Oil painting trouble.. paint is too tacky/doesn't flow easily on canvas?

Question

I recently just did an oil painting..

My problem is, every time I use the oils that I have, it doesn't flow
good on the canvas at all.. for example, painting a background is very hard
because the paint dries (more like becoming to thin/tacky to flow nicely on the canvas)
and I'm pretty sure it shouldn't do that since I've seen many people use oils on Youtube,
and their's flows nicely. And it doesn't matter if I add mineral spirits to make it more
thin, the same problem occurs.. The canvas I use has already been primed, but
should I use gesso to fix this (do you think that'd help)?

Thank you so much <:)!

Answer 1

Is it possible you are using alkyd oil paints or water-miscible oil paints? Would it be possible to post the brand and any other information you might have describing your oils?



Oils with alkyds added have tacked up on me. Artisan water-miscible oil paints have dragged when I've used them and they have dried up in the tubes after sitting for two years.



Regular artist quality oil paints should become less stiff (creamy) with a very little bit of linseed oil mixed in.



I have had oil paints soak into poorly primed pre-stretched canvas and have learned to apply one or two additional coats of good quality gesso.



Mineral spirits are used to thin paint, usually faster drying earth colors such as burnt sienna or burnt umber, for underpainting. The mineral spirits evaporate quickly and dry the thin layer quickly.

Answer 2

I believe that instead of mineral spirits you should use linseed oil. I think it would help. Turpentine will thin it as well, but to make it flow you need an oil.

Gesso can cover an unfinished canvas and it can be used to cover a painting you want to do over. You can even add color to it for a prime. But the oil is what you need.

This guy, he's got good lessons...free courses and ideas.

http://www.livepaintinglessons.com/drawing.php

Answer 3

Since your problem occurs with thinned paint and thick paint, I imagine the canvas is to blame. Pre-primed canvases tend to be rough and thinly primed, and to get a good painting surface you'll have to make some modifications. Get a fresh canvas and apply at least three layers of acrylic gesso, sanding in between layers with 220 grit sandpaper. Don't try to put gesso over oil paint: it will crack.



You might also want to try mixing a medium into your paint. Liquin, made by Winsor & Newton, is a decent medium if you don't want to mix your own. Mediums tend to make your paint flow better and give translucency and certain gloss or matte effects to the finished paintings. If you want to try mixing your own, a simple medium consists of 1 part Stand Oil, 1 part Damar Varnish, and 3 parts Gum Spirits of Turpentine.

Answer 4

I had that problem as well , tips to make it better :

1. make sure that you use high quality canvas and paint and that you use a stiff brush not soft brushes that are for watercolor .



2. prime your pre primed canvas 2 times , if you don't have gesso you can make your own by mixing (a part of baby powder , a part of white glue , half part of water , a part of acrylic paint) and you can sand paper your canvas if you like .



3. don't use mineral spirits for thinning your paint .



4. apply linseed oil on your canvas before starting your painting .



5. use linen canvas , its smoother .



good luck !!!

Answer 5

turpentine is for cleaning brushes. it is too strong to paint with and will break down the pigment binders.



mineral spirits, aka paint thinner won't but it will make your pigment uncontrolably watery, in other words it will not give you "flow".



commercial grade gesso, the stuff they put on prepared stretched canvas, is acrylic gesso, and acrylic gesso is plastic. your pigments will run and slide.



all three above will make your "flow" issue WORSE. but if you have some strange desire to paint with solvents, put on a mask or you will faint and gag, and never get the chance to finish a painting.



use linseed oil or buy "hand made" boutique oils and they flow nicely without oils like linseed.. off the shelf oils have too many additives and it's like painting with soft cement.

Answer 6

You have to make a medium of linseed oil Damar or some other painting varnish and turpentine, not paint thinner but real turpentine or you can buy the ready made oil painting media that are available in art stores then you start out by painting the large areas thinly with lots of medium then as the painting begins to take shape you can make the paint a little thicker in places for emphasis like highlights or for textural effects. The rule is thick over thin. Then after the thicker parts dry you can glaze over them with thin transparent paint dark over light and rub the glazes in with a rag or you can take semi transparent colors and scumble over thicker areas dull colors over bright or pastel over dark. You don't wipe down scumbles only glazes. These are techniques used by both the old and some modern masters.

Answer 7

Tacky In Trouble

Answer 8

All you need do is mix your paints with Linseed oil No other solvents.

Just keep adding it to your paint until you get the right flow you want. Just remember to mix the paint and linseed oil really well before you start to paint.