Oil Painting Mediums: Safflower Oil

Paint can yellow over time.  This is more of a concern lighter colored pigments.  As linseed oil has a tendency to yellow as it dries, artists and paint makers have found alternative oils for oil painters.  One of the most popular is Safflower Oil. 

Safflower oil is considered a reliable, pale drying oil.  Because it has good color retention and is believed to not yellow over time some prefer its use when making whites or light colored paints.  It is said to give oil paints a satin finish and buttery feel.

Oil Paints Made with Safflower Oil

• Blick oil paints from Dick Blick are primarily made with first-press, non-yellowing safflower oil (there are 4 exceptions). High Quality Artist Grade Paint and a Good Value.
• Sennelier are made with first-press, non-yellowing safflower oil. High Quality Artist Grade Paint.
• RGH Paints have Cremnitz white made with your choice of 4 different oils: RGH Cremnitz White.  They also make pure Titanium and will custom mix with the oil of your choice.  High Quality Hand Made Artist Grade Paint and a Good Value.
• Winsor and Newton (W&N) have some lighter colors made with safflower oil.  For example Titanium white and Zinc white.  But be careful if you want pure titanium white, W&N's is not pure.  (I talk about that here:  Paint Ingredients: Which White is in the Tube?    Read about the paint labeling inconsistencies: Oil Paint Ingredients.  Read more about choosing white paint: White Paint Ingredients: Lead, Zinc, Titanium).

Not all share the opinion that light colors are best mixed with Safflower Oil: Regarding Safflower Oil and Poppyseed Oil, R&F, the maker of pigment sticks, website states: "But those oils are very slow drying and prone to cracking, whereas linseed oil dries to a tougher, more flexible film."

Artist Jonathan Linton in his 5 year study,  has made some interesting observations about yellowing here: White Test.

Why Oil Paint Yellows is addressed in next month's post.

Artist Grade Safflower Oil vs Food Grade Safflower Oil

You may ask, "Can I use safflower oil from the grocery store?"   This is not the best choice due to the way in which it is produced.   First, there is a question of kitchen oils' purity; there may be additives, such as vitamin e which can hinder or prevent drying.  I recently read a journal article that points to contaminants as the the primary culprit in yellowing (2).  In addition, there is apparantly a wide range of drying ability in safflower oil.  Food grade safflower oil may have an an iodine value (correlates with oil's ability to dry) of as low as 87, where 130 or greater is preferred (1).



1. Knowles, P.F., Variability in oleic and linoleic acid contents of safflower oil, Economic Botany, January 1965, Volume 19, Issue 1, pp 53-62

2. Mallégol, Jacky; Lemaire, Jacques; Gardette, Jean-Luc, Yellowing of oil-based paints,

Studies in Conservation Vol. 46, No. 2 (2001), pp. 121-131

 

 

How to Paint Snow With White Oil Paint

Is Snow White?

Snow has relatively less pigment than its surroundings.  It is rarely pure white, though.  If you use pure white paint you will get an unbelievable big white blob. 

This effect can be useful if the painting has a planned surreal quality.  An example is seen in Kawai Gyokudo's 1955 color on paper scroll, Snowfall. 

Haystacks: Snow Effect,
 Claude Monet, 1891
oil on canvas 

Colors to Use to Paint Snow

Painting snow is painting the light. The light is reflected off of surrounding forms, landscape and sky.  For a cohesive painting, incorporate pigments from these surroundings.

Artists use pigments of the same or similar value to add variety and interest to snow.   This is seen in Monet's Haystacks: Snow Effect where he uses complements blue and orange effectively.

How to Paint Snow

Avoid painting an amorphous blob.

• Use another pigment to tint the white
• Use similar values (different pigments)
• Intersperse brushstrokes to create snow
• Keep brushstrokes crisp 
• Do not over mix the brushstrokes- you will end up with a muddy blob, if you do. 
• Caution: Black can give you dirty snow if you are not careful. Use black to knock down another pigment a notch, that is, extremely sparingly in a mixture.

Landscape artist, Stapleton Kearns, does not change his palette for winter painting,  but "whips up" his white.  He talks about that here: winter painting.  

Study Brushstrokes

Look at other painters original artwork in person as much as possible.
I wrote about an online brushstroke resource here: Best Brushstroke.
David Carmack Lewis' blog features several artist's rendition of snow here: The Art Out There: Winter.

Fattest White Paint For Scumbling

Final Paint Layers
The top most layers of an oil painting should be the fattest of all and dry the most slowly. That is the paint should contain the most oil and least amount of dryers. When it comes to white paint, zinc white dries the most slowly, followed by titanium white and then lead white.

