Studio, Brush Cleaning & Mediums

Hello everyone, and thanks for visiting once again. I've noticed lately that cleaning artist brushes has been a hotly discussed topic. Most artists dread the time when painting is done and it's time to clean up. Brushes can literally take more than half an hour to clean, and it's just plain boring. I do tend to use that time to zone out a bit, so when I look back at the piece I've worked on I usually have a new perspective. Unfortunately I find it hard to walk away and then start getting my brushes full of paint again!

I have owned the majority of my brushes for over 25 years. I attribute this to the care I have taken when cleaning. I also embrace any methods that do not use toxic chemicals. In the past I used Lava soap, and I still do about once a month on my brushes, but I use it all the time to wash the paint off my hands. My brush cleaner of choice is now Canola Oil. Yes, the kind you purchase at the grocery store. For my Brit friends I found out from Cat Salter that you call it Rape Seed Oil. You can work it through your brushes just like you would any other cleaner, using a rag to wipe off the paint and oil. The brushes stay soft and supple! The only thing you will need to get used to is that they won't feel really clean. The brushes will actually feel a little gummy. This is why at the end of the month I give them a good cleaning with the Lava soap. If for some reason I'm not going to be using my brushes for a while, I give them a coating of Vaseline jelly.

People have asked me what mediums I use with my paints. I like my oil paint to dry very slowly. I prefer Alla Prima painting but of course am not always able to finish a painting in one sitting. To slow my drying time I use Poppy Seed oil, which I purchase from Daniel Smith. If prolonging drying time is not necessary I use refined Linseed oil. For toxicity reasons I do not use cadmium paints. I only use cadium hues. Many manufacturers have been able to stabilize the cadmium, making it a safer paint.

I had not post this before, but right after the holidays I moved into my new studio. My husband and I converted our old house trailer, the one we used when I traveled with him and the shark show. He built a deck off the front and put a cork floor in. It's a great space with huge windows in the back and a great sky light. It also has a full kitchen, which comes in handy for coffee!

 

That's it for the brush cleaning seminar. Make sure to visit the blog of Cat Salter who also has some tips on brush cleaning. And if you're interested in a great book on Alla Prima painting I highly recommend a book by Al Gury. I actually had the privelage of taking a class with him when I attended the Pennslyvannia Academy of Fine Arts.  Thanks as always for visiting! Let me know what your brush cleaning tips are, I look forward to hearing from you!

What's Your Color Vocabulary?

I am constantly studying other artists paint palettes. Color is my passion and I like to see what hues were used to create the works that I love. Explaining color can be challenging. The little I once knew regarding technical terms has slowly faded away. Each year I have taken a class with a great friend and artist Jean Blackburn. This past fall she discussed color.

Jean has taught me to use a very limited palette and it has made a world of difference in my work. My basic palette is as follows, with an occasional addition determined by subject matter.

Daniel Smith Titanium White
Daniel Smith Naples Yellow
Sennelier Cadmium Yellow Light Hue
Daniel Smith Indian Yellow
Van Gogh Rose Quinacridone
Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson
Winsor & Newton or Daniel Smith French Ultramarine
Gamblin or Daniel Smith Pthalo Blue
I have recently added Gamblin Burnt Umber

If I add cadmium, it is always a “hue.” Cadmiums are generally unstable and toxic for the artist, although Gamblin claims that their cadmiums are very stable. Regarding toxicity I no longer use and kind of mineral spirits to clean my brushes. I clean all my brushed with Canola oil. I have brushed that have lasted over 25 years. Occasionally I will take brush soap and give them a good thorough cleaning. Most of the time if I know I may not be painting for a few days I just give them a coat of Vaseline.

Here are some great definitions we can all use to communicate our color choices! All pretty basic, but good to review!
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