Oil painting was definitely not an option for me because of the odoriferous fumes generated from traditional oil painting products. So for the longest time I shied away from oil. When I learned about water soluble oil where the paint washes off with just water, I had to give that a try. I thought I’d share my approach and experience with you in case you have wanted to try oil paining but, just like me, didn’t take the plunge due to the fumes.
My oil painting supplies
- Daniel Smith Modified Water Soluble Linseed Oil – This is the ONLY oil paint medium I purchased.
- Canva-Paper by Canson – Canvas textured paper. At 290g it has a nice weight. I did not have any problems with paint seepage in the back. Great for practice, acid-free, and a space saver over using canvas
- Da Vinci oil and acrylic brushes – These are synthetic brushes. Don’t use soft watercolour brushes for oil.
- Palette knives – For mixing paints
- Masterson’s Sat-Wet Handy palette and liners – It is a lidded box that comes with a few sheets of palette liner paper included. You can buy extra liners.
Daniel Smith Water Soluble Oil Paint
I decided to invest in Daniel Smith oil paints. There are less colour choices in the water-soluble oils than the traditional ones. I started with primaries to mix colours, along with a few neutrals. I recently added a few more tubes to my collection.
Daniel Smith paints are of professional quality. The paint flows and glides over the painting surface without any effort. They stayed vibrant even after drying.
Sketching
I usually start my painting with a sketch, denoting the dark and light areas. I keep a little room on the side to write down the paints I use for the painting.
Prepping
I forgot to take a photo of the prep of the current painting, so here is one from an old painting. Since I am using paper as opposed to canvas, I needed the paper to have a solid backing.
I used painters tape, the same one I use for my watercolour paintings, to tape the paper to a smooth MDF board before placing it on an easel. Masking tape works well too.
Painting
In the beginning, my base paint layer was really thick. So when I tried to paint clouds over that, all I got was ruts cut into the base layer with my brush. I wiped the area and started with a thinner base layer. Once I learned that lesson, all was well.
A tiny little dab of the modified linseed oil was enough to rejuvenate the paint when I found my brush or the paint to be dry. Water can also be used for painting and mixing, but water dulls the paint a little.
I used palette knives to mix paint instead of a brush. The paint tends to collect in the brush without really mixing properly.
I love the fact that I can paint light over dark with oil.
Oil is extremely forgiving. The paint stays wet for a long time and can be moved and manipulated. If I did not like an area, I was able to carefully remove the paint and the brush strokes and start over. It smears very easily though, so be mindful of that as well.
Another thing to note is that the previous layer needs to be somewhat dry before the next layer can be applied. Otherwise, the existing paint shifts and moves around along with the paint for the new layers.
The finished painting takes a long time to dry completely. So don’t touch it for at least a few days after you have painted your final stroke.
Charlie Experimented With Me
Unbeknownst to me, Charlie wanted to participate in my oil painting experiment as well. I made a few swatch cards which I moved promptly to the table in my atelier and cleaned all the tools before dinner. Next morning I found the clean palette had somehow moved on top of the still-wet swatch cards. The cards had smeared paints on them as well as the calendar, which lay next to the cards. At this point I was not only sure that a cat got on my table, I also knew which one.
Right at that moment Charlie walked up to me. He was sporting Ultramarine Blue paws and a Quinacridone-Magenta tail-tip. He is exceptionally sensitive to smells and runs away from orange peel and potato chips/crisps!! Considering that he got on the table to check out the paints told me how non-odoriferous they are.
The ultramarine blue from my gently protesting kitty washed off completely under running water. I used a little soap for safe measure. Quin. Magenta washed off too, but it dyed the white tail. I trimmed his tail a little where the white tip took on a reddish tinge.
I am always very fastidious about cleaning up my table. Now I know putting away freshly done paintings needs to be part of the repertoire as well. Water solubility of Daniel Smith’s oil paint worked out really well!! I thanked Charlie for his participation with lots of kisses while he purred.
