How to Not Waste Oil Paint

[@DD-ox2ex]

I always saves the leftover paint. I'll go so far as to keep the dark's separate from the lights. Blend each pile then use it as Mark stated or save it for the background on a still life. Some of my best backgrounds with a little abstraction have come from using this leftover muck.

[@krapart]

im not a painter but i love watching these videos for some reason.

[@silverstorm6973]

krap art I think your a painter from the inside.. you just don't know it

[@arielceleda4897]

Because you WAS a painter. I dare you to start painting!! 4 years have passed tho.

[@eddieg66]

This is from a guy who sells his own paint. Says it all. What a guy thanks for making great videos and helping people your a lovely human being.

[@UnbeltedSundew]

This channel is such an incredible resource. Thanks for sharing your knowledge so openly.

[@bentinho]

I've bought a bunch of empty paint tubes that i fill with these grays. It's a great way to get a neutral to tone a color down

[@IlnickiStudios]

How do you fill these though?

[@jjroseknows777]

@@IlnickiStudios That's what i want to know. But he does talk about putting it into a little jar.

[@ElinWinblad]

TheTobruk empty tubes come with the non cap end open. You fill them crimp it closed

[@starshot5172]

@@jjroseknows777 plastic bag with a hole in it. The back of the tubes er open and need to be folded shut afterwards 1

[@12juslookin]

Put the mix in a pile in the middle of a page of paper then roll it to a size that will fit inside the tube. Pinch the paper roll and pull it between your fingers. No mess.

[@mariakellner2221]

It's like having a masterstock used in cooking ,great idea.

[@JB007SEXY]

BRILLIANT, You can use it as a background color for your canvas.;-)

[@cathyhunnnicutt2349]

Great Idea.

[@cynthiamarston2208]

It’s not always a good idea. Sometimes it’s just an ugly color! In fact usually

[@arielceleda4897]

i thought he was going to say that, but he come out with a nice alternative. i would use it as a background... i dont care if it is ugly or not, it will be cover later, so...

[@digi_edits]

@@cynthiamarston2208 chill

[@jawadkazmi8856]

I was going to recommend just that 😂 Also we do abstract so Yes by all means use all the left overs. Our Sheikh (teacher and guide) has always reminded us that Our CREATOR dislikes Wastage of all kinds.

[@carlconnor5173]

I very much appreciate your taking the time to share your pearls of wisdom with us! Clearly you have a passion you can't keep to yourself. Otherwise why would you be so generous? You've helped to rekindle my spark more than the other artists I've checked out. And the carpentry tutorials to boot! Amazing.

[@cathyhunnnicutt2349]

You are so right. Mark is a gem.

[@hc509]

He has an answer for everything. Thank you for doing this video, I had this question on one of your other videos cuz I always thought you seem to have a lot of leftover paint and I don't want to waste any paint once I start painting with these oils!

[@headingoutside]

Excellent suggestion. Too late for my dried up palette at the moment, but next time! Love your videos.

[@cathyhunnnicutt2349]

Thanks so much. I have wondered what to do with the excess paint. I appreciate your transparency that you give to your viewers . That is a rare quality now days.

[@fernandosaint9859]

4:04 "and I don't know if it is the best way to do it" 🤣

[@Capricosm]

At the end of every studio session I use the left over paint by painting it randomly onto a blank canvas. After a few weeks I end up with an abstract painting which I sell for $1,000 each.

[@Hirannagar]

What an awesome idea!

[@asolh1184]

I love yr channel, i been taking yr class for yrs now. I keep coming back. Love the practicality and rightious practice. Thanks

[@NoemiCaraballo]

Thank you very much for all these tips, I wonder why is it that we don't get any of this type of information in art school!!

[@jamescgibson]

I watch all your videos. You are a great teacher and a master painter. I have been making palettes in a box form for three years. I my first video.

[@starforged]

Thank you for all your help. Loving the paint I got from you.

[@ahmedshaikh7662]

Do keep in mind that if u have any Liquin mixed into any of the paints then the paint will not last long. It will dry up very quickly.

[@e.torch.8102]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and all the work you put into your videos! It is all greatly appreciated!

[@lowellhanson5800]

I call this a bubble gum amalgam. I've created some very useful tertiaries and earth tones doing this. If you do a lot of production painting for art shows and the like, this is a great way to save on cost as Mark mentioned.

[@lisengel2498]

As always just so nice to watch your videos - and I love the idea with a jar to store this "mud" in

[@evajansevanrensburg5282]

Hi thanks so much on that tip on the saving the left over paints 👍🏻

[@ShirleiBarnes]

I love your tips. Grateful

[@crisalidathomassie1811]

Thanks so much for the video. I usually mix all the colors and use it to tone my canvas. It is a great way to save the paint. Blessings and be safe.

