Oil Paints

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

I picked up some oil paints earlier in the pandemic and have been experimenting with them for around a year now, and I wanted to share some thoughts I had on them with you all. 

 

The main thing I want to say up front is:  go get some.  Don't wait! 

 

While it's true that they behave very differently from acrylics, they can in fact be layered on top of acrylics with no damage whatsoever, and so they are a natural extension of materials you can work with. 

 

They can be used for wet blending effects and you don't have to stress about working before things dry, and if you make a mistake you can remove it from areas you don't want with some additional spirits. 

 

(A note about spirits:  you can get artist spirits that have absolutely no smell to them.  Work in a decently ventilated area, but the smell isn't even a factor.) 

 

But you can also use them as washes that behave similarly to contrast paints or shades depending on how much you dilute them.  I find that they leave a much more detailed outline of the crevices and contours of what you wash with them than either contrast or shades, however.

 

They also dry incredibly matte.  I can't stress how matte they tend to dry, which is really wonderful.  And if you use them as say, a wash, they will dry in about a day, so it's not so terrible if you want to get your painted figures to a game quickly. 

 

Anyways, just wanted to start a conversation here about them; they have opened up my creativity in miniature painting so much and I feel like I wish I would have started using them years ago and didn't just basically out of an unfounded fear of the unknown. 

 

Don't fear the oils, go get some! 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

I've used them for a while and I'm always happy to see other members of the board branching outside of the narrow range of the standard hobby tools.

 

If I can offer a few tips myself, you can speed up the drying time by putting the oil paint on a piece of scrap cardboard an hour or two before you use them and it will leech some of the linseed oil out which is what causes them to dry so slowly.

 

I did a LOT of oil paint work on my Macharius and even with the cardboard trick to speed up drying time, I'd put it in a storage container while it dried to keep dust and anything else from adhering to the wet paint.

[sarabando]

 

this is the image i use to explain oils and all their black magik. This is a wash of burnt umber over a realativly simple paint job it has radically changed the way i paint, i have two 2000+ point heresy armies (IF and SOH) that are all oil washed, and a smaller force of Ultras that use them too. I was scared to use them but they are a no different than any other tool now.

[ranulf the revenant]

 

 

(A note about spirits:  you can get artist spirits that have absolutely no smell to them.  Work in a decently ventilated area, but the smell isn't even a factor.) 

 

 

Which would be your favourite spirits/ dillutant?

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

I use Mona Lisa artist spirits made by Speedball.  Zero odors.  Make sure to crack a window though!

[Evil Eye]

I too am a big fan of oils! I find the "dot technique" works fantastically for weathering tanks, and lamp black is an amazing all-purpose shader. I used it on some AOS stone trolls for shading their torsos, and the sheer blendability of them is just amazing. You only need a tiny bit on your brush, and you can smudge it into a really nice smooth transition across the entire surface. I would post the results but I don't know if posting non-40K models for simple demonstrative purposes is permissable. You could probably even heavily thin them and airbrush them for some really fine glazes, but given how slow they dry that might be a bad idea.

 

But yeah. Oils are very cool.

[Bung]

I too am a big fan of oils! I find the "dot technique" works fantastically for weathering tanks, and lamp black is an amazing all-purpose shader. I used it on some AOS stone trolls for shading their torsos, and the sheer blendability of them is just amazing. You only need a tiny bit on your brush, and you can smudge it into a really nice smooth transition across the entire surface. I would post the results but I don't know if posting non-40K models for simple demonstrative purposes is permissable. You could probably even heavily thin them and airbrush them for some really fine glazes, but given how slow they dry that might be a bad idea.

 

But yeah. Oils are very cool.

 

I am actually trying out oil paints in an airbrush (i did enamle washes first) and it works a pit different.

Starship Filth from Abteilung 502 is great for stuff with alot of metallics.

On a base layer of metalcolor with varnish i spray a coat of starship filth and then rub some oilcolor off with a make up sponge.

An additional drybrush with another metallic color and you have a great looking used metall effect.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Which would be your favourite spirits/ dillutant?

The Artis Opus/Cult of Paint guys seem to swear by Winsor & Newton Sansodor thinners (I guess the clue's in the product name there! ), which should have good availability. (I  can't comment further as I don't use oil paints, because if there's something I don't need, it's more paints )

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Mike Rinaldi is one of my favorite scale model gurus and really opened my eyes to what you can do with oil paints with the technique he developed and called oil paint rendering. This is mostly what I did for my Macharius build.

