Archive for the '* DS Original Oils' Category

September 17th, 2009 categories: category, * DS Original Oils, * Encaustic, * Seattle FREE Demos
Hamid Zavareei Encautic Demo on Labor Day at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store

Hamid Zavareei Encautic Demo on Labor Day at the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store

It was actually a cool Labor Day in Seattle, but it was warm in the demo room from the HOT Wax for our FREE Encaustic demo at the DANIEL SMITH Seattle Store with Hamid Zavareei.  It was interesting to see two artists (the FREE demo with Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch the day before) two days in a row showing how they work (differently) in the same hot wax medium: Encaustic.  

 
Hamid Zavareei (who is an instructor at Gage Art Academy) was presenting an introduction to encuastic and gave an excellent overview of Encaustic painting.  Hamid enjoys making his own encaustic paints in addition to using R&F Encaustics and which differs from Patricia who prefers using the ready-to-use R&F Encaustic paints.  The two artists also differ in how they work with the encaustic paints on the hot palettes as you will see.
 
Some of the pros and cons Hamid shared about making your own encaustics.
Pros:
  • You know the ingredients of what you are making.
  • Cheaper.
  • You can make whatever colors you like.
Cons:
  • You can only add so much oil paint to the wax before it becomes “oily”, so your pigment load may not be as good.  This is especially true if you use lower student grade oil paints which have less pigment than artists grade.
  • R&F makes “much nicer” encaustic paints than you can.
  • R&F are ready-to-use.
 
Making Encaustic Medium & Hot Wax Cakes/Paints:
Medium:
  • Open a tube of oil paint, lay the tube on paper towels so that excess oil is wicked out, leave for about a day.  FYI, there is less oil and more pigment in higher quality paints like DANIEL SMITH Original Oils.
  • To make the encaustic medium, melt your damar resin or crystals, impurities will settle at the bottom and strain them out with cheesecloth.
  • Melt your beeswax and strain it also with cheesecloth to remove its’ impurities.
  • Mix the strained damar resin and strained melted beeswax to make the medium. No proportions were given at demo, but recipes can be found on Internet.
Wax cakes (paints):
  • Mix in no more than 15% oil paint to wax or your encaustic will be too “oily”.
  • Pour your homemade encaustic paint into muffin tins or miniature pie pans – you want slopping sides so the wax cake is easier to “pop” out.
  • Make your cakes in small sizes so you melt only what you need when painting, because reheating over time can cause discoloration.
  • Don’t let your waxes get hot enough to smoke on the griddle.
 
“Cold” Wax technique:
  • You can also work with a “cold wax” by using Dorlands Wax Medium and mixing it with your oil paints. 
  • The technique for painting with Dorlands is more like traditional oil painting with stiff brushes and palette knives. 
  • You can also melt Dorlands on a hot palette (pancake griddle) mix in your oil paint with a palette knife, then paint the hot mix like you would with encaustic paints.
 

Hamid Zavareei mixing his encaustic paint directly on the hot palette

Hamid Zavareei mixing his encaustic paint directly on the hot palette

Palette aka Pancake Griddle:

Hamid uses his hot palette differently than most encaustic painters like Patricia.  Instead of melting wax in tins (like printmaking tins) on the hot griddle and dipping his brushes into the melted wax, Hamid applies the wax cake directly to the hot palette to melt it.   Then he uses his brush & palette knife as if he was mixing oil paint on a traditional palette and applies it to his painting surface.
 
Painting Surface:
  • Must be very absorbent – very important or your wax will eventually peel or chip off.  You want a surface that has microscopic holes so that the waxes melt into to adhere better – that’s absorbency.
  • Hamid makes his painting surfaces more absorbent by applying rabbit skin glue, or applies Golden’s Absorbent Ground Gesso (white).
  • You can use raw wood to paint on, but you lose the translucency of the wax since your ground is not white.  Chemicals in the wood could effect the colors as well.
  • Hamid likes a white ground to work on so the translucency of the wax is apparent – it’s that translucency that is the appeal to Hamid for working in wax.
 
Tools:
  • Natural bristle brushes (synthetics can melt, but Hamid does use some synthetic brushes).
  • Wax pens, they are like a soldering iron.
  • Irons.
  • Putty knives.
  • Scrapers.
  • Wood working tools.
  • Metal sculpting tools.
  • Metal pottery tools.
  • Ukrainian egg decorating tool (melted wax is used) used something like an ink pen.
  • Batik tools – melted wax is used for batik too, and the tool allows you to draw with the tool.
 
