drying time oils

[megroot]

Hey Guys,

I am now strugling for a half year with acrylics. Before i painted with oils. It is the long drying time that oils had that turned me into acrylic.
Last thuesday i saw some magnificent figures from the masters at my club AMSS.
There i saw that the oilpaint give me a much more satisfaction then acrylics. The oils has such a beautifull shine still matt but not to matt as acrylic.
By follow Rocco his SBS on the Janissary i read again and again he is drying his oils in a box so that he can go within a few hours painting again.

What is the drying box, what he is made off, and how long must the figure stand in before you can paint further.

I hope someone can answer, because i think i am gonna change back to oils.

Marc.

 

[John Long]

A lot of people use a small crockpot for drying figures. I imagine Roc's drying box consists of a box with a lightbulb in it for a heat source. I've personally had satisfactory results just by placing the figure under a 60w desklamp overnight. Some colors are always going to be problematic though, such as blues. There are some other tricks for matting oils.

 

[megroot]

Hey Thanks John,

But the always saving money people in Holland we using sparebulbs. That is 12 W bulb with gives the same light as a 100 W bulb. No heating.
So i must go for a 60 W bulb from about 10 years ago.
What other tricks have you for drying oils??
What is a CROCKPOT??

 

[Roc]

Hello Marc , John is right , I did use a box with a light bulb in the past, but over the past year I've been placing my figures in the oven at a warm temperature of 140 degrees, usually over night.
This usually eliminates the sheen and dries the figure.



Cheers

Rpc

 

[fkereki]

When you people say 140 degrees... are you talking Celsius or Fahrenheit? The difference could melt a figure!

 

[Pete_H]

Federico,
He is definitely talking Fahrenheit.

 

[megroot]

Hey Guys,

Thank you so far. And 140 degrees Fahrenheit is 60 degrees Celcius.

Thanks

Marc

 

[pkess]

A crockpot is also known as a slow cooker. It is a ceramic like pot with feet and a lid, with an electrical cord. I have used mine for over 20 years to dry my figures.
A big key with oils is to make sure you spread them as thin as possible. The thicker the paint the more likely it is to not dry matt.

 

[KeithP]

I refer people interested in drying boxes to this article from Craig.

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=mod...ticle&artid=410

I use one just like his piece. In the box, my base coat and wet on wet can be dry in 3-4 days. Subsequent thin wet on dry coats can be dry in a day or less.

As mentioned, thin coats make a big difference.

I dunno about this oven suggestion. The wife would not buy off on that one :lol:

Keith

 

[Lancer]

Hi Marc
I find the trick for quick drying is a 120 watt bulb and thinning all your oils with Winsor & Newton Liquin! This is a drying agent and I find that this combined with low heat will reduce my drying time to hours! As for getting a matt finish, you have to use a clean brush for blending, a couple taps, clean the brush. After I give the whole peice a light dab. Once you have picked up the excess oils the peice should be matt and will dry matt. I always give it a blast of thinned dullcoate just to be sure and to protect the piece!
Cheers
Mark

 

[Bert Takken]

He Marc
Discovered the oilpaint?
Now you will see, why I prefer painting with oil
Bert

 

[megroot]

He Bert,

No, i rediscoverd the oil paint. My swith to acrylics was the long drying time off oils.
But i like the texture of oil paint. Acryl is matt, oils also but in another way. And the blending is easyer than with acrylic.
The next figure is in oils.

marc

 

[KeithP]

I would be cautious with the Liquin. This will make your finish glossy.

I rarely if ever add thinner to my oil. I have had success with adding English turp (which is very nasty stinky so be careful). Straight from the tube for me.

Keith

 

[Patrick Kirk]

I agree with Keith, liquin can add to the sheen if not used sparingly...I had a great discussion with Bob Tavis at MFCA last year and he suggested using distilled english spirits with just a touch of liquin as the blending medium. The key is to use the just a touch of the linquin, and blend the medium and the color very well...

All the best

Patrick

 

[megroot]

I just read the article from Craig. there is just one question. Are there holes in the drybox, to let the extreme heat disapear. Or is that no problem.

Marc

 

[KeithP]

Nope. No holes. I never measured the temperature. It certainly does get warm, though. I would not put holes in the box. I am a "dust" paranoid.

I use a 60W bulb and keep both metal and resin material ~ 3-4 inches from the bulb. Made the box from scrap wood and hardware. Works a treat!

Keith

 

[Bert Takken]

He marc
Why not using an oven in your kitchen? Set it on about 50 degrees C and lets dry.
Telling your partner (not sure your marriage or living together) you trying a new "recept"
Bert

 

[megroot]

Hey Bert,

I shall even try that. And now i am divorced, and i am not intend to married again.
I live with my figures :lol: :lol:
For now i am happy as it is.

Marc

 

[Le Lancier]

I used to use Liquin also, but the result was arbitrary. You could get a mat finish with certain colours, and a glossy finish with others. And it always depended on the amount added. Today, I use taltine as a thinner. It's a little bit like lighter fluid, it'll give you a matt finish, no matter what. And it will also accelarate drying time somewhat. As Rocco as mentionned, I like to put my figures in the oven at 60 deg Celcius for a few hours, it does wonders.

 

[Steve Arthur]

Marc,

I;m not sure if you would consider this , but a food dehydrator would work as well. They're low heat so the risk of damage to the figure is low. The speed of the drying time may vary, but it is much faster than allowing it to dry at room temperatures. It will reduce your drying times, but perhaps not as fast as the drying box that's been discussed. A dehydrator is inexpensive. You can purchase them for less than $20.00 in the US at Wal-Mart. Do you have Wal-Mart in the Netherlands? (hell they're everywhere else.)

Hope I helped little.

Best Wishes
Steve