Hello,

Here are your recipe sheets, for applying the tips for oil painting
materials that you found on my website http://www.painting-ideas-
and-techniques.com.
Hopping back and forth between my website and these recipe sheets,
you'll be able to figure it out. However, if you need more info or a more
ordered format, I should recommend my ebook on oil painting materials
and recipes. You'll find it at
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-guide.html
In this ebook there's more details and information on products, and on the
why of using them (good to know if you want to develop your own
layering sytem).
On the bottom of each page, you'll find a link to a list of selected products
of Blick art materials (to whom I'm affiliated), and to Paintmill de Kat
(non-affiliated links). I've selected the products on getting the right
quality for the best price.

product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-3921210-805536
1
Oil painting primer and underpainting recipes

sometimes having quality is just necessary, but in other cases you might
as well take the house brand and save money. To every recipe, you'll find
the best products (mostly from Blick Art Materials, they can offer the best
prices)

Short tips:
“universally” prepared canvases need priming over with gesso-and-
caseine
Raw canvases and painting boards need a sizing of either
− hot rabbit skin glue
− acrylic-caseine binder (for priming with acrylic-caseine gesso or
mended gesso)
Over the rabbit skin glue, it's best to apply the halfoil-ground (canvases
and boards), or the chalky rabbit-skin glue ground (stiff boards only).
Over the acrylic-caseine binder, it's best to prime with acrylic-caseine
gesso.

About caseine:
the best caseine emulsion is one without preservatives, or with only borax
as a preservative. Schmincke's caseine is good, home-made caseine too
(ingredients can be ordered at paintmill De Kat). Borax is OK – other
preservatives may cause some problems later on.
Blick's offers Shiva caseine, halas I'm not sure exactly what preservatives
are in it. If you want to be sure, turn to Schmincke's or de Kat.

Caseine has two advantages: the oil paint adheres to it very firmly
(making a chemical union). On acrylic gesso, oil paint only adheres
mechanically. According to a specialist, it's bound to come loose in time,
even if it's after 40 to 50 years.

Another advantage of Caseine: its strength. It makes the gesso more

elastic. If you size a pre-stretched canvas with caseine-acrylic gesso, it
will be stretched extra – even little dents will go away.

Product links:
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Blick art materials:

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2
Sizing for raw canvases (for painting over with acrylic gesso)
1 volume of acrylic binder
1 volume of caseine emulsion

Acrylic binder (Blick Gloss caseine emulsion

medium). For the hightest grade of durability: get
In the jar, it looks white – but it dries Schmincke caseine (not at Blicks), or
up clear and transparant. make your own (using borax as a
preservative) - check the product-list
below for info
Available at Blicks: Shiva caseine
emulsion (unknown preservatives)
If you plan to use it for canvas preps,
choose the metal canister.

Caseine is the strongest glue and makes a canvas shrink. If you need extra
stretching, use a little more caseine (up to 60% - at least use 40% of acrylic
binder).

product links:
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Blick art materials:

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3
 Recipe for mending read-made gesso:
add 1 volume of caseine binder to 2 volumes of acrylic gesso
The gesso will become a little thicker because it reacts with the caseine. Try
not to add water, unless you really can't paint it
It can be painted over after 24 hours.
caseine emulsion Blicks Studio Gesso
For the hightest grade of durability: get The cheaper 'study' quality – best
Schmincke caseine (not at Blicks), or suitable for priming over universally
make your own (using borax as a prepared canvases that are white
preservative) - check the product-list already. Blicks studio gesso hides in two
below for info coats, and the caseine will make the
Available at Blicks: Shiva caseine paint thinner as well.
emulsion (unknown preservatives) Blicks Master Gesso
If you plan to use it for canvas preps, A better hiding gesso, also suitable for
choose the metal canister. gessoing raw canvases that were sized
with acrylic binder and caseine.

Economy gesso brushes: These are

the cheapest big bristles, only for
gessoing. Before using the brushes:
wash them and rub them well, to get rid
of the loose hairs before they end up in
your work.

When you prime new canvases or painting boards, use Blick Master
gesso (with caseine) – it has a better hiding power.

Product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

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4
Homemade Acrylic-caseine gesso (colored, if you like!)
1 volume of caseine binder
1 volume of acrylic binder
1 volume of marble powder
1 volume of pigment powder (titanium white, an earth pigment, or iron oxyde
black)
First, mix the caseine and the acrylic binder.
Use a kitchen sieve, to add the powders: first the marble, then the pigment
powder. Stir well, eventually with a kitchen blender, untill you have a
yoghurt-like substance. If the substance gets too thick for stirring, add a little
water (but only if you have to! Less water is better). It can be painted over
after 24 hours.
This gesso is very flexible, it dries relatively fast (a few days) and it’s great for
oils as well as the oil-and-egg-tempera technique.

