I’ve asked questions in other posts about oiling out paintings before varnishing. I’ve got yet another question but I thought it best to start a thread on this topic.
My question is ... Has anyone noticed that titanium white tends to repel oiling out and even in some small bits repel Gamvar varnish?
I use a clean micro fiber cloth with a small amount enough to oil the surface without leaving any excess. I also see in Dione cases sunken burnt umber takes multiple oiling to oil out.
Any comments or help is appreciated.
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I have not had these challenges with titanium white so far. However I do paint with a "resin-oil" color titanium white, it in fact does repel oil in oiling out and absolutely resists varnish over it. I now only use minute amounts of it mixed with regular oil titanium white with lead white. I don't know yet if this will make a difference, but my research so far indicates it's ok. I now rarely use titanium white without mixing a generous amount of lead white, 30/70, 50/50 mix or less mainly.
And yes I often have to go over the burnt umber areas twice in oiling out. I'm avoiding burnt umber, it's not a necessary pigment on the palette as I can mix a better one from my 3 primaries without the challenges that a manufactured burnt umber gives me. I now like having transparent brown iron oxide PR101 for help in this area as well.
There is a spray varnish, Krylon Kamvar, which brightens the paint and allows you to continue painting. I use it a lot. It is not varnish by the same as Gamvar a synthetic.
I did a couple of paintings on illustration board a couple of years ago which I sealed with acrylic matte medium. No sunken color. I have no idea why.
For all these oiling out tasks use a linen cloth. Cotton fabric sheds fibre and can create a mess on an oil painting.
Denis