Newbie needs help with oil paint application Please!

[Nikki]

Hi! Brand new member. Also, very first time trying to use oil paint. I hope this query is ok to post.
I am wondering if I have ruined my painting- the background was a flat gray when I painted it, about three weeks ago, but as it dried it is splotchy. I had painted the background in basically the same way 2 months ago and it was perfect, but in the course of painting the horse I made some mistakes that necessitated redoing it. After the redo and the splotchiness, I thought it just needed more drying time, but there is no change in appearance from two weeks ago. I even spent ten minutes with a blow dryer to the back of the painting. What I had done was apply a thin layer of paint with some linseed oil, and probably some Liquin and Gamsol- I really don’t know what I’m doing.
Should I just try painting over it again? It is a pre- primed canvas. Thanks so much in advance for any thoughts/recommendations.

 

[Donna T]

For your first time using oils this is very nice, Nikki! I'm sorry the background got blotchy but I like it - it's a little more interesting than a flat color and I don't find that it detracts from the horse. I'm very inexperienced with oils. I haven't used linseed oil or Liquin and I don't know how they interact. I'll check back to see what advice the oil painters have for you because I'd like to know what happened too. Since the horse is so well-painted and the shading on his face works so well with the background color maybe leaving it alone is the best thing.

 

[laika]

Nice horse portrait! I would suggest that you Google the term "oiling out." Sometimes the oil in a paint will "sink" into a lower layer, resulting in an uneven surface gloss. I've never done the oiling out thing, but if you'll research that term I'll bet you'll quickly find info that will give you some idea of what's going on. I wouldn't bring Liquin into the situation at this point.

 

[bethany]

I only use odourless mediums, and very little of that. It is ok to add more paint layers if you don't like the surface. Sometimes the "primed" layer that is sprayed onto the commercial canvas is uneven. This means that some of the oil in the paint gets absorbed and on other parts the paint sits more on the surface. I am guessing this is what you are seeing.
I always put a retouch varnish on my finished paintings- this gives an even surface with no dull patches.
Hope this helps.

 

[classic]

The horse is just perfect. First attempt with oils? almost unbelievable!
As for the background, I hate flat uniform backgrounds. They make subject to look like an image cut from somewhere and placed on a colored cardboard. I can't understand from the photo, nevertheless the idea of an "uneven" background doesn't seem bad to me.
It is possible that the primer was uneven. I read suggestions in many web pages and forums that it is better/safer to apply one or two gesso layers, even on "pre-primed" surfaces. Brush work can be more effective than just spray or brief immersion of the canvas textile.
Did you detect any problem in the horse image, or just in the background? I would wait some time before applying any further layer. Oil layers take a long time to be completely dry.

Some people start by a general color layer, often in acrylic that dries quite fast. This can be done mostly to add a general tone to the painting, nevertheless it can prevent later "accidents" too. The suggestion by Bethany for a varnish is interesting too. I think we have to wait a few months before applying such layers over oil painting.

 

[Triduana]

Hi Nikki! I have nothing constructive to add here, but just wanted to say Welcome to Creative Spark. Hope you enjoy it here.

Your horse is excellent, you are certainly skilled! I like how the background colour matches the horses eye. I echo what others have said about not liking a flat background, but this is a personal preference. Hope you continue to post your paintings here.

 

[Terri]

Welcome to Creative Spark, Nikki! I'm not an oil painter so can't comment on your process. But I can say the end result is beautiful! I've seen finished paintings where a background like this is done deliberately, for subtle texture or visual interest. However, that's not what you were trying to do, so hopefully our talented members can help you out here. By all means, ask any question - it's how we learn.

Again, welcome, and I am looking forward to seeing more of your work!

 

[Nikki]

For your first time using oils this is very nice, Nikki! I'm sorry the background got blotchy but I like it - it's a little more interesting than a flat color and I don't find that it detracts from the horse. I'm very inexperienced with oils. I haven't used linseed oil or Liquin and I don't know how they interact. I'll check back to see what advice the oil painters have for you because I'd like to know what happened too. Since the horse is so well-painted and the shading on his face works so well with the background color maybe leaving it alone is the best thing.

