to thin or not to thin

[pjkemo]

I like to paint 200mm busts.I want to start to paint in oils.My question is,when using oils,do I paint straight out of the tube,or do I thin the oils a bit.

 

[vergilius]

I usually don't but make sure to 'brush away' the superfluous paint

 

[megroot]

I don't thin oils often.
I let the oil soaking out on a piece off card.
When all the oil is out i bring them to a white tile. Brushing the oil directly on the figure with an underlayer of primer and acrylic paint.
Iff it is very difficult to get an egual layer without brushstrokes i thinned a little with white spirit.

marc

 

[Sambaman]

I don't thin at all. Nuf said. Apply it thin, undecaot in acrylic or enamels and go to town!

Jay H.
OKC

 

[KeithP]

I will be the first to admit that I am a very very slow oil painter. So, some of my mixes sit in the freezer for a while. They will dry out a bit so I will add a very small amount of turpenoid. The risk is increasing transparency and shine.

I do try to paint from tube too. But, sometimes it's too thick to get a good brush stroke...

Keith

 

[Mongo Mel]

I'm a bust painter too. Welcome to my world
I virtually never thin my oils either.
But you've got to figure out for yourself what works best for you.
Just because the replies here lean heavily towards not thinning doesn't mean you shouldn't
Best of luck. Let us know how we can help.
Craig

 

[thegoodsgt]

Never thin artist oils. Doing so reduces their ability to cover the figure.

Shep Paine's advice says it best: "Spread it out, don't thin it out."

 

[WPS]

When you go shopping for artist oils only buy the brand with the finest pigment. (Ask the salesman)
The finer the pigment the better to spread and the thinner the layer.
Stay away from thinning.

Willem

 

[Einion]

As you can see, some people do, some don't. Apart from what you personally like yourself - both in terms of results and what you like in 'brush feel2' - a lot has to do with the paints you have. Some oil paints, brands or specific colours, are much stiffer than others and really can't be used to paint very thinly and smoothly without doing something to help the process.

The two basic things to thin oil paints are diluent (turps or mineral spirits) or medium (oil, resin medium). You can use a mixture too of course.

Unless you're using expensive high-end oils your paints will be amply provided with binder, so there's no real need to add any medium. If you're having any difficulty in painting on smooth, even coats I would definitely suggest you experiment with adding some spirits, just enough to help the paint spread easily under the brush.

Einion

 

[Einion]

I'm a bust painter too. Welcome to my world
I virtually never thin my oils either.
But you've got to figure out for yourself what works best for you.
Just because the replies here lean heavily towards not thinning doesn't mean you shouldn't

Well said.

Never thin artist oils. Doing so reduces their ability to cover the figure.

Shep Paine's advice says it best: "Spread it out, don't thin it out."

Stay away from thinning.

Gianfranco Speranza thins his oils

When you go shopping for artist oils only buy the brand with the finest pigment. (Ask the salesman)

It's been my experience - and I test this everywhere I go - that salespeople in art stores don't know much about the products they sell. Even if they are artists they'll generally tell you their opinion, which isn't really what we want to hear

Einion