[@katepavelle9465]

That's brilliant! I've been trying to keep a sheet of plastic wrap over my unused paint, with pretty poor result. This is better.

[@fabricepruniaux74]

So simple yet so smart and useful !

[@brendadevlin5588]

Really useful tip, saves paint AND money. Thanks!

[@danieltirado1488]

thanks Mark for this video! It reinforced my approach with reusing paint again. I really like to practise my brush strokes with the leftovers.

[@fbraakman]

Thanks Mark. That's really great. Wish I had thought of it earlier. I also would be interested in how you make your stretcher bars.

[@ArtbyJoeH]

I have always done that. Good to see I am not the only one thinking so economically!

[@ninasue5948]

You, sir, are a genius!

[@chrissymurray1643]

I must remember to do that next time I paint with my oils. Awsome tip. Many thanks 😀😁✏🖍🖌

[@IvanCapitani]

Hi Mark, I just saw that the oil paint you sell at Geneva now comes in plastic tubes rather than the previous glass jars. Is there a reason for that? Glass jars are not only more classy but they are also more comfortable as far as paint handling goes. Squeezing all the paint out of those plastic tubes is a bit difficult because of the rigid cap. Also, correct me if I'm wrong but I heard you say in one of your videos that you didn't like much tubes beacause usually the oil separates from the pigment and tends to come out first when you squeeze it. Kind regards.

[@puurfectlysplendid]

Probably because it will make the paint very expensive and he wanted them to be reachable price.

[@lotdproduction]

This is such a good idea Mark! thank you!!!!

[@iboartgallery4633]

Good to you mr.artist, i always use them as a background for my newer canvas, mak it smooth and easy to work on 😉

[@AngeloBonaveraArt]

Thanks, very useful way to not waste used oil paints.

[@LH-ro2ot]

I am thrifty and so already do this - good to know I am doing something right 😄

[@1970pizza]

Brilliant idea , and that's coming from someone who hasn't a clue how to paint , i never knew you could keep oil paints in a sealed jar for up to a year

[@COMB0RICO]

That is so awesome. Thanks from Austin.

[@MultiHatstand]

New to your channel and I love it. I have learned so much. Thank you

[@indoororchidsandtropicals358]

Holy crap thats a lot of paint. I always just add a tiny blob to my palette, so if I run out I just add more and if not, I didn't waste a bunch, but that method may not work for everyone.

[@teresatsamis3221]

Great info, thank you.. I love your videos…

[@otomatuah]

thanks for your precious suggestions!

[@corpopunk]

Useful for painting fabric

[@yakobmorley]

Excellent tip!!

[@fionarodricks5677]

Excellent tip....thanks for sharing Mark.

[@sandrabos9268]

Good job … thank you for your video , I appreciate it👍

[@chrisgriffith1573]

Nice tip! I never thought about that...

[@realrebelli0n]

Dang it how wasn't I able to think of something that obvious?! Sometimes I'm wondering... Thanks for this great tip!

[@vartanarakelian4643]

As a begginer thanks for advise.

[@christinaczarnecki625]

nice tip,thank you! but Mark,why aren´t you using palette knives to mix the paint? i hate to see your brush inside this mess!

[@lyndellclarkson1882]

Hi I love the big paint scraper you used. What is it called please? I love your tips and teaching, thank you so much for all your help xx

[@amaria7735]

Regular from home depot

[@tinymill8467]

Hi Mark, great tutorial. Thanks. One question I have is in regards to the white paint that might be part of this neutral. In episode 20 you talk about never mixing white into shadows. So I'm assuming this neutral mix (if White's in it) is off limits to use in shadows? Can you let me know if this neutral is okay to use for shadow bases, or will it always milk up my shadows? Thanks for all you do!

[@chrisgriffith1573]

You save more paint than I use. Incredible.

[@lauracastell2449]

So useful! Everything! Thank you!!

[@susanwong6471]

Great idea!!!

[@lisawarren5431]

Thanks so much! Love your videos!

[@nancycaccioppo9946]

thank you, happy to have found you - happy to learn

[@forestgreen123]

Thank you so so much!

[@misaelortega653]

I never thought of this. Good video

[@priscillagatt1379]

How are your oils so smooth and ‘liquidy’ please? Are they mixed with a medium on ypur palette? Thank you so much for your lessons. Very big thank you and well done!

[@hercaselis1367]

Good idea!!!!!!!! Thank you

[@SMadeehaH]

What I do is mix all my leftover paint and use it as the background of the painting. I paint the background towards the end of my painting session to really clean up my edges and avoid wasted paint. If the paint is the hue I need it to be, I mix some more colours in.

[@victoradrielarte3437]

eu já havia pensado em aproveitar a tinta dá paleta mas nunca fui encorajado, agora vou tentar separar em diferentes recipientes as cores, salvar apenas os azuis em um recipiente em outro apenas os amarelos e assim respectivamente

[@gbruder-werner6584]

Great information!

