Artist Problems - Water Mixable Oil Mistakes

Water mixable oils, seems to me, to be one of the most misunderstood mediums in the paint world. I would have thought it would be something like egg tempera or casein paint, but alas, I get the most questions about these anomalies of the art world- a water mixable oil paint.
In this video, I’ll go over what water mixable oils are, but also what they are NOT. I also go over some of the most frequent questions I get on water mixable oils, the biggest misconceptions I hear about water mixable oils, and some best practices for working with them.

[@JerrysArtarama]

Enjoy Mike Not Jerry's humor? Be sure to check out his KZbin Channel! kzbin.info

[@mpaykows]

Man, thank you so much for this video. I learned more within this 15 minutes than with any other videos. Now I know my mistakes and what I was doing wrong. Now painting with water mixable oils is pure pleasure and now I know how to use them properly with my other oils. Lots of ppl is doing the same mistake as I did, diluting it with water instead of medium. Thank you for explanation! excellent video!

[@JerrysArtarama]

Oh wow, thank you for the kind words! We're so glad you found this helpful!

[@PHeMoX]

I completely and totally AGREE, don't use water thinking it's the medium you should use. Especially because wet brushes will totally destroy the paint and make it terribly frustrating to paint with. The drier the brush, the better. Use regular medium when you need it thinned down indeed. Excellent video! (And yes, they really are actual oil paints).

[@anniefredrickson6658]

Appreciate the video. Try not to get so frustrated, people will find you when they are ready.

[@billgrandone3552]

Thanks so much for the info. After 33 years away from painting, I've finally retired and at 69 am starting again. I have some health problems so I seriously considered water mixable oils. Well you answered all my questions about the matter of mediums. Thank you Mike.

[@thehappypotter9612]

Mike, so glad I found YOUR video when I was looking around for info on this!

[@JerrysArtarama]

Thank you! We're so glad to help!

[@lucytyson6275]

I have both watermixable oils (WMO) and oil paint, I am phasing out the WMO's at this time. Because there are some great non toxic thinners like the Chelsea Oil of Spike Lavender thinner & Chelsea Lavender Brush cleaner and smells so good (which I love) regular oil paint can be used very safely and easy to clean with these products. I was so happy to hear you tell everyone DO NOT TO USE WATER TO THIN WMO's ,WATER SHOULD ONLY BE USED TO CLEAN BRUSHES WHEN USING WMO's. I have stressed this whenever telling people about WMO's as I have seen personally how it dulls the paint when you thin with water, I cringe whenever I see an artist on a video do it. YIKES!!! Another great video by MikenotJerry!

[@nancysharonstephens9280]

Can you use cold wax with wmo?

[@emmamariamakes]

Why do you prefer traditional oils over WMO?

[@medicinemadisonofficial]

Non toxic brush cleaner: LINSEED OIL or COCONUT OIL. I prefer coconut oil -- I just keep my semi-dirty brushes in it and before I paint I wipe off the remaining color with a cloth, then they're good to go.

[@RadiantJasmin]

Thanks for that tip, I'll have to try some coconut oil!

[@nelidagarcia7412]

Wow, that sounds interesting.

[@ellesnyder942]

I use walnut oil from the grocery store.

[@Toyon95]

Coconut oil! Will try it!

[@whoandwhatisalice]

Thank you so much for the coconut oil tip.

[@BirdwithaBrush]

The Holbein Duo line includes cads and other heavy metal paints for those interested in those pigments.

[@fredjones6800]

You should move your hands more so I can understand better.

[@timboni100]

😂

[@chantillycat5415]

Ahahahaha!!! 😂

[@chantillycat5415]

The really funny thing is I started watching this with no sound and the radio in the background started playing YMCA!!!

[@FIZZGIG-RARF]

Thank you, this is the best video I've seen on water mixable oils! This makes so much more sense now! I do agree that it's a bit tackier than regular oils. What about using water mixable oil mediums with regular oils? I haven't seen anything on that yet.

[@clairemeyer8295]

If I wanted my paint to dry nearly instantly I would just use acrylics and that is what happens when I have tried using water as a thinner for these paints. If I want to put a base down like a primer great but otherwise it seems to defeat the purpose of using oils. That wet on wet work etc. So, thank you for this information. As I am learning to use these it has been frustrating to see tutorials using water as the thinner and I was wondering why one would use these rather than acrylics if they behave like acrylics. I used oils in the first place, way back in the "olden" days because I wanted the properties that they offered over acrylics. I am so happy to not to have to dump this whole experiment because I can't handle exposure to those solvents anymore.

[@ashram12]

I got the Lukas Berlin paint and they really do feel tacky to me. So tacky that I struggle to actually get the paint off my brush and onto the canvas. I've got a couple of mediums for the paints too, but it's not fixing my issue. I'm just looking online to see if anybody has tips on how to either reduce the tackiness or how to work with it because right now, it is pretty frustrating.

