Let's Learn: Water Mixable Oils (Winsor & Newton) | Mini Series Exploring New Mediums

[@KatyONealKillingsworth]

I really enjoyed this! I am looking forward to checking out that class on skillshare someday when I have some time! The advice on shadows and forms sounds like something I would benefit from. I came to watercolors from oil and completely agree about the advantages of watercolor. Although I liked the way oil glazes, I never liked working very thickly with it (which is probably why I love watercolor, lol).

[@InLiquidColor]

Oh my goodness yes! The classes had such wonderful tips that apply to ALL mediums and I can't wait to implement the discussions on shadow and form more into my watercolors as well. Thanks so much, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@gaylaswansen3599]

⁰p0 p 0😊😊😊

[@Pixiewithpens]

i'm glad that people are concerned about the toxicity of their supplies, but it bums me out that i see so much misinformation spread about oil paint. traditional oil paints in a tube aren't more toxic than any other type of paint, and you DON'T need toxic solvents to clean your brushes. all you need is vegetable cooking oil, dip the brush in that and rub the paint out with paper a few times until it's all gone. after that you just wash the oil out with soap and water. i personally don't thin my paint that often, i like a thicc bold paint, but linseed oil will work for that. this info might not be relevant to you, denise, but i wanted to share it since i saw people in the comments wanting to try oil painting! i love oil painting so much personally so i want to make it as easy for people to try as possible.

[@whatever.1765]

Wow, I’ve been looking to try oils and your comment is what is pushing me to finally try them! Thank you!!

[@user-wickedflower]

Pixie with pens thank you, thats made me quite inquisitive now

[@oceanrosethatsailsacrossth3466]

Thank you so much

[@Gehbar]

me too.. so excited to hear this

[@KoriandrOfTheStars]

BLESS YOU FOR THIS alternative info!! I've been dying to get into oil painting but my hang up was about the solvents.

[@lubapatitucci5831]

I love oil painting! Just as I love watercoloring! Oil painting, you don't have to worry about the colors bleeding into each other. In watercolor, you have to be very careful of bleeding unless it's the effect you are looking for. Watercolor is hard to master if you a beginner. But! For beginners, with water soluble oil paint is a good place to start before you venture out to watercolor! In art school, I started with regular pencils then charcoal. Everything was black and white then don't like what it is today. Then we jumped into color pencils. After that was oil colors! Watercolor was the last thing to learn. In oil colors there really is no control factor not like watercolor. Watercolor, you need to control the amount of water you use. Control the brushstrokes, not as much in oil painting. But, with this oil, water soluble, paint you get the best of both worlds! You can mix colors. You can get texture if you desire, something similar to acrylic paint. I can go on and on! I just love all art media!

[@crystalk552]

There are a few oil painters who don't clean their brushes, they leave a bit of the ferule and bristles in tubes that are designed for floral arrangements and fill them with non-drying or drying oil. If you use the latter just be aware you need to remove as much of the non-drying oils as you can because non-drying oils can weaken the paint layer. The employee may have recommended linseed oil over water because of the 'fat over lean' rule in oil painting and may have been trying to steer you away from any issues that can arise when thinning oils, especially if your background is watercolor painting. When you use water you are making a leaner paint layer, water is the thinner, in mixable oils it breaks apart the fat chain so fat over lean still applies. If you are planing on making glazes, you can use linseed oil, it just takes longer to dry. For brush cleaning, you don't need a thinner, you just need a soap that breaks up the oil. I clean my brushes in oil, then use murphy's oil soap (it conditions the bristles) and water to deep clean the brushes when I am done painting.

[@HajraMeeks]

Ugh, you poor thing-I can’t paint on upright, steeply angled surfaces due to pain as well. Lovely owl though! 🎨✨

[@assafshtilman6584]

The result is stunning. I’m happy you gave this medium a chance. I started with watercolor and went through gouache to acrylics, which I think is an easier transition. Acrylics are much more sustainable, require less fuss and dry quickly to a permanent layer so you can glaze without worry and fix mistakes quickly. They’re very low stress.

[@LauraRossflyswatter]

I haven’t painted in oils since the 80s when I was in art school but I deeply love the buttery texture of the medium. Somehow it reminded me of working wit slips in clay.

[@Chill1332]

I just recently got a set of oils. It's not something I've ever tried before, but they were VERY on sale. So I just couldn't resist! I'm excited to try them. But I know they are very different from watercolors and markers that I usually use. I like that you mention that a person shouldn't feel obligated to love working with every art medium. I like doing pen and ink work. I usually use technical or brush pens but finally decided to try dip pens. They look cool and just have this old fashionedy feel to them. I HATED drawing with them. I was actually really shocked at how much I did not like drawing with them. The scratchy sound they made, the way they would pick up bits of paper, having to orient my pen in a certain way to get a proper line..... I felt kind of bad for disliking them SO much. But really, everyone has mediums that they enjoy working with and there's nothing wrong with enjoying one while not enjoying another. Honestly, it made me have more appreciation for those who DO use that medium.

