How long to let oil paints "weep"?

[Russ]

Hey, all -

I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm using the best words I can think up. I'm planning to try oil paints on acrylic base; how long should I let the oil paint dabs sit on cardboard to wick off the excess oil? Is a couple of hours enough? Overnight?

TIA for any help!

 

[Mirofsoft]

I painted oils on Humbrol
Never waited a second ... ( first let the Humbrol or acrylice dries ) a drop of oil colour on paper and apply directly ...

 

[Nap]

Hi Russ

I am not a Oily but I presume you mean the carrier in the tube that seeps on opening ........some leave the paint on a kitchen towel to soak up

Not sure I've helped !

Nap

 

[Babelfish]

I usually leave it until a visible stain appears around the main "heap" of paint. Eliminating that excess will help you get a flatter finish, although it seems to work better with some colours than with others. I've never timed it though, but I'd say that an hour or two should do it.

- Steve

 

[arj]

I just use a toothpick to pull what I want from the tube and put it straight onto a piece of folded toilet paper.
The oil is absorbed immediately, and the residue is scraped off and onto my pallette (a cheap white 6" wall tile).

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[Dolf]

Hi!

In general I do as Mirosoft above, both painting with oils on top of Humbrol enamels, or in rarer cases acrylics (only because until now I haven't used acrylics that much, but this is slowly changing) .

Rather than a toothpick I've been using a spatula to get the paint from the tubes. But I may start using a toothpick, simply because it helps saving the oils.
Then I place a "nut" of the oil paint in a regular printing white sheet of paper, which absorbs most of the oils on the paint. The reason I do this is because with certain colors, if I paint as the oils come from the tube, the painting will be gloss/shinny, so this helps to render the oils more matt.

I usually don't wait for the excess oils to dry, I just start painting almost right away.

Next time I'll do things slightly different, based on the videos below.

This one is from Milan Dufek, a member of the Forum. As you see he also puts some "nuts" of the oils in a regular sheet of paper, but then transfers the oils to his palette (no waiting time) :



Another member of the Forum, Alexandre, also does more or less the same (with the exception that he does not make the oils dry, but he places the oil paints on a sheet of tracing paper, which I suppose may perhaps absorb some of the excess oils and help them dry a little bit) :




Hope this helps.

Cheers!

 

[fogie]

Pop blobs of paint on a palette of scrap card...the excess carrier (linseed oil) will start to
leech almost straight away. Use the colour thinly - if necessary in layers -and it will cure
in a few days with a matt finish. Some like to thin the paint with turps or its substitute,
although I choose to use Splke Lavendar oil for this - but that's really just my affectation.

Mike

 

[Henk]

If I may, a related question regarding the drying time of oils.

How long do you let the oils dry and 'cure' before you cover them? I did some oil paint filters on some armour models a while ago (primer, acrylic paint and acrylic mud washes along the running gear, acrylic varnish, oil paint filters, and an acrylic Matt varnish to finish), initially the results were as expected, the filters added depth and gradation, and the final acrylic varnish coat made it all suitably Matt again. However, after several months, the models started to become shiney, and somewhat sticky to the touch. I wonder if the oils, or the Windsor and Newton Sansodor thinner, started to work through the matt varnish? I left the oil filters about a week (maybe a bit less), before I covered them with the matt varnish.

 

[Russ]

@Henk: I regularly use oils for weathering and post-shading planes and tanks, but except for some added pigment powder, I've never covered the oils with anything. I use an oil-paint wash over a matte or satin clear acrylic coat, then pin wash, then (perhaps) some dry-brush-style highlighting, but no other covering medium. I use Turpenoid thinner for the washes, but no thinner for the dry-brushing. I've had it take as long as a couple of weeks once, but generally 3-4 days and it's dry to the touch. Frankly, I'd be afraid to cover the oils with anything.