[@elizabethkapas9437]

I have been painting with water soluble oils for a few years and never use water as a medium, only to rinse my brushes as I work and thoroughly drying the brushes before dipping back into paint. I have found any water in the paint or brush dulls the color and frequently lifts the paint off the canvas as I do brushwork. However, in watching a KZbin video today by Royal Talens/Cobra about GLAZING with w/s oils, the expert uses water as a medium not only as a first layer wash, but also in each subsequent layer added to Cobra's glazing medium! Now I'm really confused. I'm about to start using Cobra glazing medium, but now I'm not sure how. Any clarification on this contradiction would be greatly appreciated.

[@hannahmarie3529]

Thank you so much for this video! Very helpful information for me as I plan to take up water soluble oils soon. I really appreciate the information and your humor.

[@gep121641]

I bought a set of WMOPs a couple fo years ago, finally threw them out. The painting I did was still wet (would color the tip of the finger) a year later, also it was flat, like a gouache painting. Did not know I could have added a medium to help it dry and give it sheen. Thanks for the help here (still not going to use them, but now know what I did wrong).

[@AmyFlannigan27]

First I used oil paints I had a bad experience and it scared me. So for my second try, I got water-mixable Cobra paints from Royal Talens and I don't intend to change that. I think they are brilliant and easier to clean with no fumes.

[@DebraSpinks]

Love my Holbein Duos and my Artisans! I particularly like the smooth consistency of the Holbeins. The Artisans were frustrating to work with before they came out with the thinner, but now they are a breeze. Just a note, the mediums/thinners for one brand may not necessarily work for another. I experimented using the Artisan thinner with the Holbein Duos, but it just gummed them up. Holbein Duos thin easily with just a touch of water, but water gums up Artisans. I love the easy cleanup of both brands. The water miscibles touch dry a little faster than regular oils, but they fully cure in about the same amount of time as regular oils do. Difficult cleanup was the main reason I shied away from using regular oils, but I now use my regular oils for palette knife painting only, so cleanup with them is just a paper towel.

[@ellesnyder942]

I've used walnut oil as a thinner (just a bottle from the grocery store-nothng special) for a long time with both of those brands. No problems.

[@777-Phil]

I love Holbein WMOs but have not found a good impasto 'gel'. Sometimes I mix Medium W with Liquin and other gels to 'help' compensate, but I'd prefer a WMO gel for impastos. The Holbein gels are too sticky for me. Any suggestions on impasto mediums; perhaps acrylic gel medium?

[@jalexoneschanel1356]

I love my Windsor and Newton Artisan water mixable oils. They’re the only oil paint I’ve used so far, and I’m so happy with them that I doubt I’ll use anything else. Clean up is so easy. I use regular stand oil and the Artisan series water mixable fast dry medium, and gamsol as a thinner and cleaner. This makes it fatter, but clean up is still easy. Water and just the tiniest bit of soap and a conditioner and my brushes are like new again. When I first started painting, I used acrylics and I absolutely HATED how quickly I had to work with them. I could work with them before they dried and got good results, but I couldn’t get really beautiful and seamless blends like I can with oil. It’s been a big shift coming from acrylic and now working with oil because I have literal MONTHS to work with a single layer of paint whereas with acrylics I was rushing to finish a layer in 15-20 minutes.

[@reesea365]

Agreed about acrylics. I just started painting using acrylics as a beginner and WOW the drying time definitely works against you especially when trying to blend! You can definitely tell where the 2 colours meet unfortunately because the lines seem so harsh, but going to try water mixable oil paints soon I ordered off amazon so I can't wait to see the possibilities!

[@sarasyed9809]

Hey , am also planning to buy wondsor and newton artisan wma oils . But i have linseed oil can i just use that instead of water to thin or i need to mix linseed oil with some thinner??

[@jalexoneschanel1356]

Sara Syed you can use linseed oil! I use linseed oil as I start getting up higher in layers. You can use any medium you want with them, just know that it gets harder to clean with water when you use mediums that aren’t water mixable. I use a mix of the water mixable fast drying medium, linseed oil, and thinner and I’ve had great results.

[@jalexoneschanel1356]

Sara Syed just know that linseed oil makes it fattier and increases drying time. I only use linseed oil when I get to a stage where nothing else wants to sit on top of my previous layers.

[@sarasyed9809]

@@jalexoneschanel1356 thank you so much

[@chomsky72]

Can you use regular mediums on water mixable oil paints? Can I thin my Artisan colors with say Gamsol?

[@kaymclaren8681]

Thankyou for your explanation, I must admit that I had been using water to thin the oil thinking that's what it means when it says water mixable oils. So you say that any medium can be used to thin them as they are oils, however I've just looked up Bob Ross liquid clear and it says "No Bob Ross products can not be used with water or water mixable oil paints." Well that's a shame as I've just ordered some.......so do you agree with this please? (I originally bought some Linseed Oil but for the life of me I can't undo the bottle.......very frustrating!

