It's Black and White

This week I am writing about the choices of white and black paint.


WHITE
There are many different white oil paints to choose from. Each one has their own unique qualities. Whites vary in opaqueness, tinting strength, color and drying time. The more opaque the white the more tinting strength it has and the more light that will be reflected off the painted surface.

Lead White (Flake White) is an opaque white containing lead, that was used by the old masters. Fastest drying. Is is the warmest of all the whites. The paint dries with a flexible film, which it allows it to be applied more heavily than the other whites. It is a transparent white, but not a transparent as Zinc White.


Flake White Replacement  is as the name states, a replacement for flake white, warm in color, an earthy color. This Paint claims to be good for underpainting.


Zinc White is the most transparent of the whites, but holds it's whiteness over time. It is best used for alla prima painting, scumbling and glazing. This paint dries more slowly. It should not be used for general painting due to its transparency, slow drying time and brittleness. Zinc White is a cool blue white and dries very hard. Due to its transparency you will need a lot of it to lighten a color.

Titanium White is one of the newest and most popular whites. It has a very high opaqueness and tinting strength. It takes a considerable amount of paint to tint Titanium White. This paint can yellow a bit over time and dries slowly. It drys hard, but not as hard as Zinc White.

Titanium Zinc White combines the opaqueness of Titanium and creaminess of transparency of zinc.

Cremintz White is the same as Flake White without the zinc, but made from lead. Some say its the most natural of the whites. It has slow drying properties, but not as slow drying as Titanium. Cremintz should be used for final touches of white paint, not for beginning layers of paint.

Gamblin's Radiant White is the most brilliant and opaque of the whites, but is generally used for abstract paintings.


BLACK
There are 3 basic blacks most often used by oil painters.

Lamp Black has a bluish/purplish hue. It is slow drying and has the highest tinting strength. Lamp Black has a high oil content, so shouldn't be used in initial layers.

Ivory Black is a warmer black and dries slow. This is the most popular of the blacks.

Mars Black dries fastest of the blacks and is also more opaque. It is on the blue side but not as blue as Lamp Black. Use this black in the lower layers of painting.

MIXED BLACKS
Many artist, including myself, avoid using the above blacks, and would rather mix their own.

I often use Ultramarine blue + Burnt Umber or Ultramarine Blue + Burnt Sienna or Ultramarine Blue + Transparent Oxide Red (for a more transparent color). You can control the coolness and warmness of your black by adjusting the ratios.

Other mixed blacks include:

Ultramarine blue + transparent brown oxide
(Permanent) Alizarin Crimson + Ultramarine Blue
(Permanent) Alizarin Crimson + Ultramarine Blue + Transparent Oxide Red

Paint Brushes

Brush Categories: There are three categories of oil paint brushes.
Bristle:  Made from natural pig hair and used for laying in color and throughout the oil painting process.
Synthetic: Made from nylon, mongoose or horsehair. Although the quality of these brushes have improved over the years, they usually aren't sturdy enough to handle oil painting.  I do use these from time to time for blending, particularly large ones for the background.
Sable: Used primarily for smoothing or blending and detail work.

Brush Shapes: In order seen above.
Filberts: The strokes tend to have a more rounded mark than flats. They come in varying lengths, the shorter being stiffer. This brush will give a softer edge than other brushes.
Brights: A stiffer and stronger brush than flats due to their hairs being shorter. Use with thick heavy paint and when noticeable brush strokes are desirable.
Flats:  The bristles are longer and more flexible. The bristles come to a finer point than brights. This is a versatile brush than can perform both broad and narrow strokes.
Rounds: There is little variation in brush strokes. They have a sharper point that works well for details.

The metal part that holds the bristles is called the Ferrule. The best are seamless nickel-plated copper.


Sables I use:
Kolinsky Black Sable for blending
Winsor and Newton Series 7 Sable for detail work
Langnickle 5590 Series for blending and detail work

For the most part, I use Filbert Bristle brushes. These are a couple brands I use:
Robert Simmons Signet Filbert
Trekell Long Filbert


The best advice is buy the best you can afford. It makes all the difference in your paintings. And also, treat them well and discard when too worn.

Cleaning Brushes: After removing paint with paper towels or newspapers and odorless mineral spirits, completely clean with the following.
Hog: Superfatted soap and water
Sable: Unfatted soap and water
Synthetics: dishwashing soap and water

I also use Trekell's brush restorer to keep the shape of my hog bristle brushes.

Composition Part 2

Last week I discussed composition focusing on color. This week I will discuss other factors to consider when creating your still life composition. First and most important is establishing your concept. What are you trying to say in your painting. Is there a feeling you want to convey? Once you have your concept, then the process of arranging your composition can take place.

Harmony
Consider the objects you are incorporating into the scene. The objects can create a harmonious scene when they are similar in shape. Round fruits of different sizes add harmony to a composition, as do bottles and vases of the same shape. There needs to be some variety of shape to add interest. There can be a large distinctive object, used as the focal point or a grouping of shapes. Using multiples of the same object can provide rhythm and movement within a painting.

Same Shapes with a Center of Interest

The center of interest should be the most unique object, the brightest color and have the sharpest edges.

Texture
Contrast in texture, such as, pottery, flowers and a silver bowl can add interest to a painting. Similar textures can add harmony and cohesiveness.

Contrasting Textures

Pattern

Objects can be arranged to convey a pattern based on value. The objects move the viewers eye through the painting. There should however be a small object or shadow to stop the viewer's eye at the edge of the painting. Taking multiples of the same object and arranging each in a different position can make a compelling still life composition.

Viewer's eye led through painting, from left to right.

Values

Your painting should have a dominant value whether it is light, dark or medium.

Chiaroscuro 

This literally means light and dark. When applied to a painting it conveys the movement of light through a painting, by means of dramatic lights and darks as seen in Rembrandt's painting Nightwatch.

This is accomplished through changes in color, value, composition, and hard and soft edges. The light will lead the viewers eye through the painting.

Misc. Basics

The following are tips that can be used to create a satisfying still life, but by no means are they hard and fast rules. Breaking the rules can make a painting more interesting.

The foreground should be 1/3 of painting

There should be 3 or 5 of something not 2 or 4

If painting at eye level, painting should read horizontally. If painting depth, painting should read front to back with focus being center left.

Objects shouldn't touch, they should overlap or have negative space between them

Objects should be arranged light against dark and dark against light

Only have objects in your still life that add value to your composition, remove everything else.

It takes time to understand concepts and composition. It can be frustrating and time consuming to get your composition right. Sometimes you have to make changes to your painting midway through your painting process. Not following the rules can result in a very dramatic painting composition.

Salon International Art Exhibition

I am very pleased to announce that Mulberry Vase was selected to be in the Salon International Art Exhibition. The show will be in April and is at the Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, Texas

Mulberry Vase

16 X 20