[@clowcapter]

Thank you for your tips!

[@annemarielucas5561]

Great tip! Thank you very much.

[@dksculpture]

I read that George Bellows did that too, only he put the "mud" in a tube.

[@janinmadison1]

David Kasman you should start painting, its somewhere deep in you! :)

[@jerzeyzgirl03]

David Kasman I know an Artist that buys empty tubes and puts the extra paint inside of them..great way to save paint

[@anncazares111]

How is putting the mixture into a cube done?

[@jocelynngjq]

Awesome tip!

[@goldfish1871]

i clicked on this video so fast

[@BEV6413]

Haha

[@SQUIDYPVP]

goldfish1871 me 2

[@倩倩-y1y]

sameee

[@tammypowell8169]

This is a great idea to save on paint!

[@bonnielee78]

do you have to use a glass container or can you use plastic? Thanks a bunch

[@le_Bizarre]

I wonder if I can paint exterior wooden garden structures with it, like fence posts, chicken pen, etc?

[@garthok6224]

I use that mix of paints as a color ground

[@davidsmock8235]

This is brilliant!

[@sketchartist1964]

I wish I would have known this 10 years ago! I thought all that used paint was garbage.

[@tanyakleinhans8559]

Thank you

[@GaryYoung-eq1ph]

Also Use as imprimatura, tone grounds.

[@nunomuharembuljubasic8065]

Thank you for this tip. I mean, everyone knows how to shove paint down into the glass can. Much more interesting at this point would be to mix a usable color from it. From a "neutral" color to get another color.

[@puranen]

Thanks for the great tip!

[@jasonsykes4199]

There is a technique in cooking, used on puddings and other things that might build a film on top of them. They just take shrink rap and put it directly on top of it to stop it from getting this film. I wonder if this would work for oil paint?

[@BLBL-nk4jh]

Wonderful thank you

[@BobmarleyCOD]

In regard to used paint , what i do, put aside in the freezer and can be left till you are ready to use it, once is out let it reach normal temp.

[@massidew5654]

Hi Mark,thanks for the tips,and for Your great help.i have one question,actually make it two: i paint in oil and i feel syntetic brushes works out best for me.i tried everything before setting my mind on these. What brand or kind of brushes do you use and what are the pros and cons of each? Many thanks

[@anncazares111]

Massi Dew Did you receive a reply on brushes inquiry?

[@mikehubbard5493]

I thought for sure you were going to do some quick abstract background work with that left over paint.

[@AutomHatter]

Fantastic!

[@rstallings69]

Mark did you get this idea from me?

[@subdrvr]

How long will Geneva paint store unopened? Does temperature matter, room temp or can one store it in a refrigerator? If I am called away from painting for an extended period of weeks can I place saran wrap over the palette to air-seal it till I return?

[@РоманКирьянов-в2т]

oh yes! thank you , very useful point

[@StepNN2Me]

Thank you!

[@kentburk4493]

Would it be ok to put all my paint in jars even if I dont add a medium?

[@tiffany8014]

So do you have to use a medium for it to be stored very long in a jar? or do i have to put the jar in a fridge ? or put oil on top of it if i havent used a medium.

[@vinishshetty8055]

even with liquin or other medium in it?

[@pamgreenwell1407]

Vinish, I agree....guess you should only save the paint that has no medium added or mixed on that palette. I often have left over paint that has a little medium in it and I save it for a few days, but not long. Guess if you quit painting for a while, you can use his method to clean your palette and save it as a neutral. Good question, I was right there with ya!

[@vinishshetty8055]

Oh ok

[@jaromirkalab1444]

you can save it if you thin (mix) your paint with Marks slow drying medium. Im not sure about liquin..

[@frankblangeard8865]

Another way not to waste paint is to not squeeze too much out of the tube in the first place. With experience you can estimate how much you will need and use just a little more so that when you are finished there isn't much if any left over.

[@howlingwaters2741]

@DrawMixPaint And here I thought this "Frugal Franny" made that up!😆 Seriously, it has worked well on an *In Progress* painting because hues are already present. Get wild, tone a canvas! Waste not, want not👩🏼‍🎨😊

[@ShaylaFrahm]

Why do you mix that with a brush and not a palette knife

[@jingyushi5857]

Very helpful

[@florencescalabre1709]

Hello Mark , m’y question is about neutral color. How come a brown can be neutral? I have always learn that the neutral color is a grey. Could you explain this to me . I stated to look à your videos a week ago and I find them very very interesting and helpful . But that question of neutral color is a problem for me . Thank you .

[@lordofthemound3890]

Both are neutral-ish. Grey means it leans towards Blue. Brown leans towards Orange.

[@jimmyhinAK]

I’m thinking maybe this is a good starting point for a monochromatic piece?