[@treesart6914]

This is an old video, but I'm still going to ask my question: I sleep in the same room as I paint. That is the reason I am now using acrylics, even though I hate acrylics and love oil. So....did I not have to change to acrylics because I could have used watersoluble oil and slept healthily next to it? If not terpentine or water, what do you use to make thin layers?

[@donnadiesburg7451]

Your fun. Thanks! I enjoyed this and will watch more.

[@JerrysArtarama]

We're glad you enjoyed!

[@michellespeak117]

Can anybody tell me the best way to dispose of the water used to rinse the oil brush between uses? In traditional oils I would recycle the thinner and wipe out the sludge at the bottom and then throw it away. But with water it doesn't settle the same and I am afraid to dump it down the sink. (Hence dumping oil paint waist in the sink which goes into our waterways) What do most water soluble painters do with their water?

[@cheryllapham6279]

I soak up my paint water in my sealed brush washer with the paper towels I use to clean my brush while painting and then dispose of the wet towel in the trash. Watercolor water or WMO water dumped on to the ground can get into ground run-off water. If you want to be really environmentally correct, you can let the wet paper towels dry and then collect them for your trash service's hazmat day.

[@beatusqui]

@@cheryllapham6279 What if there is no hazmat day trash collection?

[@cheryllapham6279]

beatusqui We don’t have collection either. We only have quarterly “amnesty day” at our local waste station (I live in a rural location). I save up all hazmat (batteries, paint, etc.) for that day. Check with your local waste company.

[@beatusqui]

@@cheryllapham6279 I will do thanks, I'm in Ireland and never heard of it before.

[@annmartinez4898]

This is a very delayed reply but I use kitty litter. Put the litter in a dollar store plastic pan and pour the water from your cleaning jar in. When it clumps just scoop it out and throw it away.

[@JeanneGS1]

Hi Mike! I'm pretty much a newbie to oil painting and I have gone back and watched many of your previous videos. I enjoy your "Artist Problems" and "F.A.A.Q." series of videos and have learned a lot from them. I just bought some of the medium used to convert regular oils to water mixable oils. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hopeful it will work so I can have more colors available to use with my Lukas Berlin set of water mixable oils.

[@JerrysArtarama]

Sounds good. Let me know what you think once you try them.

[@monelleny]

Every time I hear you say, "You're lying, I can see it right there," I burst out laughing. I can't help it :(

[@ralfison]

I use Winsor & Newton water mixable oils. The only slight difference (read 'problem') I have encountered is when trying to use something like a comber brush to create separated marks. It will work once or twice and then gets clogged up. I've tried different solutions, such as using W&N Artisan Thinner, but the problem remains. It's a while since I tried the same technique with standard oils but don't recall having the same problem. If anyone can suggest a solution, I'd love to hear it.

[@grantwriter7777]

What do you do when they STAY tacky for more than a week? I wrecked a portrait, doing rework, and it will not dry. I used Holbein Duo paint and Holbein Duo 505 which is mostly linseed oil.

[@PixiePrincess501]

I actually love painting with oils, but I had to stop for two reasons: Turpentine, and destroyed brushes. When I heard of water mixable oil paints, I tried them out and fell in love. All I needed was a bit of shampoo and water when I was finished, and these new brushes are still good for painting! I'm also interested to find out that there is a medium to make regular oils water soluble, I'd love to see a demo on this! Here's my questions, tho: 1) I heard you can dilute them with linseed oil. Can I still wash the brushes with water after this, or should I just get the water mixable linseed oil? (I know, silly question, but I'm curious. I'm worried that may ruin my brushes...) 2) When I dip the brush in the water to rinse one color so I can get another color, I noticed that about 70% of the time, the paint won't come off all the way, and I have to wash the brush in the sink with my hands (A very inconvenient hassle, as I have to go to the nearest sink every blessed time I have to rinse out a brush. I don't have a studio per se, and paint in my own room.) Am I doing something wrong? Is there a proper way to rinse the brush without the whole song and dance I just described? I just figured you dip the brush in water and clean the paint off of it the same way you do for acrylics...?

[@JerrysArtarama]

Hi there Pixie. Yes, you will need to use water mixable linseed oil if you want your paint to stay water soluble. Regarding the brush cleaning, before you dip the brush in water, I would make sure that all the paint that you can get off with a paper towel or cloth is off of the brush first.

[@PixiePrincess501]

Thank you! I'll try that out!

[@lucytyson6275]

Actually Schmincke makes a Medium W that you can mix with your regular oil paint to make them water mixable, but like Mike said not to use water for thinning, but helps with cleaning. This stuff works great with regular oils I have used it and its amazing stuff. I wish Jerrysarterama had it on their site.

[@SmillyDonut]

PixiePrincess501 You can also invest in a brush washer to help knock the paint off the brush.

[@SmillyDonut]

Katfishkelly M I've heard that Dawn is great for cleaning oil brushes but wasn't sure how good. Thanks for sharing. It'll make me feel better about the price I'd have to pay for a bottle. 🤔

[@MyEdwinmartinez]

I guess I’ll do what my mother has said all along.. don’t list the painting as a water mixable oil, it’s just oil.