[@eBookHoarder]

I know this comment is old. I just got oil paints on sale too. You might like bamboo dip pens better.

[@Chill1332]

@@eBookHoarder Maybe I will give them a try. :)

[@mjpete27]

I have only ever made 1 oil painting, I just found it so toxic that once was enough and I gave the unused paint away when I was finished. The only reason I painted an oil painting was because I took a commission and she (the lady) said “real paintings are made from oil‘s!” I have recently learned about these water oil‘s and even purchased some but have not yet attempted a painting. This is so good of you to do (this video) and I look forward to watching more of your videos. I’ve mostly used watercolors but I’ve never let any medium defeat me! I have spent years as an artist working digitally and traditionally but I have recently tried to eliminate digital from my repertoire. I am seriously considering the skill share subscription, Thank you!

[@InLiquidColor]

Oh no! I'm so sorry you had that experience. It's sad that some people think that way. Do what you enjoy :D

[@ms.sallyann8596]

I myself have chronic pain and paint using oils and acrylic. I have modified my work space to suit my needs. I purchased a saddle style stool for easel work. I have a pretty large wooden easel that has a tripod type base that can be lowered to a comfortable height and a table top easel that is adjustable to my needs. You also just don’t have to work upright. I didn’t for years as I didn’t have a comfortable easel to work at. These mediums are tons of fun once you learn how the paint works but they are nothing like watercolor or gauche. And acrylics are not like oil. I had the joy of learning to use watercolor colors this year and my initial experiences were semi frustrating as I was used to working from dark to light and in thick layers. It’s fun and challenging to be forced by a medium to learn new techniques.

[@fangchick93]

My chronic pain is in my legs. And sitting up for extended periods can be very uncomfortable. Which is why I prefer to work with smaller pieces of paper so I have less surface area to cover. Sometimes if I'm having a good day pain wise, I can be motivated to get out my gouache and do a decent size, but that's not a normal day for me. So I usually work in sketchbooks and markers with pencils for details. Though I did discover today that I can use my waterbrush pen for watercolours in my cotton mixed media sketchbook without any issues. And for opaque effects, I can just use my poscas.

[@annabellesart3437]

This was very interesting and informative! I think I'm going to try watermixable oils as well, because although Ive tried and liked traditional oils, its just very intimidating to manage all the mediums in my opinion, which is why I tend to avoid picking the brush up.

[@lurklingX]

I know what u mean about confidence -> meltdown. This happened to me last week, trying prof watercolors after using el cheapo. Partly it was also the paper. It broke me. (SO, made myself repaint the same thing on a BUNCH of papers the next day to prove to myself how much paper matters. And also have a shot at pulling out of the spiral if i did something GOOD. Helped a lot.) Anyhow, I really appreciate your honesty, and sharing that tidbit. Hearing that someone else went through it eases the soul. Plus the owl turned out pretty nice, so it proves that perseverance will see us through. -ps love your channel. It taught me the love of pigments and has been with me since the beginning of my rabbit hole obsession into prof watercolor. Also u have a very calming atmosphere and pleasant speaking tones. :)

[@DarksStars]

Your owl turned out beautiful for a first experience! I've read about how toxic oil paints can be lately, so I'm glad that you went with a safer version. Oils creates a really nice finished look, but they seems to be a lot of work as well.

[@sarahrosepgh]

I primarily paint with watercolor however, since learning more about the old masters oil has seemed quite appealing to me. I am glad you tried the oils! The painting turned out beautifully and I love how with oil you can attain a glossy luminescence 🙂

[@mypandapaints5854]

I wonder how much impact using the W&N water mixable oils had on your experience. I heard that Holbein is a much better experience if going the water mixable route. An easel might have helped as you can change the angle and height to be more comfortable and also work with less or more space between you and the painting vs having the desk limit you. I find desk easels to cause all sorts of pain as generally, the middle of the canvas tends to be placed much lower than on a proper easel causing you to bend and use the brush awkwardly against natural body movements. Sorry the oils gave you a near panic attack. :) Your owl turned out fantastic. Loved the way you took advantage of the textural quality of oils at the end for the feathers near the eyes. What's funny is that having gone from oils to watercolor, I always feel like I'm doing harm every time I dump out my cleaning jar from watercolors. With oils, I generally brush out as much paint I can from the brush onto cloth or a paper towel, then rinse with walnut oil, finish up with brush soap.

