A question for all painting artists out there...

Bubs99

Hi,

I've been an oil painter for years, not as a profession...yet (in my dreams :rolleyes:), but Ive never been able to afford good quality expensive canvases such as Windsor and Newton or the "Artists" quality Windsor and Newton oil paint.

I have always used the student paint and medium quality canvases (put it this way, they're NOT from the 2euro store but they're not the 15euro each ones either) but Ive always used the best quality brushes.

My main question is...does canvas quality make a massive difference?

I am planning on doing pet portraits which is what Im best at and I am wondering, should I invest on the best gear each time? Like most people, I am on a very low budget nowadays.

I have noticed the difference in colour with the Artist Vs Student Windsor and Newton paints. The Artist ones are beautiful, but also so expensive.

Help! Oil painters out there, any tips appreciated. Thank you.

artieanna

If you expect people to purchase your art at high prices in my opinion you should use quality canvas, Personally I buy a large roll of canvas and get my bro whos a chippy to make up frames works out fairly cheap. The wood in the cheaper frames is light and well cheap as for the canvas I would say its probably okay but, I haven't really used it.

I have some friends who are artists, and use cheap canvas. I suppose it's a personal choice.

It comes down to what you can afford also!

As for the paints... well here's the story.. Buy your ochres, siennas, umbers, alazarin crimson, phathlo blue, french ultramarine, lamp black in winton brand as the pigments used in these are the same in the cheap (winton) and the artist quality. Buy cad yellow, cad red, cobalt blue, titanium white (buy white good quality because you use a lot of it in mixing). These paint colours contain real pigments and are naturally bit more expensive and top quality.

If you look at the winton chart you will see alot of the paints marked hue this is not genuine pigment used in this colour it is a manmade equivelant.
Hope this helps

Bubs99

If i could afford the best, Id use that for definate along with the fabulous and best quality paint but Im on a very low budget.

But like you said about your brother doing the frames for you, my Dad and my Uncle and my brother are all carpenters also so I guess i could get my Dad to do a few frames for me and I can buy roll of canvas...but...

that also comes in cheap and expensive quality. If you dont mind me asking, which do you go for with the rolls of canvas?

I was checking the cork art supplies website today and there was some Windsor and Newton canvases reduced to 9euro.

Im so confused!!!

And yeah, I would like to start getting commissions and selling my work. I appreciate your advice.

About the paints, yeah, I have a box of about 30 colours of the "Student" quality Windsor and Newton oil paint but I have the best quality white like you said.
I dont have lamp black, just ivory. I noticed Cadmium Red Deep in "artists" quality a few days ago and all I can say is WOW, but it was over 20euros for a 37ml! (fair enough but with my budget, it'd have to be a birthday present).

I also noticed there's an artists quality gold and renaissance gold...I fell in love.

I do find that the more I mix the "student" quality, or when the paintings have dried, they go a dull matte, unless I do a wet on wet painting (which is rare) and I do use linseed oil also.

I love all this advice and tips. Ive noticed that most of the Arts and Crafts forum is about knitting. Id love to chat to other oil painters or any painters regularly.

artieanna

Canvas okay...Buy a roll of double or triple primed canvas, buy a roll in a width that will size up with the frames as you don't want waste. You could try out different weights of canvas to see what you like but it dosen't really matter. Don't get bogged down about it! I paid about €92 for a roll awhile back. I also got some nice quality narrow rolls in Aldi or Lidl awhile back v reasonable Keep an eye out for those...If you live near the sea, the canvas used in yachts (canvas cotton duck) is ideal quality canvas for priming and painting.

Remember you don't have to use canvas, you can use wood, paper.

The student paints have alot of filler to bulk up the paint, that does go muddy. Also don't forget to use a drop of turps with the linseed oil. Like I said I only buy the artist quality in the cads and cobalt, a little of this paint goes a long way when turps and linseed is added.