[@1sacoyle]

Since you clean the brushes with water should you use nylon /synthetic brushes instead of natural bristle brushes?

[@Fred-ov5vb]

This video is a little dated, but presents some good information. However, it should have been stressed that the characteristics of water mixable oils vary depending on the manufacturer. I have used Royal Talens Cobra paints, closely viewed information on their website, and corresponded with their technical folks. Cobra water mixable oils are indeed designed to thin with only water! No mediums are necessary. Mediums are offered by Cobra for glazing and oiler or slower drying applications depending on the artists preference. These mediums can be thinned with water too. I haven't used other water mixable oils, although I'm sure there are other great brands. Just be aware that they do not all handle the same.

[@stryker1999]

Thanks for the insight, from three years ago. I love Royal Talens Cobra paints, but you have me thinking I need to check out their site, as well as Cobra tutorials on here. I must add that they survive well over time. I bought my paints over a decade ago, and while the Weber wOils - not made anymore - and Grumbacher MAX turned to tar or dried completely, the Holbein, Cobra and Windsor & Newton Artisans survived and are still good. The W&N are almost like new, but I'd buy all three brands again - and did.

[@bllawlk]

Daler Rowney Georgian mixable oil states (at the back of its box) that its colours can be thinned, mixed and washed with water. So it implies water can be used as the medium

[@jcepri]

This A.S.S. is awesome. Too funny, So why would anyone continue to paint with regular oil? By the way, where did you get that shelf unit behind you? I really need one of those. :-)

[@pbxh6740]

So glad to have found this! I’ve been using these with water as a thinner, and I’ll be sure not to ever do that again.

[@MaryClineMitchell-MVM]

Great video. Thanks!

[@JerrysArtarama]

Yay! Thanks for watching! 😁

[@djnima]

Thank you for the video! one question: Is there any problem / risk in using my acrylic paint brushes with water mixable oils, clean them thoroughly and then using the same brushes for acrylics later?

[@mariakellner5429]

There will still be residue from the oil paint,not a good idea .

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

often times acrylic brushes are synthetic and clean up better with soap and water but with oils it's harder to get all the oil out of the brush esp. if it's natural hair. It may cause issues with your painting if you mix oil and acrylic together by accident.

[@KatMa664]

Cobra tells you to use part water and part painting medium. You increase your ratio of medium to water each layer. Starting with very little medium. Your final layer can be pure painting medium and paint or even just pure paint.

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

The medium acts like a fat and as you add more it's like following the fat or lean rule.

[@kathleenwildey2757]

I bought some Berlin water mixable and thought I HAD to use oil or water to paint with. I used the modified linseed oil and I think it was WAYYYYYY too much, even though I barely dipped the brush, it turned out like watercolor on the canvas paper I was using. I have been trying to decide what to do with them. After watching this I see I should use them like regular oils (slaps head with palm). So I will give them another go. Thanks for the info. Can you tell I am a newb (lol)?

[@ida.ronyah]

Great video, thank you! Have a question: Can I use a water mixable medium or glazing together with regular oil paint?

[@JerrysArtarama]

Yes! you can use water-soluble mediums together with traditional oil paints and they should work fine, however they will not be able to make traditional oil paint be truly water-soluble. The mediums would function similarly to regular oil paint mediums when used with traditional oil paints.

[@jonjonsson6323]

You actually can mix in water and paint with artisan, however if you do there is a totally different problem and that is the hue of the paint goes weird. The dried layer will not have the same vibrancy or darkness as it had when applied so if you do use water on the first layer as a grisaille /scetch beneath wich is pretty nice as it dries super fast, oil out and oil out. I dont recommend doing it ( using water ) on anything than the scetch as trying to match the colors can make people stop painting and there are much better water mixable mediums to the paint such as stand oil and regular mediums, all of them water mixable. Never mix a water mixable with regular until it has dried, i find it makes lumps.

[@joclairemitchell9591]

Thx this is a helpful tip

[@hansendesigns]

They should call them "water washable" oils then. End a lot of problems...

[@catllionare]

hansendesigns I agree!

[@UncleTerry]

water soluble oils is the better term

[@barbaracahill3177]

I just call them “ my new paints” so that my pedantic son doesn’t start on me

[@lindasartclub-paintyourway9937]

I enjoyed this video very much! Entertaining and informative!! Thank you.

[@JerrysArtarama]

Thanks so much @lindasartclub-paintyourway9937! We're so glad you enjoyed!