Thanks so much for your feedback!

 

[Nikki]

Nice horse portrait! I would suggest that you Google the term "oiling out." Sometimes the oil in a paint will "sink" into a lower layer, resulting in an uneven surface gloss. I've never done the oiling out thing, but if you'll research that term I'll bet you'll quickly find info that will give you some idea of what's going on. I wouldn't bring Liquin into the situation at this point.

Thank you! On your recommendation I researched “oiling out” and this absolutely makes sense, based on how I thinned the paint when I applied the second coat— I will give this a try.

 

[Nikki]

I only use odourless mediums, and very little of that. It is ok to add more paint layers if you don't like the surface. Sometimes the "primed" layer that is sprayed onto the commercial canvas is uneven. This means that some of the oil in the paint gets absorbed and on other parts the paint sits more on the surface. I am guessing this is what you are seeing.
I always put a retouch varnish on my finished paintings- this gives an even surface with no dull patches.
Hope this helps.

Thank you! I will look into how to varnish- that should help.

 

[Nikki]

The horse is just perfect. First attempt with oils? almost unbelievable!
As for the background, I hate flat uniform backgrounds. They make subject to look like an image cut from somewhere and placed on a colored cardboard. I can't understand from the photo, nevertheless the idea of an "uneven" background doesn't seem bad to me.
It is possible that the primer was uneven. I read suggestions in many web pages and forums that it is better/safer to apply one or two gesso layers, even on "pre-primed" surfaces. Brush work can be more effective than just spray or brief immersion of the canvas textile.
Did you detect any problem in the horse image, or just in the background? I would wait some time before applying any further layer. Oil layers take a long time to be completely dry.

Some people start by a general color layer, often in acrylic that dries quite fast. This can be done mostly to add a general tone to the painting, nevertheless it can prevent later "accidents" too. The suggestion by Bethany for a varnish is interesting too. I think we have to wait a few months before applying such layers over oil painting.

Thank you so much for your kind feedback. I am hoping (perhaps by ‘oiling out’ as recommended above) to smooth out the splotches, and then, paint gods willing, make a more subtle textured background. I appreciate the info. on the primer and acrylic. I only see the problem in the background.

 

[Nikki]

Hi Nikki! I have nothing constructive to add here, but just wanted to say Welcome to Creative Spark. Hope you enjoy it here.

Your horse is excellent, you are certainly skilled! I like how the background colour matches the horses eye. I echo what others have said about not liking a flat background, but this is a personal preference. Hope you continue to post your paintings here.

Thank you! Glad to be here.

 

[Nikki]

Welcome to Creative Spark, Nikki! I'm not an oil painter so can't comment on your process. But I can say the end result is beautiful! I've seen finished paintings where a background like this is done deliberately, for subtle texture or visual interest. However, that's not what you were trying to do, so hopefully our talented members can help you out here. By all means, ask any question - it's how we learn.

Again, welcome, and I am looking forward to seeing more of your work!

Thanks so much!

 

[Artyczar]

You sure LOOK like you know what you're doing!

Welcome to the forums!

Oils are so fun. My favorite medium. Looks like you already know how to blend. Did you use a dry fan brush to do that? If not, that's pretty much how to do blending. Or, that's how I do it. I'm self-taught though. I do it over a few flat layers. The flat "under layers" I use a Liquin-type media to make those dry faster. Or, I'll just wait. You get a feel for the wetness and dryness for oils and when you can blend stuff. It looks like you have it!

 

[Nikki]

Haven’t tried the dry fan brush, but I sure will! Mostly been using a small liner brush and a small square brush. Self- teaching myself too. And I wait for it to dry (I’d been using acrylic, which dries too fast.) This is a 2+ month WIP. Thank you for the feedback. )

 

[Nikki]

So, thank you all for your help! Here’s how it ended up…

 

[snoball]

So, thank you all for your help! Here’s how it ended up…

And it is a beauty indeed. Looks like whatever advise you used worked great!

 

[Triduana]

It worked out beautifully! I look forward to seeing more of your work.

 

[JessieNebulous]

This is really your first oil attempt? Outstanding work!

 

[Artyczar]

It turned out perfect!