[@cha_os3]

Spoony here too... I never paint on a easel, even with oils. I have the hardest time with watercolor, i just can’t get it but acrylic & oil I love. I like the oil because if I get 15mins in & cant do anymore I can come back to it later, even a week later during bad times. I find it hard to do that with other mediums. I do prefer the water mixable oils. With that said, oils have came a VERY long way since the 60/70s & it isn’t anymore toxic than other paints. There is a lot of misinformation out there about oils because of how they use to be.

[@MichaelBrooksmsb400]

I am also working with Artisan water mixable Oils. I have 2 projects in the works right now...1 big one of a more Contemporary styled Sunflower field with a radiating Sun, and an 8"x10" Galaxy.

[@viviandibrell849]

Thank you so much for your honesty about the difference between watercolors and oils! I recently dove into oil painting but I am a watercolor painter first. I found oil’s to be extremely frustrating and am surprised that they are so much more difficult than watercolor. Because I have always been told that watercolor is the hardest medium. I think oil’s are the most difficult medium to learn.

[@foxglovesmixedmedia7313]

Your owl turned out beautifully, and I am glad that you tried this and shared it with us. That said, I am definitely sticking with watercolors and acrylics. I have two cats, and its inevitable that cat hair will get into something...the dry-time for oils just takes too long for me. I also don't like the harsh solvents and special clean-up required for oils. Still - the owl is handsome, and you'd never know this was your first time using that medium!

[@heathercatlady546]

😸 You took the words right out of my mouth, as I’m owned by cats as well! I hope to try a technique with acrylics and oil eventually, but without a dedicated studio, I’m not even going to try it, lol. Cat hair in my paintings has practically become a hallmark. I like to say that no painting is complete without at least a few cat hairs. 🤣

[@foxglovesmixedmedia7313]

@@heathercatlady546 Haha! My two boy certainly seem to think so too, no matter how much I try to change their mind! :-D

[@foxglovesmixedmedia7313]

@monica taylor Thank you for that - I didn't know there was a way to speed the drying time. I do love the look of oils so much, but I'm still learning drawing, sketching, watercolors and acrylics....so I will save the oils until I have more space and get better at everything else.

[@SharonNolfi]

I painted with oils as a teenager in the late 1960s, oblivious to the environmental impact and not bothered by all the extra, messy, work. A few years ago I tried acrylics and found my tolerance for mess and work to be substantially less than in my teens. Watercolor is perfect - paints last a long time, easy to clean up, and beautiful. It was fun watching you try these, though. Interesting series.

[@InLiquidColor]

Haha well said Sharon! I hope you continue to enjoy the series :)

[@gillinacook1477]

My new mediums i'm trying out are watercolour and gouache. I use to pan pastels and pastel pencils so using a wet medium is so different. I cannot get my painting as good looking at my pastels but they are fun. Just keep playing. Thank you for your video, it nice to see others try out new mediums.

[@jencampanini9928]

Hello.🙋🏼‍♀️I’m a new subscriber to your channel. I found you when I started doing watercolor. Hadn’t tried since 8th grade. Turned 49, and thought why not? It’s been so fun. My mother is an artist, and I do remember her using oil in the 70’s and 80’s the most, and I loved the way the colors blended so smoothly. I also remember my sister doing oil in high school. I’ve always felt intimidated by it, and it stunk to high Heaven-I remember too. Then I saw this kind of paint, and I’d already used the watercolors, and figured this would be good to start out with. I picked up the paint this morning, along with some oil paper, and Gesso to coat the paper first. Glad you posted this, and I think your owl is adorbs!❤️ Happy painting! I hope I enjoy the oil paint more than you did.😜

[@IcebulletZ]

I totally feel you on the chronic pain with art. I couldn't use easals in art school and it frustrated my teacher. My arm hurt so much as well as my wrist. I'd need to tense up to keep my arm steady and prevent my arm from coming out or my tremor starting. I basically did the same, said forget it and just hunkered down in a comfortable position.

[@heathercatlady546]

Beautiful work as always, Denise! There is an artist who does his work using several thinned layers of acrylic, followed by top layers of oil. He adds something to make the oil dry faster, liquin perhaps. He doesn’t aim for photorealism, but the technique might work well for your style. Regardless, the owl is stunning! Well done! And thank you for exploring and giving us your honest impressions. Say hi to Cricket for me!

[@jessicasobel4287]

I think oils is one of the few things I won’t ever try. The owl turned out beautiful though!

