An addition of an affordable red to their product line that compliments their current reds and provides another level of depth in the family of Michael Harding oil paints and reds. Pyrrole Red is an affordable, highly lightfast vivid red that is bold and bright yet with a cool, crisp undertone.
Michael Harding Pyrrole Red is a terrific inter-mixer for everything from Brilliant Pink to Permanent and Cadmium Oranges. Michael encourages artists everywhere to try it with his Yellows, Oxides and all other MH Colours.
This is a truly beautiful blue that was invented in 1901 as a synthetic dye and it has a great resistance to fading. Its popularity came about because of its strong resistance to fading and is popular in the automotive industry. This shade of blue is inky and very interesting.
This is the first oil paint maker to manufacture this shade of Perylene Violet in an oil paint. This truly unique colour is often found in watercolour ranges but not in oils.
Perylene Violet is a smoky mauve violet with a very unusual caricature. When combined with rich yellows such as Indian Yellow, the colours produce amazing browns and deep gingery shades.
This is a subtle colour that may not leap off the palette and dazzle in the way a quinacridone does but is a marvellous addition to the Michael Harding oil paint range.
MH Perylene Violet has an atmospheric quality. Use it in mixes to create flesh tones for a beautiful fleshy base tone. It is also very useful when mixed with white to cool whites especially for painting fabrics. Perylene Violet also helps to keep chroma under control and can be used by mixing with transparent colours.
]]>Wallace Seymour continually searches for new pigments to allow them to develop new and unique paints for artists.
They have just introduced a number of new oil paint colours. Firstly, three distinct shades of Lapis Lazuli. All three are from pure Lazurite and use the inspiration of three artists from the Renaissance period: Titian (Tiziano), Giotto and Mantegna. Perfect for use today in painting.
Taken from the blues in Titian’s ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’, the airy clean blues in the Assisi fresco cycles of Giotto and the slightly greenish tinge of the blue sky of ‘The Crucifixion’ in The Louvre. Of course, these colours are used in countless other examples. They can be found on the links below.
High Renaissance Lapis Lazuli "Tiziano"
High Renaissance Lapis Lazuli "Giotto"
High Renaissance Lapis Lazuli "Mantegna"
Lapis Lazuli PB 29 (Natural) is highly lightfast and semi-transparent but tending towards transparent when used in glazes.
Available in various sizes, 20ml and 40ml tubes and in 150ml tubes on request.
They have also introduced two new shades of Manganese Blue pigment oil paint.
Both are Colour Index PB 33. PB 33 is highly lightfast and semi-transparent but tending towards transparent when used in glazes. They can be found on the links below.
Manganese Blue Genuine Light C
Available as 40ml and 150ml tubes.
To produce their paints, they mill raw earth or mineral material to a specific grind size, so that they can process it through the triple roll paint mill. For some pigments, for example, with Lapis Lazuli, a slight grain of the pigment is retained, as over grinding/over-reduction can make the resultant colour too pale in shade. Once the pigment is ready, it is milled with single farm estate cold pressed linseed oil for testing. Only when testing is complete is the colour is finally produced and made available.
]]>‘FluorX’ Fluorescent Acrylic Colours are extra luminous ‘day-glo’ pigments, combined in a water-clear acrylic resin base. The paint paste is a soft gel, which can be modified by dilution with water or addition of acrylic painting medium to change sheen/surface/texture, etc. Ten different shades are available.
]]>‘FluorX’ Fluorescent Acrylic Colours are extra luminous ‘day-glo’ pigments, combined in a water-clear acrylic resin base. The paint paste is a soft gel, which can be modified by dilution with water or addition of acrylic painting medium to change sheen/surface/texture, etc.
The ten available shades are enhanced when exposed to UV light as opposed to daylight or synthetic lighting. To this end, some artists show their work made with fluorescent colours in an environment where only UV light is used. Exposure to UV light also re-charges the fluorescence of the colours.
When not shown, artwork is best kept in a closed portfolio, away from light. On re-exposure to light, the colours will show more fluorescence initially – but on prolonged exposure to daylight will become slightly duller in appearance.
Fluorescent colours will also appear more vivid when painted onto dark grounds. For best results, prime the support first with Acrylic Primer/Acrylic Gesso, followed by a layer of Black Acrylic Gesso, or Mars Black Acrylic Colour. Fluorescent colour is then applied over the dark ground to create maximum luminescence. In practice, multiple layers, will appear more radiant than just one coating.
