Custom Color Mixing and Storing

MikeO

I was hoping that I could get some help from the forum on the subject of storing colors. I am thinking of mixing a number of custom colors and wish to keep them long term. In the past I have put my custom colors in tubes. It's OK but a time consuming process. I have also tried putting color in jars but there can be problems because of the amount of air left in the jar.

Does anyone on this forum know of other ways of storing paint long term so that I don't have to remix color mixtures? I would prefer mixing my custom colors once.

Also, does anyone know of  a youtube video on tubing your own color mixtures? I can't seem to find one. Hopefully there is a better and/or faster way of doing it than I am doing it.

Any info would help.

Thanks.

dencal

MikeO

rather than repeat all the details, if you search using the box top rhs on this page for (snap cap). A number of threads discuss long term storage of stock color and mixed values.

 Denis

MeganS

@MikeO
I'm wondering the same thing. So far, I'm using small little jam jars with the metal lids and rings. Those keep out the air better than the plastic ones and also better than the all in one piece kind of lids. Instead of trying to keep out the air, maybe just keep the jars in the fridge? How long is long term? A year? 

As for the tubes, I almost ordered some so that I could put my colors in my plein air easel. (No jar will fit..) They were out of stock.  I imagined myself using a palette knife or small mini rubber spatula and scraping it in the tubes and then tapping the end to settle the paint to the front end. Not sure if that will work or not. Seems better than a funnel...A large syringe might work. Depends on how much cleaning up you want to do.

MikeO

@dencal Thanks. @MeganS I was thinking a month or two tops. I might not be able to paint everyday so I'm unsure about when I'll get back to the painting. I just don't want to have to repeat a long paint mixing session. I'm so lazy.

Martin_J_Crane

I have used the large syringes and they work fine. You can draw the paint right into them from a jar. The paint was fine for months. 

MikeO

@Martin_J_Crane Where do you get large syringes? Are they cost prohibitive? Reusable?

dencal

MikeO and MeganS

Using the largest of my Decor snap caps my stock color lasts about two years. (I sometimes use marbles to displace the air).
The smallest Artists Choice snap caps keeps mixed values for about a month or six weeks, even longer if kept full and capped. When the painting is complete, with touch ups and reworks, I use the values to tone any canvas or panels. I can paint directly from the snap caps or mix tween values, cool or shadow values on the palette as needed.

It's great to be able to hop back in where you left off with plenty of mixed values.

Inexpensive, neat, portable, easy clean, convenient, disposable, tidy.......

Denis

MikeO

@dencal Does this work with other kinds of oils or only with DMP paint formula? I have been experimenting with other oils and also alkyd paints so I am going to have to try and find new ways of storing paint.

Thanks for the info on the snap caps. I'll look into it.

dencal

MikeO

Works with any brand of paint and SDM. The Venetian turps and clove oil does the trick.

Alkyd will not work like this as they are designed to catalyse to a dry solid quickly. You will get improved useable life with other oils, and snap caps, I would expect about one third of the life span suggested above.

 Denis

Summer

@dencal @MeganS @MikeO I've been looking for an alternative to paint drying out too soon on the palettes.  It's a real problem where I am because of the high altitude--almost 6000 feet.  I'm going to give the snap caps a try.  I considered tubes and syringes last year but I think that I'd make too much of a mess of things.  Snap caps are just the right size for me to try given the size puddles that I normally make.  Thanks for the info.  Hope you will update this thread in the future with your findings.  I'll try to do the same. 

Martin_J_Crane

@MikeO Here you go:  http://www.amazon.com/EZ-InjectTM-Jello-Syringes-Medium-1-5oz/dp/B004QHQPCU/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1455300747&sr=8-10&keywords=food+syringe

Super cheap.

MeganS

Martin, those are perfect! 

I I keep my medium in syringes too: I used left over ones I had on hand. They keep in there for a long time. 

MikeO

@Martin_J_Crane Thanks, I'll see if these work with what I'm doing.

Summer

@MeganS and @MikeO The storage rack that is designed to go with these syringes looks like a good idea too.  It's also super cheap.    

guyse

For another source of glass jars go to uline .com the In the US .ca in Canada, in the rest of the world sorry this won't help. Search for glass jars. In the straight sided jars that I have the cap is 1 1/4 inches in diameter. 

Summer

guyse said:

For another source of glass jars go to uline .com

I can vouch for uline.com.  I have purchased some of my supplies from them. 

MikeO

@davidwwilson I've seen that on youtube and am trying it already. It seems to be working.

MikeO

@shypoet The paint that I am using for the current painting I'm working on is very stiff and very fast drying, that's why I am trying this method. If I was using slow drying paint, such as Geneva paint, I would not be. If your paint is thin it may not work. Proceed cautiously, it may create a whole new set of problems.

dencal

Folks

Here is another, simple, cheap, DIY method for storing excess paint or to batch up your own paint mixes from dry pigments.




Denis

 

Summer

@dencal Good idea and a great find, Denis.  But I would sure hate to have to learn his dialect!  Not sure I understood every word.  It seems like some kind of a mix between natural and computer language.  Hmm. 

Boudicca

Thanks Denis, I will now become a toothpaste tube hoarder.

jswartzart

I'm a mom so my first thought when to used baby food jars, they are in various sizes. Hope that helps