[@ellesnyder942]

In your "prove it" video on water mixable oil vs oil paint you used water as a "thinner" (see mistake number 1 in this video.) You should probably pull that video and update it. You can totally mix both types of paint and use all the standard oil paint thinnners if you wanted to. When actually cleaning the brush (using water mixables) you can use soap and water. Murphy's Oil Soap Liquid Wood Cleaner is also a good brush cleaner for both types of oil paints. I keep a little bit on hand for cleaning between color changes if my brush gets especially dirty- otherwise i just swish it out in water. I use synthetic brushes. I also use freezer paper in my masterson palette saver for easy cleanup. I ifrst tried water mixables in an oil class. At that time we were trying to ue water as a thinner and nobody liked the results. Too muddy or dull. I put them aside and went back to regular oils. Then a year later I realized I'd been using mostly my old water mixables - they got mixed in my box- with standard oil paints and mediums and couldn't tell the difference. After that (and pneumonia) I switched fully over to water mixable oil paints. There's just no point in breathing noxious fumes or absorbing toxics stuff thru your skin. Even "odorless" thinners still have toxic stuff your breathing- you just can't smell it. I need my brain cells for the long haul. I use walnut oil as a medium- straight from the grocery store.

[@jimk4570]

I once asked Robert Liberace (a very well respected artist and teacher in Northern VA) if I could take his class but use WMOP instead of regular paint. He said he did not think that would work out. So as much as I hear that WMOP is extremely similar, I cannot understand then why he would have said that. I do not want the toxicity of Gamsol or Turp.

[@franzrogar]

At last, this' the first video I see from you (and your presentation way is amazing!) and I must say you nailed what the water-solvent oil paintings are (I call them that way to differentiate them from turpentine-solvent oil paintings). Great video :-) I'll look into your other videos too.

[@bethmagee3190]

Can I add quick dry to each layer of cobra paint? Painting allaprima with cobra paint?

[@TheArtGearGuide]

Another informative and outstanding video Mike, love Fridays and it is so good to see you back now regularly. Of course the bonus now is that we also get to see cutie little tiny Baby Artarama photos on your Instagram page which we all love. Awesome vide Mike mate, all the very best bud.

[@JerrysArtarama]

Thanks Harry. Yes, I am trying to go to a schedule of posting every other week. That Baby Artarama takes up a lot of my time lol.

[@capbin146]

I saw Denise Allen do a demo the year I started painting where she used Georgian Wmo with lots of water and used it as if doing a very wet watercolour wash unfortunately I haven't found such a video on KZbin. Using water as a medium creates an emulsion. These are as you said water mixable not soluble as some people incorrectly refer to them. A great series of videos is produced by royal talens, I think their version is cobra. Hope some of this helps add a bit to your great videos. Thanks

[@RebekkaHay]

The paint manufacturers say specifically to use as much water with these paints as you want, even to emulate a watercolour effect.

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

This is true. I've heard and read the same. The question remains longevity and Archivalness. I've not used my water sol oil paints in this way though. I treat them much like I do regular oil paints except I was able to get rid of all my turps and distillates. I think those chems really mess with your skin, brain chemistry, and lungs. Which is why I switched to Water soluble oil colors. I actually like that they dry a little quicker too.

[@Oscaro9928]

I want to start using them as a substitution for what Michael James Smilth use of WN Griffing fast drying oil paints. I don’t want to deal with the smell of medium and cleaning solutions. Hope to start his lessons soon

[@PB-vg7ww]

I'm just wondering why you can't thin the water mixable oil with water when you can thin traditional oils with solvent. I'm only asking because I want to make the underpainting with it diluted water mixable oil rather than the thinned version using solvents so that I won't get a headache. (CCS Lavender spike oil is impossible to get in my country) I watched your acrylic video and it made sense that you can't thin the acrylic paint with water as it weakens the structure but when it comes to oil, with the understanding of basic paint being composed of [pigment : binder : vehicle], in both the water mixable and traditional oils, the water and solvent would act as the vehicle respectively, while the binder (oil) stays on the surface and remains unchanged. Then wouldn't the end result be the same? Or is it that the emulsifier in the water mixable oils the problem for making the paint film weaker when the paint is diluted like how many traditionally trained artists seem to distrust the more newly introduced mediums, which is technically an additive to the base binder as there hasn't been enough long term evidence yet, and they stay with only linseed, walnut oil and solvents to make their paintings? Because I guess you could say that the emulsifier in the water mixable is also an additive so that might be the reason that it could compromise the structural integrity of the paint film. Ok, I'm not sure if I just answered my own question but let's see how you would answer, or if anyone even bothers to read to this point. :p

[@ArAdler-r5z]

what about using gamblin solvent free liquid or gel with water mixable oils?

[@jcstevenson7834]

Can water soluble oils be used in the Bob Ross method and can the non toxic cleaner be used in place of the odorless paint thinner for the same method?

[@KimberleyB]

These are oil paints. Give it a try!

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

Yes you can do Bob Ross style with these paints and get the very same results but be careful mixing water with them since the colors tend to shift lighter. The non-toxic cleaner I use is called weber natural turpenoid. works great with these oil paints for clean up.

[@3511putman]

Here's my problem: I use Artisan water mixable oils starting with water as a medium (as recommended on a vid I watched when starting with the paint) and gradually going on to use the paint straight from the tube, then with linseed oil as a medium. At a certain point, when I'm attempting to glaze over an already painted surface, my brush LIFTS OFF the underlying paint right down to the canvas rather than apply the new paint. Worse, the white patch produced is then resistant to any further application of paint! What causes this & how do I resolve it?