For new canvases, first size with acrylic-caseine binder (previous page)

Gamblin dry pigments. Suitable Fredrix Marble powder

ones for gesso are:
− titanium white, mars black,
yellow ochre, raw umber, burnt
umber, burnt siena, chromium
oxyde green

Acrylic binder (Blick gloss For the hightest grade of durability: get
medium). Schmincke caseine, or make your own
(using borax as a preservative) - check
the product-list below
In the jar, it looks white – but it dries
up clear and transparant.
For ordering at Blicks: use Shiva
caseine emulsion
If you plan to use it for canvas preps,
choose the metal canister.

product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-3921210-805536
5
Cooking rabbit skin glue – for sizing or making primers

First soak the granules or rabbit skin glue in water- 10 grams of glue-
bits in 100 grams of water. Put them together in a tin can, and let it soak
overnight. The next day, you can put the can au bain marie on the stove.
That means: take another cooking pan, fill it with hot water, and place the tin
with the glue in that pan of water, and cook it on your furnace. In this way,
the glue will be hot, but it will be prevented from boiling.
This glue will stay good for about two weeks in the fridge– but at some point,
it’ll start to rot. Then the jelly becomes liquid (and the smell really bad). It's
strength can't be trusted then.
Furthermore, it's important that the glue is not too strong. Too strong
rabbitskin-glue causes circular cracks in your canvas later.
More on Rabbit skin glue: http://www.painting-ideas-and-
techniques.com/rabbit-skin-glue.html

After preparing, you can test your glue like this:

Let it cool down. You can place it in the freezer for 15 minutes, or leave it
untill the next day. After cooling down, it should be like a soft jelly. Break the
jelly with your finger. If the breaking line is straight, like a shell or in a
straight curve, your glue is too strong – add more water.

The glue can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days – when the jelly goes
liquid, it's turning bad.

Gamblin rabbit skin glue (dry granules).

Product links:
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Blick art materials:

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6
Recipe: half-oil ground (for oil paint, or an oily egg tempera
underpainting).

Take 1 volume of hot rabbit skin glue

Add 1 volume of calcium carbonate (marble powder). Add the powder
trough a sieve (yes, painting is just like cooking)
And 1 volulme of dry pigment. (white, a mixture of white and earth colors,
or black). Also through a sieve.
Then mix in 2 volumes of stand oil. Mix it hard, then it will blend.
Eventually, use a kitchen mixer or blender.
This primer has a more traditional feel to it than acrylic gesso. It needs to be
put on a raw canvas (or painting board) that was sized with hot rabbit skin
glue. Prime 2 or 3 layers, and let it dry for 2 weeks – then you can paint on it.

Gamblin rabbit skin glue – Fredrix Marble powder

dry granules that still need to be
cooked. Scroll down for instructions.

Gamblin dry pigments. Suitable Gamblin Stand oil

ones for gesso are:
8 oz
− titanium white, mars black,
yellow ochre, raw umber, burnt
umber, burnt siena, chromium
oxyde green

product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

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7
 Absorbent (chalky) rabbit-skin glue primer, for tempera and/or
oils (quick drying)

This primer is brittle and only good for stiff, non-flexible painting boards.
Add 1 part of dry marble powder to 1 part of dry pigment. Then mix in 2 parts
of hot rabbit skin glue, until it’s as thick as yoghurt. Can be painted over after
24 hours.

Gamblin dry pigments. Fredrix Marble powder Gamblin rabbit skin

Suitable ones for gesso glue
are: These are granules that
− titanium white, still need to be cooked.
mars black, yellow Scroll down for
ochre, raw umber, instructions.
burnt umber,
burnt siena,
chromium oxyde
green.
− For real green
earth, choose
Sennelier pigments

As panel material, you can use MDF or multiplex. The bigger size you take, the
thicker material you'll need. Don't go over sizes larger than 30 inches square.

To keep your panels stable: treat the back the same as you did the front. - sizing
and gluing material on. On the back you can use paper instead of canvas.

Product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

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8
Recipe for pure egg tempera
You need:
pigment paste (grind pigments in water, with a muller on a glass- or marble
plate, until it's as thick as toothpaste).
1 volume of eggyolk (only the content of it)
1 volume of water
Mix them to an egg-yolk fluid. It will be very fluid.
Then:
Mix 1 volume of egg-yolk fluid with 1 volume of pigment paste (grind
pigments in water, with a muller on a glass- or marble plate, until it's as thick
as toothpaste).
Test your paint, by painting it on glass. Afer a few minutes, the paint is dry (it
does need UV light!). Scrape off the paint with a razorblade, or a palette knife
- if it comes off as a film, the paint is good.
For underpainting, pure egg tempera can be used on acrylic gesso on canvas
– not on a half-oil ground. For painting pure tempera paintings, use painting
boards.

Handmade glass mullers Gamblin dry pigments.

