Category Archives: Art

Some dry pigments from Kremer, Earth Pigments, Guerra Pigments and others

Posted on October 18, 2017 by jaymacaz

I’ll post these in the hope they might help someone make dry pigment decisions and save some money. They’re not great swatches or scans, but it’s hard to find any dry pigment references on the web.  These are in linseed … Continue reading →

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Review of Kremer’s 30th anniversary blue pigment assortment in oil paint

Posted on October 18, 2017 by jaymacaz

There’s an excellent review on the internet of these pigments used in watercolor, but I couldn’t find one about oil paints. I bought this set to get a chance to try some of the historical pigments like smalt and azurite, … Continue reading →

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Lukas Berlin Quick-drying Medium #3 and Lukas Egg Tempera Medium #6

Posted on May 8, 2017 by jaymacaz

Lukas Berlin quick-drying medium #3 Medium #3 is an acrylic medium designed to work with Lukas Berlin water mixable oil (WMO) paints.  Lukas Berlin, Holbein Duo Aqua and Weber WOil are three WMO  brands that advertise that their paints can be mixed … Continue reading →

Posted in Alkyds, Art, WMOs | Leave a comment

Becoming an artist rather than an art student

Posted on December 12, 2016 by jaymacaz

Advice from Harvey Dunn, via James Gurney: “When I was out in Chicago recently, I went into a class, a sort of a club where seven or eight men were painting and doing good student work. Some of them had … Continue reading →

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Review of some Vasari oil paints in earth colors: Make your own paint or buy the best?

Posted on September 3, 2016 by jaymacaz

Vasari is often described as the Cadillac of oil paints. I’ve held off a long time on buying any since I tend to be too precious with oil paint even when it’s cheap, but some dry pigments that I really … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Oils, Pigments, Rembrandt light | Leave a comment

First look at a batch of Kremer pigments

Posted on September 2, 2016 by jaymacaz

Nothing gets my heart going like a new batch of pigments!  Here’s the list and initial thoughts. Pigments (these are all in the right column of the swatches):

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Genesis heat set paints and the world of polymer clay

Posted on August 31, 2016 by jaymacaz

I did 20 or so paintings with Genesis heat set paints several years ago. They offer some compelling advantages. These really are not gimmicks! Paint stays open indefinitely until heat set. Indirect techniques and multiple glazes are possible without long waiting … Continue reading →

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Karin Groen article about Rembrandt’s paint and binder, particle sizes

Posted on November 4, 2015 by jaymacaz

Karin Groen article: Investigation of the Use of the Binding Medium by Rembrandt : Big conclusion: For thick impastos, especially in late Rembrandt, a pure white layer was commonly used, composed of a fine grind of lead white in unpolymerized linseed oil, … Continue reading →

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Lukas 1862 oil paint review

Posted on September 24, 2015 by jaymacaz

I have been experimenting for awhile with oil/water emulsion mixes, a sort of shortcut tempera grassa created by mixing tempera paints or mediums with oil paints.  Gottsegen’s Painter’s Handbook has some information about this technique.  I tested a few tubes of Lukas, … Continue reading →

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Review of Cuni water-soluble encaustics after 10 plus paintings

Posted on May 22, 2015 by jaymacaz

My initial review is here. I’ll go down the list of review items in the same order. I would really be happy to hear from anyone about this paint, but I’ve had to shut off comments on the blog for the … Continue reading →

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