Scumbling White 

White Oil Paint Tinting Strength

Since zinc white is the slowest drying white it will increase the drying time of paints it is mixed with.  For scumbling with a mixture, zinc white works well to make a subtle hue without greatly lessening the chroma.


If more hiding or covering is desired, then mixing in a bit of titanium white with the zinc white will help. The more titanium white that is mixed in the more the chroma and brightness will be knocked down as well- so keep this in mind. If one prefers to use titanium white on the scumbling, simply ensure that the previous layer is dry in order to prevent cracking.



Drying Times of White Paint

Lead White Fastest

Lead White + Titanium Fast

Titanium White Moderate

Titanium + Zinc Slow

Zinc White Slowest

Premixed white paint mixtures are available. White paint ingredients by brand vary significantly. Since safflower oil is said to yellow less, lately I've been using it with the whites as a medium rather than linseed oil. Experiment and find your favorite technique; and to prevent cracking just remember Fat over Lean.


Please contribute your thoughts by clicking 'posts' below.

White Oil Paint, Final Layers

Preventing Cracking in Oil Painting

In a painting, cracking can easily occur when the deep layers and middle layers painted first dry more slowly than the superficial layers painted last.  The paints containing a high amount of oil dry more slowly than paints that contain less oil.  While painting the final layers, continuing to adhere to the “fat over lean” principle, the painter can help prevent cracking paint later.

Fat over Lean, What Does it Mean?

Whether the artist is scumbling, adding highlights or glazing these most superficial (or top) layers, the fattest paint is recommended: that is the paint with the most oil content (compared to the previously painted, deeper underlying layers).  Fat or oil content is relative to the layers in that particular painting. 

Pure White Paint in Final Layers

Zinc white dries more slowly than titanium white which dries more slowly than lead white.  Zinc white, as the slowest drying white paint, is theoretically best suited for final layers.  Although I have not tested this myself, zinc is thought to be unstable as a stand alone paint.*  If pure white is needed, I add a bit of another white, such as titanium white to stabilize the zinc.  Titanium does make the zinc less transparent and more opaque.  If I am glazing and want to maintain or stretch zinc’s transparency, I mix a glaze medium containing turpentine, stand oil, and damar varnish. I have chosen this glaze because it dries much more slowly than a glaze medium such as Windsor Newton Original Liquin.  And I want this last layer to dry the most slowly of all.

Zinc White with Other Pigments

In my opinion, when zinc white is mixed with other paint colors it can be used freely in the last layers of an oil painting.  I believe it becomes more stable as the mixture incorporates the properties of the added paint.  Another note on using zinc white as opposed to titanium or lead:  Zinc affects the chroma of the paint it is mixed with more subtly compared to lead or titanium.  This is illustrated in the photo above in which three different whites are mixed in equal proportions with Gamblin Prussian Blue, a semi-transparent paint.  The zinc mixture on the far right has knocked the chroma down to a lesser extent than the titanium in the middle and the lead or flake white on the far left.   I have also found that the use of zinc, a semi-transparent paint, in a mixture on final layers allows a glow that I have more difficulty achieving with titanium.  Titanium, an opaque paint, can leave a flat chalky quality in some mixtures.  That being said, titanium's covering capacity is superior.

No white paint is the perfect choice in all situations.   By understanding a pigment's properties the painter can elicit desired effects more readily.   For more about the properties of white paint, click here: Lead, Titanium, Zinc Properties.  A white paint can be used in its pure form or can be combined with another white in an infinite number of ratios.  The artist has quite a varied toolbox of whites that can be used in multiple situations depending on the artist's needs.

*http://www.dickblick.com/items/01571-1033/#colorpigments, 9/21/10


Please share your experiences with white paints by clicking 'comments' below.

Fat Over Lean in Oil Paintings Middle Layers- White Paint

Fat Over Lean
In an earlier post you can find information about the appropriate white paint to use on the initial layers: Leanest White Paints.  The next layers (after the initial layers) in the painting ought to contain a less lean paint or a fatter paint with more oil.  This technique helps prevent cracking over time.

Middle Layer White Oil Paint
Painting over the foundation or underpainting requires pigments that are slower drying than these early layers.  Slower drying is fatter or contains more oil. 
~Titanium white is slower drying than lead white and suitable to use here.  If lead white was used in the early layers, lead plus titanium or just titanium white can be used.  If titanium white is to be used in the early layers, it is advisable to ensure that the first layers are dry before applying the subsequent layers of titanium white or mix a bit of zinc white in to slow down drying of the middle layers.  Also note that titanium white is neither cool nor warm and is generally the brightest white.