Avoid intermixing the different shades of FluorX Acrylic Colour – the colours work best when applied alone, or laid over dried paint to create optical mixtures. Avoid mixing with other acrylic colours, as the fluorescent colour will be eliminated by the standard acrylic colour. This is especially the case with whites.
Under UV light, FluorX White shows as a blue-violet colour. Under daylight, it appears as a radiant white.
FluorX Acrylic Colour can be applied to all normal painting supports – paper, canvas, panel, etc.
Some papers can cause a slight reaction, usually when acids from glue/sizing compunds migrate into the wet fluorescent paint. In essence, fluorescent colours are actually dyes, which are formulated to behave like pigments – and as such are more prone to change than normal pigments.
Avoid prolonged exposure to daylight/artificial light, as the colour can fade to some extent.
Clean-up is with water, for palettes, brushes, hands, etc.
]]>Wallace Seymour Watercolour Paints seek to counter this trend and to return to a level of quality and intensity previously seen in good watercolour paints. Wallace Seymour use only the highest grade Kordafan Gum Arabic to mill pigments into their special gum emulsion binder, with minimal additives. The binder contains Acacia honey made to their specific recipe taken from a single estate farm in central Italy. The inclusion of honey into the recipe helps to keep a stable paint paste while retaining a degree of softness. Unlike glycerine, which is so often used in modern watercolours to wet pigments and provide a false sense of saturation, their binding system works to reveal the true colour of the pigments used in manufacture. Each colour is expressed through the triple roll mill, according to a specific recipe. It is for this reason the actual viscosity of the paint paste can change from colour to colour. In general, the paint is a soft buttery paste which is easy to dilute with water to a wash.
These watercolours have a robust quality, especially the earth shades, where the particle size is often left at a larger micron size (between 50-120micron). This treatment means that many colours show aspects of granulation, a phenomenon highly prized by many watercolourists.
Many pigments are from their own production, from natural mineral colours like Malachite, Azurite, Lapis lazuli, through to natural earth pigments like Cittadella Grey Schist from the Sibillini mountains in Italy, or Torridon sandstone from the Scottish Highlands, a delicate natural pink earth.
They produce many plant based colours, as used by English watercolour painters from the late 18th Century: Indigo, Madder, Weld and Woad. These delicate natural colours have seen a revival in recent years and it is only right they should come back to the watercolour painters’ palette.
While the use of historic pigments is integral to the range, they also offer the standard cadmiums and cobalts plus new synthetic pigments like Green Gold and Quinacridone Red Gold. These colours provide artists with unparalleled intensity and luminous transparency.
A speciality of the range is to make use of finite stock of pigments long-associated with watercolour painting. For example, the Manganese Blue uses the genuine pigment. Prior to this the pigment was last manufactured in the 1980s. The Alizarin Crimson (Laque de Garance) is also unique made from pigment stock made in the 1980s and redder in shade than today’s current supply.
It is this kind of attention to detail that makes Wallace Seymour Vintage Watercolour range special and offers a range of unique colours to discerning artists who value quality.
]]>Wallace Seymour began manufacturing acrylic paint in 2010. Their Acrylic Paint is made using a special acrylic resin that allows the maximum tinting strength of the pigment to be included in the binding system. This ensures maximum colour concentration.
When dry the acrylic paint paste is flexible, elastic and hard-wearing. The paint dries to a satin-gloss finish when applied neat however dilution with water will create a slightly matter finish.
The paint film is fixed and permanent once dry. The drying curve of Wallace Seymour Artist’s Acrylic Extra Fine Paint is slightly longer than most standard acrylic colours. Typically, a thin film will dry in 30-40 minutes depending on the ambient conditions.
The paint can be diluted with water to create watercolour-like washes and dilution does not reduce the adhesion of the paint to the painting support/surface used.
THE FULL RANGE OF ACRYLIC COLOURS CAN BE FOUND HERE
Wallace Seymour Artist’s Acrylic Extra Fine can be applied to almost any dirt and grease free support/surface such as primed (and un-primed) canvas, boards/panels, paper, wall surfaces (check the priming prior to application. Ideally wall structures should be primed with Wallace Seymour Acrylic Size/Primer/Gesso surface preparations for maximum performance.