[@KMayflower]

This happens to me too. I have stopped using water all together as I believe it's the oil over water that is causing it...

[@liseernie]

I am new to painting so, sorry, I just heard you say you can mix ordinary oil paint with the water soluable ones, but then what does one use for cleaning the paint off the brushes (when both types of paint are on the brushes)

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

Use a solvent such as OMS (odorless mineral spirits) or Gamsol, distilled terps (in well vented area) and last but not least use a citrus solvent such as weber natural turpenoid. My favorite. Inexpensive, environment friendly, and works with all oil paints including water sol. ones. Best of all you can use it to soak your brushes in overnight without harming them like with harsh mineral spirits. Follow up with warm water and mild soap clean-up. Hope this helps.

[@hb4196]

@@JC.SpdRcr5 The whole point is NOT to use any kind of spirits; the odorless ones are toxic too, you just can't smell them. You can use walnut or other oils to clean your brushes, then wash with brush soap. there are a number of videos on the subject.

[@nextmorphreptiles418]

This is a great video! Thank you! I've been trying to figure out how to create a fluid white for water soluble oils in order to paint wet on wet. Does anyone have some advice? I'm finding it hard to find the answer to this online.

[@PlusPassie]

I would love to see a demo with Cobra water mixable oilpaints. There are great!

[@UncleTerry]

I have these too

[@moiravilliard1807]

When they dry, are they resilient against water? Asking because there's a boat sail painting project I'm taking part in and artists in the past have used a specific ink as a base and then for more colors they've used regular oils. Wondering if the water-soluble oils would hold up as well as regular oils if they get splashed with water out on a lake? any thoughts? or will they degrade in the elements faster?

[@juliusgaius4326]

What do you gain from mixing traditional and water mixable oils?? I cant think of any

[@ericakilbourn9716]

Is there a video you guys have made about painting on wood slices and how to prime them? Its a big fad right now ans I'd love to know how to archivally paint on a wood slice with oils and acrylics

[@lucytyson6275]

Hi Erica, if your using raw wood that has not been treated with a sealer then you need a wood sealer/primer and then Gesso. Golden makes GAC100 (sealer/primer) for this purpose, you should use at least 2 coats then sand with 220 grit sandpaper, then you can use at least 2 coats of gesso, , sand between layers if you want a smooth service. If you do not seal raw wood you can get SID (support induced discoloration), and you would not want that happening your hard work. Hope this helps! Goldenpaints.com has a lot of great information.

[@lorrainemcnaueal4538]

My real question is, what do I do when I have an unwanted sheen on my portrait? Can I use a mat clear spray paint?

[@marky437]

so what's the point of Water Mixable Oil paints if you have to use "special" chemical solvents? (Which are treated the same way as traditional solvents for oil painting when disposing off) Might as well use traditional Oil paints? For the "non toxic" mediums/solvents look around and I'm sure there is plenty on the market now? Also out of curiosity regarding drying times. Being water mixable oils are the drying times affected by levels of moisture in a room when drying? Compared to traditional oil paint which is Hydrophobic.

[@peachmccomb1804]

You do not have to use 'special' chemical solvents at all. You use water to clean the brushes along with a soap if you choose;,I use Masters. When thinning you may use the mediums that have been created to use with the water soluble oil paint, or you may use gel medium, Gamblin makes a nice Solvent-Free Gel. It's not toxic. I have the same sort of allergies to the solvents that other artists have mentioned and find that I have no problems with the water soluble oils.

[@karenc1982]

I find that water mixable oils dry much slower when level of moisture in my studio is high. Also, it's a nightmare with lint/dust since the surface stay sticky for longer. I guess a dehumidifier helps... will check next time humidity levels are super high in my room (as I thought of this lately and weather is currently quite hot and dry.. ie: paint dries really fast)

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

@@karenc1982 Yes my WMO dry really fast like within a week it's dry to the touch. A few of mine even dry in a couple days. It's nice when you paint in layers like I do and I want to wait for each layer to dry first before applying another glaze.

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Mike, Yep I re-watching all of the videos featuring old water miscible oil paints! I am still not sure if I can use the mediums from different brands with different oil paints, or oil miscible oil paints and their supplies. OK I guess I am still looking! Thanks Mike. What about the Chelsea lean and fat mediums as well as the lavender spike oil are these usable with water mixable oil paints???

[@marionbradley6236]

Yes I have used them, both Artisan and Lukas Berlin! And I have mixed them with regular oils. Problem I had was with certain colors (cad yellow specifically), both brands dried up in the tubes and were unusable. But, love the concept. Just have to start and finish a project quickly.

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

I've never had this particular problem but I do know and understand these paint better after having used them for years now. Almost every color when compared to it's regular oil paint counterpart dries faster. Even the phthalos green and blue. They dry so fast that sometimes the next day they are sticky or tacky and can not be blended on the canvas. With reg oils they dry in a week or two but water sol. tend to dry in less than a week. I think it has something to do with the fatty acids being chemically altered and therefore attracting more oxygen therefore cause a quicker oxidization process to the oil paints. With water sol oils any water added to the paint evaporates first then oxidization occurs second.