(brandless)
For titanium white, earth colors, mars
black
For smaller quantities, the smallest one
will do.
Sennelier dry pigments.
For historic green earth

Grinding the pigments with a muller is necessary – only a palette knife won't do. The water
needs to go around every pigment particle, only then the binder will connect properly to it.

product links:
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Blick art materials:

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9
Recipe for oily eggtempera

1 part of stand oil

1 part of dammar varnish
1 part of water
1 part of egg-yolk
4 parts of watery pigment paste

First mix the egg-yolk 1 on 1 with water.

Then mix the stand-oil with dammar varnish 1 on 1 (later on, you can use this
mixture as an oil painting medium)
And then mix the egg-water and painting medium 1 on 1.
Oily egg tempera can be used on a half-oil ground, or acrylic gesso.

Gamblin dry Winsor and newton Gamblin Stand oil

pigments. Dammar varnish.
8 oz
For titanium white, earth Also good for making
colors, mars black painting mediums

Sennelier dry
pigments.
For historic green earth
and other finer pigments

Oily egg tempera can also be used in WET oil paint, and speed up the drying process. It
wll become a stable chemical union.

Product links:
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Blick art materials:

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10
List of products and ingredients:
Blick art materials is a huge online art supplier, who can make good prices and
sales, on a stable standard of quality supplies.

Casein binder:
With borax: Schmincke's, or homemade
Unknown preseratives: Shiva caseine emulsion
Acrylic binder: Blick gloss medium
Rabbit skin glue: Gamblin rabbit skin glue
Acrylic gesso: Blicks Studio Gesso, Blick master gesso
Marble powder: Fredrix Marble dust
Real oil primer: Winsor and newton oil painting primer (dries in 24 hours,
Stand oil: Gamblin Stand oil
Dammar varnish: Winsor and newton Dammar varnish.
Dry pigments
Sennelier dry pigments.
For historic green earth and finer pigments
Gamblin artist dry pigments (cheaper, more sturdy)
Suitable for making gesso:
- titanium white
- mars black
- raw umber (cool brown)
- burnt umber (dark warm brown)
- burnt siena (reddish warm brown)
- yellow ochre (warm yellow earthtone)

For direct product links, go to this webpage:

http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

If you need to know more about the how-and-why of these products, and the
features of each primer: check my ebook on oil painting materials. You'll find it
here:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-guide.html
I also recommend this book if you want to develop your own layering systems.

product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-3921210-805536
11
Rembrandt's resources

For the real DIY classical paint lovers who want to make their own oil paint,
dammar, shellac and caseine: here’s where you can buy the raw materials you
need. This mill grinds pigments since the time Rembrandt was alive. Since he lived
in Amsterdam, one might assume he used their products already, in his own
time...

Paintmill De Kat

Paintmill De Kat lies near Amsterdam

(Netherlands). The mill is a kind of museum,
but also still in function. Here you can buy
raw ingredients for all painting techniques:
pigments, oils, real turpentine, shellac
flakes, dry caseine powder and more. They
sell all the necessary ingredients for making
your own paint and dry pastels.
They have:
− dry caseine (powder), for making
your own caseine – fresh, without
preservatives
− cans of ammonium carbonate powder, for making caseine (also known as
hartshorn salz or baking soda).
− borax, spikenard oil, safflour oil, linseed and stand oils
− dry flakes of shellac, to be dissolved in denatured alcohol
− dry pigments.
−
These products are sent all over the world – but only the dry products. Products
containing VOC (turps and such) can't be shipped oversees. About the dry
pigments from De Kat: the more new and chemical ones often contain a lot of
chalk (it's even in the pigment names: chalk blue, chalk yellow etc). The chalk
does keep them very stable, but also makes them look rather matte.But the
ultramarines, earth pigments, cadmiums and permanent reds of De Kat are very
good.
This mill was already grinding pigments at the time that Rembrandt was alive.
Today, workshops about paint making are given in that little shed you see next to
the big one. Here I learned a lot about oil paint.

Product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

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12
Paint making classes
The classes and workshops you get here are outstanding. Pieter Keune, the
teacher, is an international authority in his expertise (art materials). In his
workshops, he shares his knowledge without withholding. In small groups, you can
learn to make oil paint, and other kinds of paints and pastels, ask all the questions
you want, and that for a very reasonable price. If you ever visit the Netherlands,
this is the place to go.
Products can be ordered via their website: www.verfmolendekat.com They have
only raw ingredients for classical painting materials, for painters who want to make
all their paints and mediums themselves. The more ready-made products can be
found the product list above (at Blick art supplies ).

If you want to learn more about these products, check my e-book on oil painting
materials: http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-
guide.html
Here you can also find how to make shellac, dammar varnish out of dammar
lumps, and fresh caseine without preservatives.

Thanks for visiting and hope to welcome you back!

With best regards,Evelien

http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com

http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-basics.html

http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-supplies.html

product links:
http://www.painting-ideas-and-techniques.com/oil-painting-product-list.html

Blick art materials:

http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-3921210-805536
13