[@Ghost-hd5cu]

(if you ever want to rejoin oils/WM oils) I'd suggest either keeping your canvas flat like you're used to, or I usually wear something I don't care about and balance the canvas between my desk and the top of my thighs if that makes sense? Pain isn't something I avoid when painting stilll though. Water mixables are heavily debated as far as wether you should use water or not, its suggested not to as far as the longevity of your piece, the final sheen takes the biggest hit, and it (to me) immediately makes my paint feel like a student grade oil paint (especially W&N) Cobra does better with water, I've heard. Also- Holbein advertises their water mixable oils as compatible with gouache and watercolor, so I figure it applies to all brands. I've always wanted to experiment with that, but haven't yet. Would be fun with gouache. Also- adding water can adjust the tone slightly of your colors, similar to gouache paints.

[@capbin146]

If it’s still there check out the cobra videos on Jacksons you tube, its about wmo and oils. The reason the rep said mix with modified linseed is water forms an emulsion and a colour shift, I found especially with blues. watercolour dries lighter and acrylics darker but oils don’t shift. An artist in the uk did some great live demos using very wet oils with water not bob Ross wet. Hope this is helpful, I like trying with oil but seem better at watercolour.

[@angiewright-artist8246]

Yay! So happy your doing this series Denise!!

[@angiewright-artist8246]

Ps. I loved your honesty about learning curves with a new medium. I love your owl, so sweet, you do the most beautiful animals. I have fibro as well so I always understand that sometimes it's hard to be comfortable when working take care sweetie, I don't comment often but always watch your vids and respect your opinion

[@PetraYlenius]

Oh my god, I've been searching about oil paints for a while now and decided to see how these winsor & newton ones would be like, the exact worry I had was that I TOO have chronic pains and my limbs get tired super fast so I really appreciate you mentioning it in the video.

[@bella_color]

i think it's better to dilute the paint with oil because the water should be used to clean your brushes but if you use it to dilute, it actually ends up weakening the bond in the paint! just a tip for future reference. i love oil painting and i love how your piece turned out

[@patgill3352]

This was a great video. Are usually paint with acrylics but decided to try watercolors and water mixable oils. KZbining it for tutorials right now. No idea how to use these mediums but I hope I will learn.

[@Catbooks]

I had to laugh at your frustration with your initial attempt with WMOs. Can relate! Exactly how I felt years ago when I went from acrylics to alkyds. Felt like I'd forgotten how to paint! Then I moved on to oils for years, and to WMOs for the past 2 years. I love them! One thing you should know is there are toxic watercolours, and acrylics, and oils. It's the pigments that are toxic (cadmiums, cobalts, anything with lead), not the medium. Most oil painters use titanium white, which is non-toxic. There's a lead white, which few use, which is toxic, because lead. I choose all non-toxic colours, and use only water and linseed as a medium. I try my best to not add any more pollutants to our planet, not only in painting, in life in general.

[@reneekroyer5104]

I'd love to learn how to use these paints using a palette knife. Can you give me a link where I can learn some techniques for that? Thank you for posting this video. It helped me a lot.

[@annettefournier9655]

There are linen textured paper pads for oils that are cheap and convenient. I'm talking 9x12 15 sheets for just under 5 bucks at a craft store. The linen texture is much easier to work on than canvas or canvas pads. I like to take a break with WMO when I have the grandkids since it is not as time critical as watercolors. And I have tons of opportunity for correcting things. Very forgiving medium. Alkyd linseed oil modified, will help it dry faster even when pre thinned with water. That way the paint won't lift and smear or be too greasy to work.😁

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks for sharing Annette!

[@B1ackDahlia767]

I think your owl looks great and is very promising! You may want to try an extra, clean, dry brush for blending only. Also, the way I paint, at times, I leave small areas or gaps between the 2 colors, then blend them with the clean, dry brush to create what looks more like a softer gradient. This doesn't work for everyone, but I enjoy it. Try to work from dark to light. I started with oils in 98', so transitioning to watercolor felt "backwards" & has been quite the challenge for me! 😘 You're the best!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you Barbra!

[@B1ackDahlia767]

@@InLiquidColor 😘😘😘

[@pocahontasseguinart7099]

I am back using oils again but I’m trying to find out how long does winsor Newton water mixable oil paints dry

[@trevortheobald6144]

Really enjoyed the video once it got going. Sadly for me, your majoring on issues at the beginning which were no fault of the paints e.g. canvas, easel etc I felt coloured your judgement initially? Once over that though, really enjoyed and learnt some stuff. Thank you.

