Is there any oil paint artists out there?

Question

I'm looking to connect with anyone familar with oil painting. I'm a newbie, trying to teach myself a few techniques. I must repeat though, I am extremely new to it.....I have some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to online. One question for example: Do I need to do anything, (sprays, oil, varnish etc) on a finished painting before framing/glass over?
Thanks for anyone that can help or add a link possibly that I haven't found. The browser takes me to about.com mostly and I don't care for it.

I've worked with acrylics for years.....just trying my hand with oils.

I like Bob Ross, amazing to watch......but he works mostly with acrylics......er, pretty sure of this.

Sorry Bob Ross fans.........he did a water on water technique in ACRYLICS.

I may not know much , but I know oil and water don't mix..lol

Answer 1

Lunasee, I had to answer your questions because I am afraid of your going in the wrong direction. This can lead to bad habits and they are hard to break. I work strictly in oils and have been painting for forty-five years. Feel free to email me if you have anything at all to ask about painting in oil but PLEASE do not listen to anything Bob Ross says or does. Sorry, but if you are serious about this he cannot help you at all! Everything he 'teaches' is wrong and only stiffles creativity. I'm here for you if you need me.

Answer 2

Some of the paints would. The Flake white would but it isn't all as dangerous as the other true colours. Once the paint has cured the lead is rendered inert. It will not affect anyone. The dangerous ones are the Cobalt colours like Cerulean blue and the Cobalt blue itself. The other dangerous ones would be the Cadmium colours. The Cadmiums are all warm based colours like yellow, red, and orange and they range from deep to pale in value. The Cobalt colours are made with the same Cobalt that they use in X-Ray machines but that too is inert once the paint is cured. Now many commercial companies do not use these Cadmiums and Cobalts because of the expense so what they do is have their chemists come up with a "hue" that is similar to the true Cobalt, a facsimille of a Cadmium orange, or a "pale Cadmium yellow", but they are not actually Cadmiums and Cobalts. They are simply mixed pigments to copy the colour indicated and the company will have it labelled " Cobalt Blue Hue ", or " Cadmium Red Hue ", to make the distinction that it is not the real thing. The key word here is 'hue'. There are other dangers besides the paints themselves. The turps are dangerous and you should never buy a "scentless turpentine" because if you can't smell it then you could very well get into trouble for not knowing it's there and in the air. The linseed oil is combustionable. A lot of " Sunday painters" have inadvertantly started fires in their homes by the poor means of disposing the rags they use to clean up the oils. When Linseed oil is confined to an enclosed trash can all bunched up with a rag the chemical reaction can lead to spontaneous combustion. That could burn the place down. Now for the oils that MIGHT hold any lead, the only one I could think of would be "Flake White", it's the oldest of the whites and it is the classical white on the palette. If you are old school in the trade then the other place would be the gesso spread on your painting surface. That too would be rendered inert upon curing. You have more to fear with the rest of your oils than you do with any lead in any of your tubes!!! I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Answer 3

The Late Bob Ross Painted In Oils On His TV Program "The Joy Of Painting"

Answer 4

I love painting with oils!! I do use acrylics too but dont prefer them.
The good thing about oils is the fact that they dont dry so quickly.
You can paint over your work without the worry that is will mix so light over dark is fine.
You also dont have to use brushes but the bigger the brushes the better for me!
I love using my fingers. I know I'm finger painting but I love the effects you can get.
I dont put glass over my pics but if you did want to then it's a good idea to use a raised frame so the glass isn't touching the paint. Especially as you should have some sort of texture with an oil painting.
And finally... ENJOY!!! Dont be afraid and just do whatever feels right for you!

Answer 5

I have worked with oils before (don't prefer it) and no, you do not have to varnish it; you need to let it dry completely (heavily stippled paint can take months to dry) before you can frame it.

This is the number one reason I prefer acrylic to oil and even over water color. It has the coating power of of oil, but it also has the quicker drying time, but not so quick you can't mix on the canvas.

Answer 6

I love to oil paint, and have already finished 9. I use are very large canvas and do not frame. I would never put glass over oil paint. Oil painting is a passion and a work of art, to cover it would be a shame. Then you may as well use watercolors.

Answer 7

I have oil paintings I finished and are in frames for over twenty years. All I do is make certain they are out of direct light, and I dust them well once a month. Careful... oils take several weeks to dry completely.

Answer 8

It's all about layers. Start with dark and work your way to the light. Then go back and add any places you feel need it light or dark. You can varnish if you want to. It will probably last longer. But without varnish it will still last a long time.

Answer 9

I paint but use acrylics, you should either go to a library or buy a step by step book and experiment. It's the best way forwards x

Answer 10

You don`t normally put oils in a glass frame.

Bob Ross American oil painter,check out one of his DVDs, lots of tips.