26 November 2015

Varnish beading on Painting?

The picnic Spot
24x30cm (approx 9.5x12inch)
Gallery wrapped canvas
Varnished and ready to go

I like to let my oil paint dry as long as possible, so normally I don't varnish my painting until they are due to go to their new home. However, in anticipation of the Christmas sales, I've been varnishing some of my paintings so they can be shipped immediately.

I noticed that some of the varnish was 'beading'. Not a lot, but I had never noticed it before. After doing a google search I came across this article which explains that it is the surface oil causing it the varnish to bead.

Well.... I knew I was brilliant and now here's the proof LOL.
The cure is to wipe the painting surface with alcohol or ammonia. For years I have been using a mixture of the two for my general cleaning and I also use it to soften stubborn paint on my pallet. It's a brilliant cleaner and both the ammonia and alcohol are both disinfectants. The ammonia smell is a little off putting but you will never suffer from a blocked nose again! (The Victorians used ammonia in their smelling salts).

Here is the recipe I use if you are interested. You need
Cleaning alcohol
Ammonia
Washing-up liquid
Water

I make mine up in a large liquid washing detergent bottle.
Use twice the amount of alcohol to ammonia and double the volume with water. Add a decent squirt of washing up liquid.

I use this mix for floors (I have ceramic tiles).
For surfaces put some into old spray bottles, add some more water and another squirt of washing-up liquid.

If the ammonia smell is too strong for you, add more water.

It's cheap and very effective.

LET ME KNOW if you have ever had this problem and how you solved it.

15 November 2015

Win my 2016 Artbymarion Calendar


ARTBYMARION 2016 WALL CALENDAR
Available Here

ARTBYMARION 2016 DESK CALENDAR
12€ shipping included
 Available Here

or contact me here

This is the first time I am offering mycalendar for sale. I usually create one each year for family and close friends. To launch my calendar, I am giving away two calendars, one wall and one desk, to subscribers of my Newsletter to say thank you to my collectors and followers for supporting me on my art journey.

My next Newsletter is out in a couple of days time, so sign up now for a chance to win. If you think your friends might like to see my art, please tell them about this chance to win a calendar featuring 12 of my paintings.

08 November 2015

Red Field Provence landscape, palette knife painting

Red Fields
Oil palette knife painting
18x24cm (approx 7x10cm)

One of my favourite scenes that I keep looking for new ways to paint. I used wax mixed into the paint so see if how it reacts and affect the impasto effect. I am always searching for ways to increase the impasto effect and use less paint LOL. I am still experimenting so will reserve my thoughts on the finish. For now I can say it gives a very matte finish and is easy to paint with.

Some close-ups


 

06 November 2015

Lavender Farm Provence palette knife painting

Provence Lavender Farm
Oil palette knife painting
Oil on canvas panel
18x24cm (approx 7x10)

Back to painting landscapes after the abstract florals and a few commissions and a week in the UK.
I kept it simple for this one and painted directly onto the canvas panel i.e. no additional gesso and no underpainting. It has a nice 'cleanness to it'.

A couple of close-ups