[@noreenkellett3863]

This owl turned out great, would you mind if we did a paint along of this owl too ? I am mid way through my first oil painting and must say at first I thought I would hate it, I tried acrylics and I did hate everything about it lol. But after getting over my initial reaction that this would be the same, I found it to be very relaxing to lightly blend the paint, I just used the cheap Reeves ones to get started. Like you however, seeing that I use the kitchen table to do my artwork, oil is just not very practical, I think you really need a dedicated space where you can leave it when you are not painting, also just the effort to wash up etc. truly does make you appreciate watercolour even more, also I keep getting it all over me as I am just not used to it staying wet and keep putting my arm in it. lol . It is fun to try new things though. Your artwork is always really lovely. thanks.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Noreen! Sure, you can paint along, I just ask that you credit the reference photo and tag me on social media :)

[@Sparrowlicious-01]

06:44 Yes!! Here! Me! Some years ago I overworked my arms when writing too much at home and at work and ever since then the muscles in my shoulders tend to cramp up, pressing down on my nerves and giving me a great deal of pain in my hands. Painting of any kind isn't great for my arms but an easel kills me. I also can't fathom how some digital artists get one of those 'arms' for their display tablets so they can position it more upright, I have to lie mine down almost flat on my table and bend over it, should I decide to work digitally (which I don't often do, it's usually traditional mediums).

[@Joe_Maysky]

I love this series and was waiting for this video! I can't help but be a little bummed that you didn't enjoy this as I'm planning to start oils (traditional) very soon, but as you said, we can't love every medium-- I'm not that interested in acrylic or pastels (even though I have some and go back and forth as I'm a huge Degas fan, lol). I'm also excited Kristy has some Skillshare courses; I bought a lesson from ArtistsNetwork/North Light where she replicated some Sargent figurative work (what can I say, I love 19th century art!) and I love her non-pretentious teaching style. I'll keep in mind to not be afraid to work flat/a very small incline like I do for watercolor, as my shoulders and neck get tight with my cerebral palsy as well. I can't wait to see what comes next in this series; I'd love to see you work in one of my favorite dry media: graphite and/or colored pencil.

[@InLiquidColor]

I was bummed too, Joe! I had been so excited for this, but as I said, it's good I tried! I'm having a really, really hard time deciding on the last two mediums - maybe I'll have to continue the series longer... hahah. I'm personally dying to do charcoal and soft pastel, but those aren't exactly fan favorites/requests. Everyone wants to see colored pencils, but I have zero interest in them and I'm worried that'll affect the video. Eeeps! We shall see how it plays out :D

[@susinok]

@@InLiquidColor Are you considering acrylics at all? I know you've worked with them, do you have any videos on them? I have a set but have not tried them out yet.

[@thomasredden4263]

Thank you for the warning about the pain, I have been getting into painting with oils recently and been thinking about getting an easel but I've been worries about how it would effect my back and hips, I dont think the standing and the angles I'd be putting my body in would be good for me or my pain levels so it's nice to hear another opinion on the matter! Hope you are doing well 😊

[@abbylink5759]

For a beginner at oil painting your owl turned out amazing! I just starting using traditional oil paints and I love painting with them as my more opaque medium since I've never been a fan of acrylics. Sad to see that you struggled with them here though and I hope you have a better experience in the future.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks so much! I definitely want to try again, off camera when I can relax :D

[@stephenfularz7573]

I use walnut oil for a medium and brush clean up.

[@patgill3352]

Excellent video with great explanations

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

Did you say Galkyd?

[@junbug1029]

You did great. My grandpa painted in oils and my mom in watercolor.

[@cris_ad]

My brain doesn't understand oils you can use with water? That's strange. Oils are the first media I used way back when I was like...5 or 6 in Romania where I was ALSO unsupervised with the turpentine. I personally love oils, but I have issues waiting for it to dry and there is a lot of space/time/effort needed and being a chronically ill person myself I also have a few issues with how much there is to do around the actual act of painting. I can't tell you if this is accurate, but for me the lindseed gives it a creamier smoother look and feel, but I have NOT tried water so I can't say. All I can say is that the last few times I've done oils everything came very easily and naturally, like butter. It's VERY interesting to see this done with water, and I want to say your barn owl looks great but I am afraid of them because they're all aliens.

[@InLiquidColor]

Haha indeed Cris, it's a confusing medium! They have modified oils in them that allow them to work with water, but adding in more linseed oil makes them behave more like standard oils :)

[@blueroomcrafts5046]

Denise, I really enjoyed this video. I particularly liked the different perspective. I think the owl turned out really pretty.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you Jacqueline! I'm so glad you liked it :)

[@lisathaviu1154]

Thank you for making this video. It certainly answered many questions that I had about working with water soluble oils. I think, having seen this, that I might try acrylics, which I have not done for many years. Oils still strike me as taking too long to dry for someone who prefers to work in many layers.

