HOW TO OIL PAINT: Toning a Canvas

[2001kandi]

my oil paint comes out cunck

[Luvuranime]

great thx for the video and advice

[bustachaina]

could someone explain to me what is the purpose of toning? I've been watching hours of videos... haven't found one that explains the WHY , just the HOW . What's the purpose of toning a canvas. also, i got a canvas that kind of feels rough to the touch.like a bumpy surface when you look up close. are there canvases i can get that are really smooth? because i don't want to see the texture of the canvas when i paint :(

[artistchronicle]

@bustachaina Judging how the first colors and values you put down will look when a painting is complete is difficult when you begin on a stark white canvas, so toning helps with that. Also, some artists let some of the tone show through here and there, which helps give a unity to the final painting. As for canvas texture, fine, smooth, medium, rough - all are available. For examples, visit UtrechtArt site, click on "canvas" at the top, then "texture" in menu to left. Hope that helps.

[Hannanstl]

basic science - oil will not properly adhere to acrylics.oil can be used with acrylic gesso however. :)

[artistchronicle]

Hobby, I know it looks completely smooth on videotape, but the texture of the canvas shows through when I tone, too. Some canvases have a tighter weave than others, so that may be affecting your results. Using more solvent may help. I don't use medium to tone with, but instead tone with a mix of 70-80% solvent (odorless mineral spirits) and paint. I'll wait no more than 5 minutes before rubbing off. If you don't like the results, remove it all with solvent and a rag and try again.

[artistchronicle]

Thanks, ForSunny and estudio! I appreciate the positive input!

[hobbyandstuff]

I tryed this today for the first time, but when i rubbed the canvas, it only took the paint from the upper fibers of the canvas. In your video, the whole cavas looks like it is completely smooth, and i cant see any texture. My canvas has the texture of the fibre

and i can still see some of the major brush strokes.... Should I have waited longer or used more/ less solvent/paint/medium ?

[ForSunny2]

love your videos! thank you <3

[artistchronicle]

Teens - before oil paint can be applied to a support (canvas, wood, metal, paper, etc) it must first be primed with a coating of white paint or gesso. This first coat is called a "ground." It serves to isolate the support from the actual paint layers and makes the support more receptive to paint. Because of its ease of use, the most common type of ground used today is an acrylic ground called "gesso."

[artistchronicle]

Hey, guatemala. In a word, the answer is, "no." It's okay to paint over acrylic paint (or acrylic gesso) with oil paint. But, if you tone with oil paint, or use an oil ground, never, ever paint over it with acrylics.

[TEENBABES1812]

what the hell is a ground?

[guatemala3d]

hello.. I have a question.. can u oil tune ur surface.. and then paint over it with acrylics??..

[artistchronicle]

dm, the medium I use is Gambiln's Galkyd.

[dmstmaarten]

WHAT MEDIUM YOU USE???

[supersonicdrawer]

you sound like toby from family guy

[aletrele]

useful video!!can I use a sponge instead of  a dry cloth??

[artistchronicle]

In a word, swallowed, "no." Unless you want to wait for weeks to begin painting. I use earth tones because they have less oil content and will dry quickly (I like to give it 24 hours). Adding oil defeats the purpose. Also, note that some artists tone with acrylic paint so that painting can begin right away.

[swallowedtothesea]

can I tone the canvas with linseed oil instead of turpentine?

[artistchronicle]

If I understand your question correctly, rkey... after toning a canvas with oil paint I'll let it dry at least a day before painting over it. If you tone with acrylic paint, waiting isn't necessary because the acrylic paint dries right away. Some artists will "wash" oil on the canvas to tone it, but will then will paint over the "wash" right away for a wet-in-wet technique.

[dynomax101]

@artistchronicle If you tone with acrylic paint? To paint over with oils or acrylics? In either case, I'd wait a half hour for acrylics and maybe half a day for oils. Why? The priming you are talking about seems to be acrylic, which is hygroscopic. I'd vote to let this dry completely before overpainting with oils. It also gives the acrylic tone a little more time to cure. Just my thoughts...

[artistchronicle]

@dynomax101 Good point. Yes, if you tone with acrylic paint - allow it to dry! That might take ten minutes, half an hour or longer, depending on how thinly it's been applied. BTW, a hair dryer can be used on acrylic paint to speed up the drying.

[artistchronicle]

You're very welcome, heart.

[rkey16]

can we not rub off the paint??

[heartquaked]

thanks!!

[artistchronicle]

Thanks, Hidden and Michigan for the comments. Some artists just like to tone dark. I took a workshop with an impressionist painter once and she liked a dark toned canvas. There's no real right or wrong way to do it. It depends on the effect you're going for. No video on priming raw canvas yet. Maybe sometime in the distant future. ;)

[artistchronicle]

Excellent point, Blatta. In most cases pre-stretched and primed canvas you purchase at the art store is primed with acrylic Gesso. Usually it's a "given," in fact, so if it's not acrylic Gesso it will say so somewhere. So, I guess that blows the whole, acrylic paint being stable debate out the window. Unless the acrylic Gesso has something in it, that the paint doesn't, which makes it more stable. I need to do a little research on that. Thanks for the heads up!