Wet Into Wet
~Titanium white can also be used to paint wet into wet.  If one would like to keep the painting open longer, zinc white, which is the slowest drying white can be mixed into the titanium.  Note, however that the zinc is semi transparent and will lessen the covering capacity of the titanium proportionally to the amount of zinc used.  Since titanium white can have a chalky quality, mixing it with another white can decrease this  (lead white for early layers and zinc white for later layers). 
~Zinc white can also be used successfully to paint wet into wet.  Notice, however, that compared to titanium white zinc's  tinting strength is much weaker.  This is an advantage if one wants to use zinc mix subtle hues without knocking down the brightness too far.
 
Glazing with Oil Paints
When applying transparent or semi-transparent layer(s) the white to use should have the property of semi-transparence.
Example: a palette of transparent pigments such as Prussian Blue, Madder Red, and Hansa Yellow will behave better for glazing when the white used in the glazing palette is semi-transparent.
~ Zinc white is the only semi-transparent white (sometimes listed as semi-opaque) available.
Also, glazing over an area to lighten and lesson color can be done with zinc white or zinc white mixed with a medium. Liquin as the medium will lessen zinc’s slow drying time.  Dick Blick* states that unmixed zinc white may be prone to cracking over time.  Also remember that zinc can lean to the cool side of the palette with a bluish tint.

* http://juliesusanne.blogspot.com/2010/04/foundation-white-ground-underpainting.html July, 6, 2010


Please add to this topic by clicking 'comments' below.

Foundation White Ground & Underpainting White Paints

To provide the best painting foundation, the earliest layers of an oil painting should have specific properties. Of particular importance are low oil content (lean) and high support strength. Whites are some of the leanest paints available. Both lead white and titanium white make strong paints.

Lead White or Flake White (PW1):
Chemical: Lead(II) Carbonate
Use where a lean, opaque, fast drying white is needed.

Titanium White (PW6):
Chemical: Titanium Dioxide

General all purpose white.
Tinting strength very high.
Pure titanium dioxide white may express oil to the surface during drying. ⁴

Foundation Ground or Foundation White
When preparing a canvas it is desirable to have a strong foundation in the first layers.  Furthermore, the guideline "Fat over Lean" should be used.  This not only helps prevent cracking later, but also gives the fatter layers of paint a lean "underbitten" surface to "bite" into and adhere to. ¹   And for convenience sake, a fast drying paint may be desired.  

   ~ Lead white, aka Flake white, has all of these properties:

• Structurally Strong White with a Tough Flexible Film ¹
• Leanest White
• Fastest Drying White
• Opaque
• Very Good Covering Ability

   ~ Titanium White is a good less-toxic alternative:

• Structurally, "Less Prone to Cracking" ³
• Less Lean than Lead White
• Medium Drying White
• Opaque
• Superior Covering Ability

Michael Harding carries a Titanium White with dryers to contend with the slower drying time compared to lead: it is called 'Titanium White no. 3.' 

Maximizing the properties of both lead white and titanium white, some artists use a 50/50 mix of the two for a foundation white.  While I prefer to mix my own, the Michael Harding line does contain a paint with this exact mixture: it is named 'Foundation White.' ⁵   If you want to mix your own, ensure you are using pure titanium dioxide and pure lead carbonate paints.   Click for more about: White Paint Ingredients.

Underpainting White
The underpainting portion of a picture is one of the earliest layers painted.  An underpainting white with the properties listed above would be most beneficial. 
   
   ~ Lead white, of course, has all of the properties and "is the most structurally sound white for underpainting" ² and its "tough stringy texture" ¹  makes it ideal for texturizing.

   ~ Titanium White is a less-toxic alternative.

As a final note, zinc white is not appropriate for the early painting layers of an oil painting.  Not only is its transparency and low tinting strength an issue, but also its paint film is too unpredictable for this job. ¹  Furthermore, it dries very slowly.

Please post your suggestion or remark by clicking 'comments' below.


Bibliography
1. Creevy, Bill The Oil Painting Book, Materials and techniques for today’s artist, 1994, Watson-Guptill, New York, pp50-51, p144
2. http://www.dickblick.com/items/01597-1242/#colorpigments 3/3/10
3. http://www.dickblick.com/items/01597-1013/#colorpigments 4/13/10
4. http://michaelharding.co.uk/colour-info.php?cID=75 4/13/10
5. http://michaelharding.co.uk/colour-info.php?cID=78 4/13/10
6. http://michaelharding.co.uk/colour-info.php?cID=77 3/15/10

Lead, Titanium or Zinc White; Which is Best?