Painting Tips:
  • Heat your surface with a heat gun, a hair dryer is not hot enough.  Do not work on a cold surface, the temperature differential it too great for proper adhering.
  • Paint on a coat of the wax medium.  You can skip this step, but you will lose some translucency.
  • Use the heat gun to smooth out the over laps of the paint caused by being applied by the brush.  Keep moving the heat gun around so your wax does not blow away.  Hold your gun vertically.
  • Important:  you need to fuse each layer of paint (wax) that you add using the heat gun.
  • Hamid melts his waxes directly on the hot palette, mixes his colors on the palette with a brush (or palette knife) then paints directly on to his painting.
  • You can scrape and smooth the surface with a scraper or razor blade.
  • You can scrape or incise lines or marks with tools, then paint oil paint into the marks with a brush, then scrape and paint over with more wax.
 
Images – Embed & transfer:
Embed:
  • You can embed images in your painting by applying the paper with the image onto warmed wax.
  • Then paint wax over the paper, remember to fuse with the heat gun.
 
Image transfer:
  • Warm the wax
  • Place image face-down.
  • burnish with the back of a spoon.
  • Apply water.
  • Work water into the paper to dissolve the paper fibers.
  • Then gently rub the dissolved paper away.
 
Cleaning:
  • You can clean up with a razor blade or  ”erase” a mistake on your painting by scraping with the blade.
  • Use paraffin to clean your brushes by melting some directly on the hot palette, then working his brush into the pool of melted paraffin, and wipes with a paper towel.
 
Safety:
  • Keep a fire extinguisher on hand because if wax gets hot enough, they can catch fire.
 
Hamid finished with these thoughts for us:
 
“It’s only by doing it that you can find out how it works for you.” 
“There are things that you only learn by experimenting”. 
 
Good words to keep in mind when creating ART!
 
Thank you Hamid!
 
A good book for learning the basics of Encaustic Painting is:
 
Every Day,  Express Yourself  with  ART….
 
~Deborah Burns
 
Follow DANIEL SMITH on Twitter
Become a DANIEL SMITH Fan on Facebook

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: 1 Comment »
May 30th, 2008 categories: category, * DANIEL SMITH Manufacturing, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * DS Original Oils, * DS PrimaTek Watercolors, * DS Printmaking Inks, * DS Ultimate Acrylics, * Seattle DS Store
Dave showing members of the Northwest Watercolor Society (NWWS) where on the map Purpurite Genuine comes from

Dave showing members of the Northwest Watercolor Society (NWWS) where on the map Purpurite Genuine comes from

Last Wednesday, 13 board members of the Northwest Watercolor Society visited the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store to tour the on-site manufacturing facilities where the DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors are made. The same manufacturing facilities are also where the DANIEL SMITH Original Oil Paint , DANIEL SMITH Ultimate Acrylic Paint , and DANIEL SMITH Printmaking Inks are made.

 

The tour was in four parts:

Since this was a VIP tour, it began with KT, Manager of the Bellevue DANIEL SMITH Store introducing John Cogley, owner of DANIEL SMITH, to the NWWS board-members. The group met at the front of the store where the video of “How Paint is Made – The DANIEL SMITH Way!” plays in the foyer of the Seattle Store. John talked to the NWWS group about what was happening on the video by explaining some of the processes, sharing stories and answering questions. It was really interesting to find out a few new things I had not previously learned before since John is very involved in the entire process beginning with being active in finding new minerals for DANIEL SMITH PrimaTek Paints .
 
David Pruneda, who works in the Seattle Store, took over for the next part of the tour by leading the group through the store to the room where the weekend FREE demos are held, it’s also used as a Gallery. The group took seats to listen to David talk about the minerals used for making DANIEL SMITH PrimaTek Colors by showing and passing around some of the corresponding minerals such as Azurite Genuine . There were “rocks”, and jars of powered minerals and examples of PrimaTek watercolors painted out on watercolor paper. There was also a map on display showing where some of the minerals come from…literally all over the world!
 
The next part of the tour was conducted by Ron Harmon, the long time DANIEL SMITH Chemist, who took us back into the manufacturing room. There Ron showed us the the 5 large to huge mixers that the pigments are mixed with the various liquids. Watercolor with Gum Arabic and water, Acrylic with acrylic emulsion, Oil with either safflower or linseed oil, and Lithographic ink with litho varnish. Next, are the various three roll mills that “take the pigment particles and tear them down” to transform the mixes into DANIEL SMITH paints and inks. While we were there, one of the mills was being used to refine DANIEL SMITH Quinacridone Gold Watercolor , so it was extra cool for the NWWS group to see. Lastly Ron lead the group over to see the two filling machines, one for watercolors and the other for acrylics, where the tubes of paint are filled. The inks are actually too thick for the fillers and the cans are hand filled beside the mills. Here is a trivia question for you…how are the labels applied to the tubes? Answer: by hand! Bonus answer: by Ron’s daughter’s hand!
 