[@onnaaddis7983]

You seemed angry that you were asked to do the video. 😆 I wouldn't know. But here is my question. Is it better to put on a background layer thinly then go into a heavier knife painting? I have wondered if as in acrylics you have more success with a dry or tacked up background as surface to make ws oils easier to lay on the next layer? Or just grab the knife and go right to a rather impasto layer of thicker paint? Or does it make any difference?

[@steveguthrie5865]

I painted on an mdf panel with a backing ie like off a kitchen cupboard it took literally week and half to dry ,should I notr use mdf with water mixable oils

[@bevdavid225]

Brand new to water soluble or any oil for that matter. I saw you used a thinner. Can I also use stand oil to extended the life of my paint and the thinner?

[@yoganand1980]

Thanks i have one question. Can i mix LIQUIN with water mixable oils?

[@depalpatel8735]

This is such a helpful video! Thank you

[@auditore8895]

Can I use regular linseed oiland alkyd medium for flow instead of water mixable linseed oil and other medium ???

[@jeanettemorris5087]

Looking for options for glazing with water mixable oils?

[@jamesrebello1861]

Can you do a second layer of water mixable oil over traditional oil if the oil paint layer is dry?

[@samibowers1094]

Can you use the same brushes for regular oil and water color oils?

[@michelleannette7994]

Question: can you use water mixable oil mediums with standard oils?

[@deaniecoleholland5551]

Can I use liquid white with water mixable oils?!

[@stephaniegunderson7354]

What is the best thinner for the water mixable oils?

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

W&N from my experience. I use the thinner to thin them down and the WMO linseed to fatten them up.

[@paigecushman5710]

Very funny!!! Your 1st, 2nd or maybe even 3rd job must be as a comedian. It was helpful to learn about not thinning with water, which was very helpful. I am an acrylic artist, so, understanding not to treat them like an acrylic was good. Thanks! 😁

[@mechadroit]

This is an odd use case, but I use Oil paints on scale models for creating a weathered look. I've been curious about these. I'm going to have to see what colors they have. Thanks for the good information. I work in a tight space and the oderless mineral spirits are.... Not entirely oderless.

[@ipad_teacher]

Hi, is it possible or does it even make sense to mix Thinner with Linseed Oil? I would like to create a nicely flowing color that maintain its brilliance while painting

[@JerrysArtarama]

Yes, it is possible, but I would recommend something like the Chelsea Classical Studio Spike Oil as a thinner, rather than just a brush cleaner.

[@ipad_teacher]

JerrysArtarama No, I mean the Windsor & Newton Artisan Thinner and Linseed Oil!

[@JerrysArtarama]

I haven't worked much with the Artisan personally, but I think, in theory it would work.

[@ronhochhalter3491]

Great video explaining water soluble oils. I started oil painting with water soluble oils. Had NO problems with them. I used Berlin and Artisan brands and they both work great. I still have these oils in my studio and still use them frequently, although the main reason I no longer purchase them and have completely switched to traditional oil is the variety of mediums available for traditional oil's compared to WSO. Having said that, the fast drying medium, stand oil, and other water soluble oil mediums work great. I incorporate the WSO with my traditional oil frequently in my paintings. A suggestion to anyone that likes to paint their "under painting" in acrylics is to use the WSO with the fast drying medium before starting with traditional oil. If you try the Berlin colors as an underpainting, it's much better IMO than a flat looking acrylic as an under painting. And if it's not completely dry when you start the next layers, it won't ruin your painting like acrylic would. As Mike has stated again and again, you must use solvents to clean if you incorporate any traditional oils. Happy Painting everyone!

[@jamesrebello1861]

Can you paint water mixable oils over regular paint when dry?

[@SuperFrasman]

A very good and helpful video............thanks!

[@christopherwelch5568]

A hue is a substitute yes, but I can say from actual experience they do not produce the same results as the real thing. I use Vermillion and yellow ochre for a base skin tone. Vermillion hue does not look the same side by side with actual vermillion. And it does not produce the same base tone either. It's close, but not the same. The same is true of all cadmium hues and most blue hues. It is totally a cost issue. Cadmium is a heavy metal that is expensive. You won't find it in student grade paints. You will develop an ability to see color with experience and you will see the difference. Fortunately, artist grade paints are way more dense with pigment and go much farther than student grade paints. They are worth the investment.

[@kleinekuenstlerin7717]

Which ist better: Use traditional oils with Medium W from Schmincke (makes oils mixable with water) or use water-mixable oils straight away? I have the impression that trad. oil is more intense in color.