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@liezelhaupt7172]

Hi Denise, I'm a chronic pain sufferer too and I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Art is basically my whole life, but it has become so unbearable for me lately. I can spend a very short while doing art before I have to go lie down again due to the pain. Then there is the brain fog from the meds too. I was wondering how you are able to stay so active with your art while struggling with chronic pain? I don't want to give up on my life long dream. Thank you. ❤

[@alilove4082]

I’ll definitely have to try these out. Oils would work so much better with how I paint but I never wanted to use thinner because of the smell but also because my dog gets into literally everything and I was scared that if I forgot to put it up one night he would get into it and if it were odorless he would probably drink it because he drinks/eats everything he can get his paws on.

[@InLiquidColor]

Keep your little dude safe, and I hope you enjoy these if you try them out! I definitely feel better with these in my home than I would with other more toxic materials.

[@rcsart6409]

I started off with acrylics, before moving across to oils. I am currently using traditional oils (with solvents) but found this video as I am in the process of changing over to water miscible. I have experimented with watercolours, but found them so frustrating, definitely not for me! I love the freedom of oils, in as much as they are more forgiving. I would also recommend the use of mediums, particularly a drying and glazing medium rather than using water.

[@kaichidraws7787]

The owl looks majestic - my favorite animal. I don't think I'll be picking up this medium - the waiting time is too long and the set up for me who get distracted easily. I'm thinking about acrylic though, probably too far of a jump from watercolor for now. As always thank you for sharing your experience.

[@music-sc7eg]

Enjoyed this but I have oils to use up so have only used the water mixable on a short course. Coincidence - your owl at 8.00 very like the peach outline. edit was for silly typos.

[@jcepri]

You're the first person I've come across who mentioned pain as a result of painting (or drawing) on a vertical surface. I have a disability where lifting my arm causes pain in my neck. I can lift my non-dominant arm, however. This means I'd have to paint with my non-dominant hand. I'm wondering if that would make an difference for you or anyone else in that situation. Also, I've hear that drawing or painting on a flat surface distorts our view of what we are working on. Have you ever noticed an issue with that?

[@InLiquidColor]

Yep, painting flat is definitely an issue for perception, but my ribs subluxate constantly and I cannot physically hold either arm up (my non-dominate arm is actually worse). I have the partial benefit in that I record a lot of what I do so I can look at the camera to check my work, but otherwise I just make sure to tilt the board periodically to check and make sure I'm on the right track.

[@jackiegarroutte8970]

This came out beautifully!! Love the owl!!

[@christinerenaud2869]

It's good to try different medium, but there are in the world watercolorist and oil painters, and pastel users, and the like. I tried them all and I always return to watercolour. I say do what you love.

[@InLiquidColor]

Indeed Christine!

[@beckyquick4025]

love the owl, that"s why I like pastels

[@regalfaecreates]

I have chronic pain too. 😪 I watercolored for the 2nd time in my life last night and my body just hurts, I'm the opposite. I'm sorry you hurt though. I deal with it every day too. Keep creating as much as you can. ❤💋

[@InLiquidColor]

Do whatever you need to do in your space to make it more manageable! If you check out Steve's videos over on the Mind of Watercolor, he paints a lot on an angle if that would be helpful for you as well :)

[@Nanerem]

I was confused about the linseed oil vs water for thinning out the paint, but I guess sometimes the water will make the oil paint turn into a weird sticky texture rather than a nice smooth paint? Yeah idk.

[@lucid_plays]

I have a set of water mixable oils myself, but I've been so afraid to try them out. I'm so glad you've posted on this :)

[@InLiquidColor]

Give them a whirl! I'd love to know what you think :) Despite feeling like I used a lot of paint, there is still plenty in my tubes so no worries about being afraid!

[@lucid_plays]

@@InLiquidColor I'll definitely let you know! ^_^

[@anitasmith7764]

Is there some unspoken (or spoken😂) rule I don’t know about that says you have to paint with oils only if your canvas is sitting up? I am literally just now starting w oil paints, so I genuinely don’t know. I usually lay my canvases flat with acrylics, so I assumed there’s no reason you can’t do the same for oils. Am I wrong or is she just wanting to try oil painting the way she’s seen others do it, not knowing you can paint in any position?

[@InLiquidColor]

You can always modify a workspace to fit your needs. However, yes, oils are traditionally painted on an easel or angled surface. Oil brushes are even usually long handled to that you can stand further back. Oil paintings tend to be larger on average, and since they take longer to try, hanging them vertically will prevent as much dust from falling on them than leaving them flat. But again, those are educated guesses as a watercolor outsider. I haven't used oils since this video 😅

[@lisaleone2296]

Not gonna lie, that owl was terrifying for a while. But it was interesting, as always, to see your process. I had been considering using this medium. I think I'll stick with watercolor and gouache and the occasional Neocolor II piece.