Continuing the discussion of white paint available to the oil painter, I will go a little more deeply into the characteristics of individual white pigments. When determining the 'best' white to use, there is no single way to decide this. A white is chosen based on the needs of the artist in that moment. Lead white, titanium white and zinc white vary greatly in their properties: opacity, toxicity, drying time, etc. With such differing properties, I believe it is so essential to determine the actual pigments contained in the white being used regardless of the name of the paint.


Toxicity:
Toxicity varies to extremes. If a strict non-toxic palette is desired, titanium white is the choice.

Titanium white is considered to be non-toxic unless inhaled. Caution with dry pigment or sanding.  ²
Zinc white may have traces of lead. Moderately toxic by ingestion. Less toxic by inhalation.  ¹
Lead white is toxic and should not be ingested, or inhaled (when sanding, scraping or spraying). I believe it wise to keep lead white off of one’s skin: wear gloves and other barriers when painting. Keep out of reach of children.

Drying Time:
Drying times vary greatly. A fast drier will hasten the drying time of any paint it is mixed with. A slow drier will lengthen the drying time of any paint it is mixed with.

Lead White: Fast (a few days) ^{2, 3}
Titanium White: slower ²
Zinc White: slowest ²

Opacity:
Because the most opaque oil color of all is white, ³ it has excellent covering capacity and tinting strength. The opacity varies among the whites, however.

Lead White: Opaque
Titanium White: Opaque
Zinc White: Semi-transparent

Permanence and Lightfastness
All three whites have excellent permanence and excellent lightfastness.
However, the tendency to yellow over time varies.

Titanium White: Tendency to yellow less than zincs…but still yellows easily. ²
Lead White: “May become discolored over long periods of time.” ¹ May “blacken when exposed to sulphur in the air.” ¹
Zinc White: Tends to yellow. ²

White Paint Ingredients- What's in the Tube?
Earlier I stated, I believe it is so essential to determine the actual pigments contained in the white being used regardless of the name of the paint. Below is an example to illustrate this point.

Let us suppose I want a fast drying white paint with high covering capacity. I may choose lead white. Many know that the terms 'lead white' and 'flake white' are used interchangeably. A tube of white paint with the label, "Flake White" would lead me to believe that the only pigment in the tube was lead carbonate. I would be wrong to believe something so (seemingly) obvious!

Blockx "Flake White" and Williamsburg "Flake White" do contain only the pigment lead carbonate. However, Sennelier "Flake White" contains both lead carbonate and zinc oxide. The Sennelier "Flake White" has the same pigments as  Blockx "Mixed White," Old Holland "Flake White 1," and Michael Harding "Flake White no. 2."

If I want pure lead carbonate in the Old Holland or the Michael Harding lines, I need to buy the "Cremnitz White." ⁴ If I want it in the Sennelier line, I'm out of luck.  And Gamblin "Flake White Replacement?" No lead carbonate at all, just titanium and zinc. In a later post I will list white paints by brand and content.

In the next post about white pigments, however,  I will address specific uses of the white paints.
 
1. Blick, Dick  http://www.dickblick.com/items/01529-1115/#colorpigments 4/03/10
2. Blick, Dick  http://www.dickblick.com/items/01571-1023/#colorpigments 3/03/10
3. Creevy, Bill The Oil Painting Book, Materials and techniques for today’s artist, 1994, Watson-Guptill, New York
4. Harding, Michael  http://michaelharding.co.uk/colour-info.php?cID=77 3/15/10


Please post your thoughts by clicking 'comments' below.

White Oil Paint Pigments; A White Is A White Is A White...What's The Difference?

Are all white oil paints basically the same?

Nope! There are even variations between brands of whites with the same name as well as similarities between whites of differing names! Over the next few weeks it is my goal to research, pick apart and reassemble this subject. I intend to distill this down to something clear and understandable.

White Oil Painting Pigments
There are essentially three main white pigments that are widely available: Lead White, Titanium White, and Zinc White. Either an individual pigment or a mixture of more than one pigment is combined with a vehicle, such as linseed oil, to make paint. Some companies may add fillers, extenders or dryers as well.

Oil Paint Ingredients
Knowing the properties of these pigments can help determine which white to choose for a specific task. It is important to know which pigment is contained in a tube of white before purchasing it. Believe it or not, a paint called “titanium white” may contain more than the pigment titanium dioxide!  This can be a problem when one wants the most opaque non-toxic white.  If zinc oxide is the additional pigment, this "titanium white" will not only be less opaque, but will also dry more slowly. 

In subsequent posts I will dissect the whites further to clear up the muddle within brands and between brands.