Many of you already know of my fondness for Impressionist/Post-impressionist painters, specially Monet and Van Gogh. Earlier I did this Wild Flowers In The Park painting with oil pastels, which by the way is a fantastic dry oil medium.
I wanted to paint the Hay Bales Of Aberdeenshire with similar small soft brush strokes, which I found almost calming even though I was working with a new painting medium. I had a marvellous time painting the warm rich colours of the hay bales against the woods and the deep blue sky with floating clouds from one of my favourite places in the world.
-Soma
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38 thoughts on “Hay Bales Of Aberdeenshire”
Kate August 19, 2018 at 09:01
I have only used Gamblin Oils and Gamblin Odorless Mineral Spirits so I am not sure what the smells are about — or I have more tolerance to smells. With Gamblin’s OMS I can leave the jar open and drop my brushes in, never worry about my cats, etc etc. I truly amazing product, made in Portland by someone who care about toxicity. Anywho, love this, love finding you or you found me!
Alycia August 17, 2018 at 07:32
That is just so beautiful!!! I love how you captured the colors so perfectly!
Cheryl Brickey August 11, 2018 at 19:22
Your painting is wonderful! I had never heard of water-based oil paints, it sounds like they are the best of both world for paints. Your kitty painting himself reminded me of when I was painting a room in our old house and had just painted the corner of the entry to it when Abby cat came in the room, rubbing on that very corner. She had a white streak on her gray fur for a while :)
nessjibberjabberuk August 11, 2018 at 11:13
Due to this year’s drought and extreme temperatures the harvest has been about three weeks earlier in the UK this year. My friend’s house is surrounded by fields and on Tuesday night we watched the hay baler go round the field before depositing the bales across the field.
Kelleyn August 11, 2018 at 07:29
Lovely! I love seeing your process!
islandrambles August 8, 2018 at 17:19
These are so lovely and thanks for the info. I always wanted to do oils but like you I was wondering about the fumes. This looks like fun!
Lisa Isabella Russo August 8, 2018 at 13:39
How lovely your paintings are. I enjoyed reading about your process and I’m glad your kitty wasn’t overly stained.
betty - NZ August 8, 2018 at 04:50
There’s something lovely about hay bales and I’m glad I’m not alone in that belief! Your painting is just wonderful!
Jim, Sydney, Australia August 8, 2018 at 01:44
Great artwork.
Tammie August 7, 2018 at 14:44
Thank you for sharing your process, interesting to read about and see.
Your painting turned out wonderful.
Funny about your kitty. You are lucky that it did not leave oily cat tracks every where.
I would not like the fumes of oils either.
Emily August 7, 2018 at 13:01
Your paintings are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with Moving it Forward.
Bobbi @ Snowy Days Quilting August 7, 2018 at 08:15
Those paintings are spectacular! I’m glad you’re kitty is ok. He’s a handsome boy. :)
Sue H August 6, 2018 at 13:02
Your paintings are gorgeous. I especially like the swirly blue sky and the colors of the hay bales.
Jayne August 6, 2018 at 05:57
Wow! Stunning paintings! Your talent is amazing and I loved hearing about your process and discoveries! Charlie might be the next artist in the family…paw prints could work!
Angie August 5, 2018 at 14:15
You are so talented (as I have said many times before). The hay bales painting reminds me so much of Van Gogh – well done! And your curious cat – LOL! Sorry he had to have a bit of his tail trimmed …
Kate August 5, 2018 at 05:19
It’s amazing all the new supplies that are out there for the artistic types. Your painting is beautiful.
Carol August 5, 2018 at 03:58
I enjoyed your paintings and story aobut Charlie!
Anne August 5, 2018 at 01:30
Such a lovely painting, it’s good that you found something you could work with. I think it’s sweet that Charlie wanted to help you, but thank goodness you were able to get the paint off.
#sundaysnap
Marie-OR August 4, 2018 at 23:30
Love the painting! Not sure I could ever try the water-soluble oil, though. To me, the permanence of traditional oils as well as the richness of the lasting colors makes all the difference. Still, your hay bales are awesome.