Next, David lead the group back to the demo room to answer more questions…there is always so much to learn!

At the end of the tour, most of the group were amazed that while they “knew” that DANIEL SMITH manufactures its’ name brand paints and inks, they had not realized that the DANIEL SMITH Watercolors , Acrylics and Oil Paints and the Printmaking inks are actually made in the same building as the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store.
 
Next time you are visiting the Seattle DANIEL SMITH Store to pick up more art supplies, just remember that a couple of walls over on the south side, is where the magic of COLOR for your paintings is made!
 
The tours are now resuming after a long hiatus, and DANIEL SMITH Manufacturing Tours are available by appointment for groups of up to 20.
 

Boardmembers of the Northwest Watercolor Society, thank you for coming, we were happy to see you, and show you how our DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors are made! 

********************

Originally published May 30, 2008

http://danielsmithart.blogspot.com/2008/05/northwest-watercolor-societys-tour-to.html

Updated August 10, 2009:

Here is the link for the DANIEL SMITH Video: “The Art of Making Paint”

YouTube Preview Image

Every Day,  Express Yourself  with  ART….
 
~Deborah Burns
 
Follow DANIEL SMITH on Twitter
Become a DANIEL SMITH Fan on Facebook

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
April 21st, 2008 categories: category, * DANIEL SMITH Catalog, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * DS Original Oils, * New Products

The new DANIEL SMITH Summer Sale Catalog has been mailed out and you should be receiving it very soon if you haven’t already gotten it. To be ready for your questions about new products in this catalog, we had training sessions last week for the DANIEL SMITH Call Center and DANIEL SMITH Store sales people. Our trainers, Thom Wright and artist Jennifer Phillips did a great job filling everyone in on the benefits of the new products so we could pass them on to you, and pointed out the terrific values of the items that are now ON SALE for you!

There are a couple of new DANIEL SMITH Paints being introduced in this catalog. Two new DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors: Smalt Genuine and Perylene Violet (everyone attending got tubes to play with!) a very beautiful blue and a juicy reddish violet on page 3. Also, a new DANIEL SMITH Original Oil Paint: Cadmium Red Medium Hue ” offers an “alternative to classic Cadmium Red. It’s a vibrant, strong primary red…an organic color, it has high chroma and strong opacity”, on page 23.

A couple of other things that caught my eye during the training session I attended. The first was the new Atria Stainless Steel Brush Washers in three sizes on page 59, they are airtight to prevent odors and spills. The other was the new A-Frame Studio Easel on page 95. which has a wood tray to brace the legs and provides some storage, and tilts both forward and back.

If you have not received a catalog and would like one, click here to request a DANIEL SMITH Summer Sale Catalog …we are now ready for You! 

********************

 

Originally published April 21, 2008

 

http://danielsmithart.blogspot.com/2008/04/training-for-our-new-daniel-smith.html

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »
March 19th, 2008 categories: category, * Bellevue DS Store, * Bellevue FREE Demos, * DANIEL SMITH Blog, * DANIEL SMITH Catalog, * DANIEL SMITH Manufacturing, * DS ExtraFine Watercolors, * DS Original Oils, * DS Ultimate Acrylics, * Seattle DS Store, * Seattle FREE Demos

Art…here at DANIEL SMITH… we are all about helping You to express the creative, artistic side of You.  Our blog will be an evolving place to share information, and creating conversations with You.  I will be exploring lots of different topics on subjects that I find interesting about making art, DANIEL SMITH and our products, especially the ones we develop and manufacture, as well as subjects and questions You may have.  

To begin our journey, we’ll start at the  DANIEL SMITH Seattle store where the DANIEL SMITH corporate offices are as well.  

This is also the location of the Call Center, where telephone catalog orders are taken, and where DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors , DANIEL SMITH Ultimate Acrylics ,  DANIEL SMITH Original Oils , and DANIEL SMITH Inks and Printmaking Supplies are Manufactured .  

We also have our  DANIEL SMITH Bellevue Store , where I will also be visiting as well.  The Warehouse where all your orders are full-filled, is in another location nearby.  I will be visiting these places in the future to let you in on what’s happening, and how it all works.  

There are also many FREE demonstrations as well as workshops at both stores.  I will be attending some of them, and sharing some of the tips that the Artists share in their demonstrations.  This is a place to learn, and I will be learning right along side of You the things about making Art that I have myself have not done (yet!).  I studied painting and lithography in school, so there is much for me to learn about watercolor, acrylic, and other mediums as well. We will be on a journey together!

********************

Originally published March 19, 2008

http://danielsmithart.blogspot.com/2008/03/welcome-to-daniel-smith-blog.html

Written by Deborah Burns | Discussion: No Comments »

RSS
Categories
Archives
Links