Please take a moment to check out my personal blog AndrewPCook.tumblr.com
where I post my currently completed paintings and drawings. Follow me to keep up with what is happening in my studio. I look forward to the exchange of thoughts and ideas I can have with everyone.
Thanks,
Andrew

Painting Tip: Never use Acrylic Paint or Mediums (or any water borne paint) with or on top of oil paint (or solvent borne paints). Oil paints do not dry, but oxidize over time, so they are never truly a solid and need to breathe. Acrylic paint drys to a solid and will trap layers of oil paint, creating cracks as the oil paint underneath or mixed within continues to change.
Acrylic can be used as a ground (Acrylic Gesso) and it has been decided that Acrylic paints can be used underneath an oil painting. Ensure the acrylic layer dries completely before painting on it with oil paint (a 3 day curing time for regular paint layers, longer for thicker applications).
For those who want to err on the side of caution, an alkyd medium such as Galkyd or Liquin can be used to increase adhesion of the oil paint film to the dried acrylic paint film.
Remember when using oil paints to follow fat over lean practices to ensure that the oil paint film does not crack or craze, though use of an alkyd medium throughout will likely increase the stability (as well as flexibility) of the oil paints throughout the painting.

Water miscible (mixable) oil paints: Whatever you have read elsewhere, Never try to make your own by mixing soaps or detergents into regular artists oil paints. It might make them clean up with water, as advertised by some, but it will Absolutely ruin the archival properties of the paint including the color, light fastness, as well as adhesion (the ability of the paints to cling together and stick to the surface of the canvas or panel.

Found this great video by Golden Paints! Keep your Acrylic paint solids out of water sources with these instructions.

We recognize this photo……. Cy Twombly’s studio right? Many of these supplies are no longer being manufactured. Beautiful photo!

hey-icarus:

kc, this is a ruling pen. and i have no idea what you’re supposed to do with it.

A common miss-conception is that blue tape works as an art masking material. This belief is strengthened by teachers recommending it because of its price. The truth is that blue tape is designed for industrial masking, such as indoor/outdoor house painting. It is designed to remove easily off of non porous materials such as dry latex paint, glass, metal, and some wood. As an art material it will simply destroy the finished product. It is not acid free (archival) so will yellow any area it has made contact with over time. It is not considered repositionable on papers or thin paint films (acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache, tempera, etc). to prevent torn edges or pulling off paint films it is advised to shell out the extra dollar or two and purchase Artists’ tape or drafting tape. The artists is more advisable for painting and masking as it has a smooth surface. Drafting tape is a bit more “papery.” Though both are archival and repositionable (read the packaging, as acceptions apply). Remember that every process is different, so always do test runs (not on work that time has been invested in), if it works for someone else it may not work for you. If it works for you it may not work for others. Most importantly, play and have fun with any new materials!

keeganislazy:

An open letter to blue tape.

What is that shit? Dammit, blue tape. You’re not supposed to be ruining my borders. I even got you all linty before stickin’ you on my paper. What the hell? You’re supposed to my safe for my art. You’re supposed to come off the paper relatively easy. You’re not supposed to peel off as much paper as you did and you’re not supposed to ruin my fuckin’ borders.

Blue tape, I’m really angry at you.

That’s a great idea. As long as we keep it anonymous. I will work on that…. Cheers!