Kim Sharman August 4, 2018 at 13:07
How sweet Charlie was your odour tester. =) Fabulous that these paints wash out easily in water. Your hay bales is a beautiful painting. It evokes in me the feel of a Van Gogh. Once again you have created a masterpiece, Soma.
A ShutterBug Explores August 4, 2018 at 09:40
Lovely paintings and post ~ so creative!
Happy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Nicole/DVArtist August 4, 2018 at 08:29
Yes I was in the same dilemma with traditional oils and was thrilled to get water soluble oils a few years ago. Thanks for the great post and beautiful art.
BillieBee August 3, 2018 at 19:55
So detailed and lovely.
catherine August 3, 2018 at 13:08
It was fun to see this lovely painting pop up in my feed as it’s where I was born. I love the way you’ve captured the light on the bales – they are things of rather surreal beauty.
Sandra Walker August 3, 2018 at 10:45
As always, I am in awe of your painting prowess, and love how you take me along with you for the process, even to the process of cleaning gentle helpful Charlie! I think a magenta tail tip would look just fine with his lovely orange fur! But of course, he’d lick it. Quite the testament to the non-odiferous oils. The hay bales remind me of France too for some reason. Hope to get to Scotland in the near future.
Lady Fi August 3, 2018 at 09:12
Your paintings are lovely!
LeeAnna Paylor August 3, 2018 at 07:54
thank you for trying them out for me, and lucky you to have a good snoopervisor. I wanted to try these, as I’m really sensitive to most oil paints, even some paintsticks like shiva. How do they smell while drying? LeeAnna at not afraid of color
Jean Marmo August 3, 2018 at 06:30
You did a wonderful job with this! Love the texture you got with the knife!
Christine August 3, 2018 at 05:30
Enjoyed your post today, thanks for all the information and showing your process. Water soluble oil, how fantastic, and such rich colour.
Tracey August 3, 2018 at 03:05
What a magnificent canvas, you have captured those hay bays perfectly. I love how you have mapped out your sketch and colours before you have made a start. A Fabulous work of art.
Thank you for sharing and Happy PPF Tracey.
Vicki-Ann White August 3, 2018 at 02:24
Those hay bales look terrific in your painting.
Happy PPF
Vicki-Ann :)
sirkkis August 2, 2018 at 23:10
Awesome paintings with many techniques.
Su-sieee! Mac August 2, 2018 at 18:50
Love your paintings, Soma. Thanks for sharing your experience with the water-soluble oil paints. I’ve got it on my list to try soon.
Mary August 2, 2018 at 15:14
Not being a painter, I was intrigued by your post. I am most surprised that they make a water based paint. Your painting is so pretty and has such great detail to it.
Perhaps your kitty was just looking for a change of color. A red tinged tail might be quite attractive!
Kathleen August 2, 2018 at 13:25
Love the hay bales area of your painting. Very interesting explanation of the painting process. I had no idea! I was especially surprised to know that you could wipe a painted area and start over. And it’s also very good that you can wipe undesired painted areas from a kitty as well!!
Dixie August 2, 2018 at 08:42
Lovely expressive paintings, Soma. The colours of both mediums are beautiful. A wonderful prep. sketch too.
And what can I say about Charlie Van Gogh? So sweet. He looks so calm and innocent. I admire his colour choices, too.
Susie August 2, 2018 at 07:51
Oh I am in love with this painting, Soma!! I hope you will be framing it for your house!! How gorgeous is this setting, too. Your painting will surely keep this special spot alive in your memory !! I am so glad you found the water based oil paints, as now you have this awesome medium to create with !! And I laughed out loud when I read about your little painter apprentice, Charlie !!
You continue to amaze me with all of your artistic skills, Little Renaissance Lady !!
Susie
Janine @ Rainbow Hare August 2, 2018 at 00:48
This has worked really well with those paints. The scene looks illuminated :)