 

http://www.missing-lynx.com/articles/other/oilpaintrenderingmr_1.html

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

Mike Rinaldi is one of my favorite scale model gurus and really opened my eyes to what you can do with oil paints with the technique he developed and called oil paint rendering. This is mostly what I did for my Macharius build.

 

http://www.missing-lynx.com/articles/other/oilpaintrenderingmr_1.html

Dang, great article. 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

He has several books out called Tank Art and I love them. Amazing if you want to get into serious weathering techniques from the scale model side.

 

I was trying to put up a before/after pic of my Mach earlier but Imgur wasn't being cooperative.

 

On the left is the base coat with hairspray chipping and some light color modulation (top areas getting sprayed a lighter color, angled areas darker, etc) and the right is after a LOT of oil paint work.

 

[Matcap86]

Hi guys, saw this topic pop up right as I just got a bunch of oil-paints in. I'm really seeing amazing stuff being done with oil, but am still a bit hesitant due to the waste products and toxic thinners. Also the whole self-inflammable rags/paper towels you can get. Does anyone have any tips/advice on that front?

[Bung]

Hi guys, saw this topic pop up right as I just got a bunch of oil-paints in. I'm really seeing amazing stuff being done with oil, but am still a bit hesitant due to the waste products and toxic thinners. Also the whole self-inflammable rags/paper towels you can get. Does anyone have any tips/advice on that front?

 

I am living rather rural so i just burn it with other stuff in the backyard,

I got what its called a fire bin, for paper stuff i dont want other people to see and such stuff. 

Sometimes i chug in some paper soaked with old aceton and alcohol i used to strip miniatures. 

Dont do it for a BBQ!

[Matcap86]

 

Hi guys, saw this topic pop up right as I just got a bunch of oil-paints in. I'm really seeing amazing stuff being done with oil, but am still a bit hesitant due to the waste products and toxic thinners. Also the whole self-inflammable rags/paper towels you can get. Does anyone have any tips/advice on that front?

 

I am living rather rural so i just burn it with other stuff in the backyard,

I got what its called a fire bin, for paper stuff i dont want other people to see and such stuff. 

Sometimes i chug in some paper soaked with old aceton and alcohol i used to strip miniatures. 

Dont do it for a BBQ!

 

 

Not sure if the neighbours would appreciate me starting a fire on my balcony, but cheers ;)

[pawl]

Also the whole self-inflammable rags/paper towels you can get. Does anyone have any tips/advice on that front?

I was under the impression that only applied to linseed oil, and not to mineral/white spirits, but I could be wrong there.

[Bung]

 

Also the whole self-inflammable rags/paper towels you can get. Does anyone have any tips/advice on that front?

I was under the impression that only applied to linseed oil, and not to mineral/white spirits, but I could be wrong there.

Its mostly the linseed oil in rags.

If you use paper towels, one use products there shouldnt be any problems.

The best would be a metal bin with lid kept from heat sources if you think its necessary.

[Matcap86]

Thanks fraters, might look into those metal bins. With a shared space and hobbyroom next to the bedroom I tend to be (overly) cautious with anything potentially hazardous.

[Arkhanist]

Aye, linseed oil soaked rags are the primary issue for say, painting oils on canvas. Mineral spirits are still flammable though. For light use, such as weathering washes on 28mm figures, you generate a lot less waste, so it's a much smaller problem.

 

Rules of thumb:

1) don't eat or drink when handling oil paints and solvents

2) avoid excessive skin contact, particularly solvents (wear gloves if you have sensitive skin)

3) ensure good ventilation when using - low odour solvents such as sansador are still toxic, though less so than turps or other strong solvents. If you have asthma or the like, a respirator with organic filters e.g. will help. Also a very good idea if you're spraying oils/organic solvents through an airbrush, or generating dusts (such as mixing oil and dry pigments to make your own paints)

4) significant oily waste, such as rags or paper towels should be kept in an airtight container such as a small lidded metal bin until disposed of. The primary risk is they can accelerate another fire rather than combust themselves, but a small amount of care can avoid that.

5) oil and solvent waste is considered toxic waste, and should be disposed of properly. Do not wash down the drain.

 

In the UK, local waste/recycling centres will often take paints and/or oil-contaminated waste for free. Given the heavy metals and other toxic materials in some oil paints, don't pour down waste down the drain or burn - that just spreads that all into the wider environment, it's not just the oil itself.

 

Rather than wash brushes in the sink, wipe off most of the paint onto a rag or paper towel, then soak the brush in organic solvent or oil-specific brush cleaner. I have a lidded glass jar of brush cleaner for this purpose, also does a good job on acrylic washes that have snuck under the ferrule. I just store it with the lid on when not it use. Once it's getting too cloudy, let the crap settle, and you can decant the cleaner/solvent and re-use; or run through a coffee filter paper. You can wipe clean your palette with a rag/towel damp with the same stuff, I find a glass palette easiest to clean. Obviously, don't use your finest kolinsky sable brushes for this.