[MichiganTreasure]

You do know what you're doing. I studied under one of the most famous painters and he always toned his paintings way too dark. You've done artists a great favor here. I hope you also did a video on priming raw canvas. Thanks

[HiddenMystery12]

Exellent video!!! :D

[Blatta77]

4:25 I have read that Gesso now day's contains acrylic, so how do you know if the purchased cloth is not treated with Gesso containing acrylic?

[statestrong00]

Helpful but your talking to us like we are six year olds at the start.

[MrJotunheim]

i wish i could oil paint nice real natural scences

[artistchronicle]

Thanks, koki!

[kokiberto]

wow dude u seem to know what are u talking about :)

[artistchronicle]

Sorry, Maine. I don't know anything about water soluble oils.

[TheMaineMariner]

What medium would you use with water soluble oils? Thanks

[artistchronicle]

You're welcome, sienna. Messy isn't always bad. Some painters prefer it. To me, the important thing is not going too dark with it.

[siennamanon]

Excellent thank you! I never quite worked out this step from written tutorials. I'd end up with what you got before you wiped the excess oil off and then I'd just be very confused at how messy it looked! :D

[artistchronicle]

kyle... a lot of mediums extend the drying time, so I usually don't tone with a medium, but thin the paint with solvent instead. Any color can be used, but I stick with earth tones because they dry quicker. If you want to tone with something besides an earth tone, a lot of painters will tone with acrylic paint. It dries right away so you can begin painting. Even with earth tones, if you're using oils to tone with, drying at least overnight is required.

[artistchronicle]

Hey pebble... with oil paint you can paint from the tube, dilute with a solvent, or mix with mediums. There are a lot of different mediums to choose from and they are formulated to improve the paint's flow, change it's consistency and produce a gloss or matte finish. They are also used to effect drying time. Canvas is a support. You paint on it, but it has to be prepared with a ground first. For more info, do a web search, visit an art shop, buy a book on painting... space is limited, here. :)

[kylecanterQC]

can you tone a canvas with any color if you use medium

[pebblepeggy]

im lost in oil painting..i wanna know how to oil paint...i dont know what medium is, what a canvas is...alot is what im lost at..help me please..

[artistchronicle]

No, it's not necessary to tone a canvas. A lot of painters don't. I like to because it helps give a unity to the final painting.

[noorme1]

hiiii thanxxx it was a goood informative one!!!!!!!!

i wanted to know is it necessary to tone a canvass???

[ravenandcrow]

Thank you for the great tutorial! I particularly appreciate the information you share on the topic in addition to your demo on how to treat the canvas.

[ravenandcrow]

Thank you for the great tutorial! I particularly appreciate the information you share on the topic in addition to your demo on how to treat the canvas.

[miemagmie]

Take Tempera it dries faster than oil.

Here is the recipe: 1 egg, Leinöl, Dammafirnis, 1 jar;

Break the egg and put the inside in the jar, take the half of the outside egg fill in one half cup leinoil, put it in the jar, and once aigain fill your half egg with dammafirnis and put it in the jar, close the jar and mix it, than you get an egg tempera, put a little bit on a plate with the dry coulerd tempere and mix it with a tosh and a littel bit of water, ready

[sunilkanna]

You are Great artist and teacher too. I am new to oil painting. I am very much impressed with the way you teach and draw. The orange with eggs are so amazing.

[c0kar7]

i like your receding hairline.

[madlynda]

thank you for this video, it was very helpfull, and i adore your oranges and egg painting,

cheers lynda.

[artistchronicle]

Thanks for the encouragement and positive input, T-Dog! Your music theory videos are super clear, too!! Great job!

[Topdoginuk]

Excellent tutorial.

You give clear explainations and reasons in a step by step proccess.

Keep up the great work.

5 stars

[artistchronicle]

I'm glad you learned something new! Thanks for the positive feedback!

[AguilarRock]

Well Something new for me...I always worked right off gesso with acrylics and as you said you could use acrylic also...will do.

Thanks for posting your lesson and well addressed.

Regards!

[artistchronicle]

I still have fond memories of walking into oils class in college and smelling the oil paint and gum turps. I really like that combination! But, I started using an alkyd based medium because it dries faster and isn't prone to yellowing over time like stand oil and linseed oil. So, had to make the switch to a quality odorless mineral spirits. That it's supposed to be safer, healthwise is just an added benefit. Thanks for your positive feedback!

[SPLIMLETLET]

Excellent! I use Burnt Sienna a lot for toning or under painting on a canvas and final brush strokes. It is a very useful and beautiful pigment. Also, it is very strong on the nose, but I like the smell of Pure Gum Turps! Maybe I've been using oils for too long now....

[artistchronicle]

Thanks, Rachel!!

[artistchronicle]

I'm so glad it was helpful. Thanks for the positive input!

[kkpittman]

Very informative lesson! As a beginner with oil paints, I found this to be very helpful.