. I strongly discourage it. I would recommend the following and you can do wonderful paintings with it. (1) Alizarin Crimson (2) Ultramarine Blue (3) Cadmium Yellow (4) Titanium White (5) Burnt Umber (convenenice).

Remmember, do not worry too much about the Hue... Get your Values, Intensity and temperature right and your paintings will sing... if your hue is not correct your painting would not suffer much, infact not at all... Once you have mastered the above 5 then go on to adding (6) Cadmium Red (7) Yellow Ochre ( Ivory Black and eventually you can add more...

Be your own teacher,... read books and copy the modern masters from their books and set up simple still lifes to paint etc. You can see some books that I recommend in my blog. Happy Paintings!

Thanks Faisal for your advice. I saw your blog, wonderful paintings !
I'll try to find books in french, as I would be more confortable than in english.
Thanks !

One comment about what Faisal said: WN Artisans will not "turn to glue" if you use the Artisan thinner you have. It is using water that makes them get sticky.

Yes Judy, I tested that, il was a lot better with Artisan Thinner. And I do not know why, it was a lot better with the Artisan linseed oil than with Holbein's one. And I tried walnut oil, perfect !
Thank you Judy !