Mixing enough paint

gfish

Starting a new painting today and worked on getting my values mixed and as usual I never mix enough paint and have to go back and mix more so I can have enough to move to the values. Then of course you get to the light values and now you have a ton of paint. I am such a tight a*s I just can't help myself. Its worse than the curse. Dang

Harrell

Ha! Me, too!

dencal

gfish and Harrell

Buy some one ounce sealable cups at an art / craft store.

Mix up a couple of generous teaspoons of pigment and store as numbered value strings.

Use as required and reseal the cups. This way they last for a few weeks.
Half step values can be mixed on the palette as needed using two adjacent cups.

When the painting is finished (and last minute adjustments made) mix all the cup contents together and tone/stain a few canvases.

In theory, no lost paint no wasted cash, and no frustrating remixing on the job.

Denis

Harrell

Many thanks, Dencal! That makes so much sense! This forum is so great - I love that you can throw out a question or problem, and get a logical answer. (I wonder how many years it would have taken me to figure this out...maybe never!)

Thanks again.

Maz

Hi, I am little bit confused as if I make tube paints thin using "slow drying medium" as per Mark's tips , can I use liquin while using them on my painting? I wonder how long it will take to dry out in order to paint on the same area? I mean is it ok to use SDM and QDM at the same time?
Confusing!!

CharleyBoy

Maz, Don't make it overly-complicated. It doesn't make any sense to use both slow- and quick-dry mediums at the same time, and it may cause problems due to mixing too much stuff in the paint. Just use paint straight from the tube to see if that works for you...if it does, wonderful...pure and simple. If not, then adjust with the proper medium if you see fit.

Maz

Dear CharleyBoy, I appreciate your response. I have been painting using paint from the tube on my palette and using turp and linseed or poppy seed oil. This thought process started about SDM and QDM when I watched Mark's video on mixing colors with SDM and store them in 8 oz. jars so as to keep the colors soft for longer period of time.
Now using that soft paint, I do want to work as wet on wet but at the same time would like to have it dried quick enough so that I can get going working if I have to add details on the dress etc...
So my question is can I use liquin with the paint that is made soft as per Mark's method?
Perhaps I might need to read more on Mark's way of working on more links available on this site. I have just joined this group and reading more, hopefully somewhere I will get answer to my question !

Ronna

I understand what you're saying Maz. But I have to agree with Charley about adding liquin to the paint with SDM. Is it possible to mix two different sets of color mixtures for the dress? One set with sdm and another set out of the tube plus liquin. Use the SDM around the areas with no detail. The liquin around the detai area.

Maz

Good idea! So my confusion is answered....and just one more dumb question, any idea how long do these colors made soft with SDM take to dry on the canvas, when used with normal thin layer...I would appreciate your valuable reply. Thanks in advance.

dencal

Maz

In a hot and dry climate, touch dry in a week (skin formed), retouch varnish in two weeks and final varnish in six months.

Denis

Maz

Thanks Dencal, I greatly appreciate your response.