[@nestingbirdcreations]

I used Schmincke’s Medium W added to a W&N Winton oil color because I did not have that particular color in water mixable oil. When I washed out my brushes afterward I found that I had to work harder at getting that particular color out of the brush. Plus, it became kind of a pain to have to mix the right ratio of Medium W with the paint color, though that may not bother you. So in my opinion, the Medium W was not worth the cost and inconvenience. Now, I use mainly Cobra Artist and Winsor & Newton wmo’s, and can generally find whatever color I need. Hope this helps.

[@kleinekuenstlerin7717]

@@nestingbirdcreations Thank you for your reply! I am going to invest in water mixable oils then.

[@maudale]

Thank you for the video!! So you don't suggest using water to thin down the paint? I thought that was possible according to other videos, but you suggest using linseed instead?

[@phyllishoss9476]

Lucas water mixable oils have dried tacky on canvas board. Also come across when you add any water mixable mediums to the paint, you cant clean your brushes with water, you have to use solvent.

[@bozomahoney]

Ok.... 2 min in and this guy is driving me nuts !!! See yah !!

[@Mattl0657]

Can I use liquid white, like Bob Ross, with water soluble oil paint

[@JRJigsawyer]

Did you ever find this out? I'm just starting with WSOs and I want to be able to do the wet on wet painting over liquid white or liquid clear canvases but am having a hard time finding out how.

[@johncorbin1622]

I really like your art science credentials, I have a master's in all trades but master of none! And I've been an ass for a very long time.

[@JerrysArtarama]

😂😂

[@Happydog66]

I painted a large canvas using Water Mixable Oil paint. I want to reuse the canvas for another try at a painting using Water Mixable Oil paint again. Can this be done and/or can I Gesso over the painting so I can start from scratch and paint something new? If so what kind of Gesso should I use. I am just painting for fun as a retired person and have never painted before. Thank you for your help.

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

After the painting has dried you can paint over your original painting with titanium white oil paint and start over. Do not use acrylic paint over oils ever since it will likely crack over time and ruin what's on top. Common mistake many of us have made.

[@Happydog66]

@@JC.SpdRcr5 O.K. Great. Thank you for your reply.

[@charlenesart2207]

I have some Holbein Water mixable oil paint that I'm using right now. The instructions in it are Japanese. I just want to know - am I ok to throw the water with these oil paint mess down the sink? I also would like to know how quick drying mediums affect into the fat over lean principle for these.

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

I have holbein WMO as well. Use these like you would reg oil paints but when you rinse in a water bath you can safely pour that water bath down the sink like you would regular acrylic paints. I use weber natural turpenoid which is also safe to pour down your drain since it's a natural oil thinner and not harmful to the environment. It will help keep all your oil brushes clean and gunk free.

[@charlenesart2207]

@@JC.SpdRcr5 Thank you so much for your reply!

[@haptown]

Great video. And I love your Horizons shirt.

[@gypsysnickerdoodle4354]

Water Mixable Oils & GREEN products from, say, Sennelier?? I got a REGULAR oil Sennelier set on steep sale. I bought it, knowing I could ADD Medium W to make the set water mixable. So, now I have issues on ensuring I have an understanding of the mediums

[@suz8481]

Can I still use Bob Ross liquid white with Cobra water mixable paints.

[@danielaredi-pessin8588]

Can I start my first layers with WMO starting with a waterdown layer, and then using the WMO Medium and then for the following layers use "traditional oil" ?

[@JC.SpdRcr5]

Yes you can but I would let the water evaporate completely (could be hours later) before putting on a layer of traditional oils. Some colors change when the water is added and then when the water has evaporated the color changes back to normal. This can confuse some artists because the water in the water-mixable oil paints makes it milky and lighter in color.

[@idraw1019]

Can I still make an underpainting with just water for water-mixable paint.

[@moonspiritartbycindyhill1084]

I am going to start using water mix able oils. I normally use acrylic paints

[@davidg.5076]

I use WN Artisan water mixable Stand Oil in my Gamblin standard oil paints with no issues.

[@JerrysArtarama]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@adumbratesly]

Secondary Visual Arts teacher here. I want to teach "classic" painting with my kids and water soluble oils seem the way to go; a little less expensive and little less toxic (keeps my Board and my parents happy, if you know what I mean). The problem I am having is finding a brush that cleans properly after use. Initially I just used some inexpensive hog's bristles and went at it... ended up with some overloaded, never, ever to be clean again brushes. Hot water, cold water, soapy water; dead brushes, the end. Ok, so nothing that is absorbent... which means synthetic, right? Any recommendations?

[@ellesnyder942]

Murphys liquid wood oil soap. Use synthetic brushes. Another one i use for regular oils but is more toxic (works on water mixables too) is Silicoil brush cleaning fluid together with the silicoil brush washer jar. Brushes can get stained by pigment but doesn't mean the brush is "dirty".

[@paullyons7621]

"Obviously, cadmiums are water-soluble; it goes in watercolors, right?" Wrong. Watercolour pigments are not water-soluble. It's the vehicle - traditionally gum arabic - that's water-soluble. The pigments are solid particles, just like the ones in oil paint. In fact, in most cases, the pigments used in watercolors are exactly the same as the ones used in oil paints.