[@jadajohnson7957]

Where did you get water mixable oil paint at? So I can start on my oil painting portrait

[@InLiquidColor]

Just at a local art store :)

[@navyboymommygramma]

This was a great video. I've been wanting to try water mixable oils too ,but have just been too chicken to actually do anything about it. Now, thanks to you ( no really, thank you) I don't believe I will be giving them a try any time soon. Maybe if they were thinned down to a watercolor consistency they would be fun haha but then why use oils, right.? Thanks again for this mini series.

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@jade-mariejones9453]

I'd just like you to know... that whenever I am struggling for motivation or inspiration.. you are my place to go :) I hope you are staying safe and keeping well.

[@jenniefrench1338]

You are a trooper girl! I was thinking about them but yeesh I have many medias on my plate. It was very educational and it reaffirms my love of wc for sure.🤗

[@moonspiritartbycindyhill1084]

Love the oil

[@tammyhong159]

Grateful for your tutorial but I really wish you would tell us what you're doing if you're using water or linseed oil and the fat over lean method. It would be nice if you explained what your doing.

[@sophs9767]

i love this piece it is gorgeous i think you did a great job !

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Sophs!

[@DrPhilologist]

I am so glad for this video. I've been debating on trying water-based oils for ages. Looking forward to seeing your opinion.

[@InLiquidColor]

It was a rollercoaster! But I hope my experience doesn't dissuade anyone else from trying if they want to. I'm hoping to try again!

[@DrPhilologist]

@@InLiquidColor It won't dissuade me! On the contrary, your honest reaction highlights the point of such videos, which (to me) is none other but to encourage us to experiment and broaden our horizons.

[@l.beukema8570]

Thank you for this video! I have been trying to paint with oils on and off for the last years, but experience the same as you, the (toxic) waste is much more than with watercolor (and also more than gouache I think) and it does not have the same ease for me. Like you said, even with a nice result, the journey getting there is less enjoyable for me. Plus all the cleaning afterwards and the waiting for it to dry between layers. Thank you for reminding that we don't have to like every single medium, I felt kind of guilty for not liking to work with oils :) I do however like to work with gouache so if I feel like working with opaque paints, I work with them.

[@eveeichner3627]

Great job with your owl!

[@JennyGranberry]

Thats a really nice limited palette!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Jenny! I was a little perplexed when I saw the colors again (because I purchased them so long ago), but they ended up working really well and I wasn't yearning for anything :)

[@LilDivette]

Your owl turned out beautiful! I've been curious about oils--tho not enough to try it myself--and learned a lot from your video so thank you! In the end, I agree with you in that I prefer the ease, simplicity, and low-maintenance of watercolors so I'll stick with that. 🎨💦👍

[@ChristinaTodd1970]

I think your painting turned out incredibly good, especially since you didn't enjoy the experience. I'll stick with my watercolors, though. Thanks for taking one for the team!

[@InLiquidColor]

Haha thanks Christina!

[@azzuparis]

Hi Denise, love how the owl turned out. Honestly, I'm not interested in oil. Such a long time to dry (I'm impatient lol), the mediums to work with are toxic. Lately, I'm really into acrylics and I'm loving it. Thanks for this video :)

[@c8Lorraine1]

Try a bob ross painting. Only 30 mins and easy to follow using a palette knife

[@ernestvenn8291]

You have to let the oil dry some what and use a dry brush technique.

[@Meggyp0p]

The positioning of painting on a canvas (even though that’s what I’ve been doing the longest and I’m just beginning in watercolor) is also a very frustrating and painful aspect of oil painting, and acrylic painting, for me. With my lupus and other problems I can barely sit upright long enough to complete a painting with normal positioning on my desk or lap.

[@InLiquidColor]

Here here. I did find the process so much better when I moved it flat!

[@susinok]

Painting upright is mostly for large canvases, really, not requirement of the medium. Think about the giant paintings you see in the museums, handing them flat would have been a problem. No reason why anyone can't paint flat if the result is small enough to handle flat.

[@MatheusFerreira-mu6lu]

I loved this episode even though I don't feel like painting with oils at all

[@InLiquidColor]

So glad you enjoyed it!!

[@Morticia147]

Why didn't you use drying medium? It would have made your life much easier.... And there are white colors which are not toxic. Schmincke for example has a medium with which you can transfer every oil paint into water soluble paint. So the variety of paint to choose from gets gigantic.

[@adelehammond1621]

i m personally the opposite i really like oil ink and acrylics the adventages of watercolour are defitently true but i love to work dark to light it gives more space and ability to change things more just my two cent

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks for sharing!