 

Although this is a long list, for modelling it's not a major issue. I just take a bag of dry contaminated waste (mostly paper towels and disposable gloves) when my bin gets full and/or I'm going to the tip anyway. I already have a respirator for airbrushing, and the solvents don't stink up the place as I use in small quantities, open a window, and use low-odour solvent; mostly for weathering and rust effects.

 

If it all still sounds too much work, have a look at water-mixable oils. They're still oil-based, so still take a good long time to fully dry (days, usually) so still cleanable off parts of the model where you want to remove the 'stain' even though they're touch dry (one of the most useful features for oil washes) but use water as the solvent instead of oil and can be cleaned off the brushes with water too. It can also be mixed with oil solvents if you wish (using only very small amounts of water can make them very sticky), then they act like conventional oils.

 

I'm not aware of any pre-thinned water-mixable oil washes, but I do have a tube of winsor and newton burnt umber, and it definitely works fine with water as a wash. It goes on more like an acrylic wash, but one you can remove from high points and blend smooth with a damp brush. Clever stuff, and I probably will be getting more.

[Matcap86]

Thanks! That is a very thorough and helpful writeup! Edited December 19, 2021 by matcap86

[Antarius]

Great info in this thread!

Oil paints is one of those things I’ve been wanting to get into for some time. Hopefully I’ll move to a place with more hobby space next year, so I can get started without having to sleep in the fumes :)

[Dindrenzi]

This is something I've been looking at for a while. But I can't seem to get a starter list of the colours I should purchase to start with.. Should I get a starter set like this https://www.cassart.co.uk/painting/oil-colour/painting-sets/winsor-newton-artists-oil-colour-set-of-12-21ml.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&productid=2356 or is there an 'ideal' list of paints to start with?

 

I've watched several James Wappel videos and other artists but they seem to use a large range of paints and I get information overload lol

[Bung]

This is something I've been looking at for a while. But I can't seem to get a starter list of the colours I should purchase to start with.. Should I get a starter set like this https://www.cassart.co.uk/painting/oil-colour/painting-sets/winsor-newton-artists-oil-colour-set-of-12-21ml.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&productid=2356 or is there an 'ideal' list of paints to start with?

 

I've watched several James Wappel videos and other artists but they seem to use a large range of paints and I get information overload lol

I have somewhere a list with colors and for what you use them. If you can wait i can post it later today.

[Dindrenzi]

 

This is something I've been looking at for a while. But I can't seem to get a starter list of the colours I should purchase to start with.. Should I get a starter set like this https://www.cassart.co.uk/painting/oil-colour/painting-sets/winsor-newton-artists-oil-colour-set-of-12-21ml.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&productid=2356 or is there an 'ideal' list of paints to start with?

 

I've watched several James Wappel videos and other artists but they seem to use a large range of paints and I get information overload lol

I have somewhere a list with colors and for what you use them. If you can wait i can post it later today.

 

 

That would be awesome! Thanks

[Bung]

 

 

This is something I've been looking at for a while. But I can't seem to get a starter list of the colours I should purchase to start with.. Should I get a starter set like this https://www.cassart.co.uk/painting/oil-colour/painting-sets/winsor-newton-artists-oil-colour-set-of-12-21ml.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&productid=2356 or is there an 'ideal' list of paints to start with?

 

I've watched several James Wappel videos and other artists but they seem to use a large range of paints and I get information overload lol

I have somewhere a list with colors and for what you use them. If you can wait i can post it later today.

 

 

That would be awesome! Thanks

 

 

Made this in the tutorial section, i hope others will help to expand

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/372745-oil-paints-which-and-how-to-use/

[Dindrenzi]

 

 

 

This is something I've been looking at for a while. But I can't seem to get a starter list of the colours I should purchase to start with.. Should I get a starter set like this https://www.cassart.co.uk/painting/oil-colour/painting-sets/winsor-newton-artists-oil-colour-set-of-12-21ml.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&productid=2356 or is there an 'ideal' list of paints to start with?

 

I've watched several James Wappel videos and other artists but they seem to use a large range of paints and I get information overload lol

I have somewhere a list with colors and for what you use them. If you can wait i can post it later today.

 

 

That would be awesome! Thanks

 

 

Made this in the tutorial section, i hope others will help to expand

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/372745-oil-paints-which-and-how-to-use/

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to write this down :)