[@elflordsjourneys]

Nice owl Denise,I think I'll stick with watercolor and gouache and maybe acrylic, less equipment involved for me.😀

[@everirisart3554]

Great first painting! I love using oils, they have so much depth as opposed to Acrylics, which I find to dry very flat. You definitely need a lot of room, time and materials to get good at oils. That's why the masters all had armies of assistants to do all the prep, undercoats and cleaning! :)

[@loati94]

I find Oil painting interesting but there's too many things involved for me. The paints have to be somewhat good, the canvas, different brushes, thinners, palettes for mixing, knifes for mixing etc It stresses me out just thinking of how many things I'd have to buy just to try them lol I'd like to try oil or soft pastels. I think the only medium I'm totally uninterested in is markers

[@ladyj.9350]

Loati I’m a primarily oil painter, but I do all my oil painting in a prepped studio, and do watercolour etc at home. However if you’re worried about investment, I recommend buying a primary set of waterbased oils (+black, white and maybe burnt umber); you can mix/thin these with water (and invest in oil later) and clean them with water and dishsoap. Oil brushes don’t have to be fancy like wc brushes, my teacher (internationally famous oil painter) often uses dollar store brushes. Palette knives are not super important when beginning except for styles that use a ton of paint. I’m incredibly stingy with my paint so I hardly use mine. “Canvas” can be anything that can be gessoed really. That being said, you can buy small panels in bulk for a good price. I also do an acrylic wash base under my oil paints as kind of a time and money cheat. You can paint oil on top of acrylic just not the reverse

[@ladyj.9350]

Also my mixing palette for my water based oils is currently a take out container lid. Oil paints can be frozen for reuse so if I’m done for the day and have leftover paint, I flatten a sheet of clingwrap ontop of my palette and stick it in the freezer

[@loati94]

@@ladyj.9350 I do have an odorless white spirits for blending my color pencils, can that be used as a thinner for oils or do you need linseed oil? I don't know where I can buy water soluble oils but I have W&N or Van gogh oils easily available where I live. If I can use different materials it makes it easier. I didn't know you could put them in the freezer to avoid them to dry up. That's the principal reason why I don't like acrylics, I feel I waste too much paint. Could I use watercolor paper if I gesso it?

[@ladyj.9350]

Loati I wouldn’t use spirits for anything other than initial base washes, it can cause paint to have cracking effect. However I cut my oil with spirits 50/50 and its good. I’ve heard linseed isn’t the most environmentally friendly (though I do use it) so some people use walnut or something else. Gesso is best on a hard surface. Your cheapest option is probably going to your local hardware store and getting them to cut up a sheet of particle board. You can buy paper designed for oils, as someone else in the comments mentioned, but personally I dislike it though that’s just my preference I suppose

[@ladyj.9350]

Also my most used colours are: Titanium White, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Sap Green (does both dark & light greens), Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Orange (very strong but good for tinting things warmer) and Ivory Black.

[@WmAnnis]

One thing that bugs me a bit about the exalted role of oil paint in art is that everyone talks about the longevity of oils. But all the really old oil paintings we see today in museums have a team of conservators working on them to help with maintenance - fixing decaying or sagging support, redoing the varnish regularly since that yellows fairly quickly, etc., etc. Lightfast pigments on good, heavy, acid-free paper can last just as long with less fuss.

[@zimrianispresent8123]

Nice

[@azalea1404]

Just remember the hazards of linseed oil: it can ignite without a spark.

[@ghostrider2214]

Growing up I cleaned my hands with mineral spirits or turpentine almost daily working with my great grandfather and he did the same all his life and he lived into his 90's. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Doesn't really bother me at all nor would I consider it exactly hazardous aside from a huge migraine if inhaled to much.

[@Lol-jj7wo]

I want to try oil painting but I am 10 years I am very afraid

[@trishcusworth4950]

Water soluble oils are easy to clean with water and nice to use.

[@beedeeuniko]

Skillshare

[@tracy-eire]

Oh, I use these all the time! Duo Aquas by Holbein! You can see them over on tracyeire.artsy.tips. I'm just branching into watercolours, which I watch your channel to learn!

[@netsaosa4973]

👍

[@katherinesimonds622]

OK.. No more oil painting for you.. And YOU are the watercolor guru.. Stick with what works! Love u girl!

[@jeanjackson1419]

I think if you want to learn to paint with water mixable oils there are much better, more encouraging and more informative videos than this one

[@joebrann4612]

Im sorry this caused you so much physical pain, I hope you find a cure soon.

[@IcebulletZ]

You used terp to wash? I was dumb as a kid and used gas... Don't do that...

[@darkreverie7027]

linseed oil should be as medium not water.