The normal paint paste has a soft gel consistency. To increase its volume, add 20-40% of either Wallace Seymour Impasto Gel Gloss or Matt. To obtain a satin finish mix the Gloss and Matt Gels together.
Wallace Seymour Artist’s Acrylic Extra Fine Paint can be applied in thicknesses up to 3-5mm without shrinkage. Heavier ‘gel’ applications can be achieved by admixing the acrylic colour with Impasto Gel (typically 5-10mm). Thicker passages may shrink a little during drying.
To dilute the paint without loss of sheen, add 10-20% Wallace Seymour Acrylic Fluid Medium Gloss or Matt. For a Satin finish, mix Fluid Medium Gloss and Matt together in a 50:50 ratio.
The drying time of Wallace Seymour Artist’s Acrylic Extra Fine Paint can be extended by adding 20-40% Wallace Seymour Acrylic Retarder. This soft gel will help keep the paint film open for a longer period of time.
For Screenprinting techniques, add 30-50% Wallace Seymour Screenprint Paste to Wallace Seymour Artist’s Acrylic Extra Fine Paint. The Screenprint Paste will stay ‘open’ for longer periods to facilitate pulling of prints using standard screenprinting frame/mesh. A similar mix can be used to create monoprints/blockprints. Wallace Seymour Acrylic paint is available in larger sizes up to a 2.5 litre container.
Finished paintings can be varnished using Wallace Seymour Gloss or Matt Varnish (water-based). These varnishes can be readily diluted with water as required. To gain a Satin finish, mix Gloss and Matt together in a 50:50 ratio.
THE FULL RANGE OF ACRYLIC MEDIUMS CAN BE FOUND HERE
Avoid adding water to the colour and then storing, as added water may cause the paint paste to spoil. Avoid contamination with fingers, wet brushes/painting knives or other utensils. Paint can be cleaned up using water. Clean jars thoroughly before replacing lids.
]]>Caribbean Turquoise, Series 2
Organic
Colour Index PB 15.3, PG7, PY 150, Drying Speed:Fast, Opacity Covering and Tint Power: High, Lightfastness: Excellent, Oil Content: High, Toxic: No
Conforms to ASTM D-4236
Caribbean Turquoise is made from organic pigments: it is transparent, fast drying, and has a high tint power. Regardless of the type of painter you are this paint will convey your mood with the stroke of a brush.
Indigo, Series 2
Organic and Inorganic
Colour Index PBk 6, PB 15.3, Pv 19, Drying Speed:Average, Opacity Covering and Tint Power: High, Lightfastness: Excellent, Oil Content:High, Non-Toxic: Yes
Conforms to ASTM D-4236
Introduced after extensive testing this deep, rich Indigo is both organic and inorganic. It is transparent, has an average drying time along with excellent lightfastness and high tint power.
This oil paint is perfect for artists seeking to enhance enhance greys and shadows. It offers uncompromising quality and consistency. It is truly delicious, beautiful, and inky.
Quinacridone Gold, Series 4
Organic
Colour Index PY 150, PR 209, PV19, Drying Speed: Average, Opacity Covering and Tint Power: High, Lightfastness: Excellent, Oil Content: High, Toxic No
Conforms to ASTM D-4236
Michael Harding Quinacridone Gold is made from nickel azo and quinacridone. It is organic, transparent, with an average drying time, and possesses excellent light fastness and high tint power.
It is perfect for artists who like either glazing or being adventurous with colour.
Cobalt Teal Blue Shade, Series 5
Inorganic
Colour Index PG 50, Drying Speed: Average, Lightfastness: Excellent, Tint Power: Average, Oil Content: Linseed Oil-low, Toxic No
Conforms To ASTM D-4236
This new colour offers just the right amount of blue to compliment the teal.
Pale Violet, just like all the other paints in the range, is handmade using techniques dating back to the old masters.
Be one of the first to try this new colour and take advantage of our great prices by clicking here or clicking on the link below.
]]>Deep Purple (Dioxazine) (series3)
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Warm White Lead has been introduced following the recent ban on Lead Whites and the new Warm Light Yellow is ideal for artists looking for a white paint with a tinge of yellow.
Both of these paints are in stock now and available for immediate dispatch.
]]>Cecilia's website can be found at http://www.ceciliaartist.co.uk/
Be sure to sign up to the newsletter to be entered in our £100 Christmas Give Away. The next draw will be made on the 11th of December 2015.
]]>Care should be taken with your stretched canvases both before and especially after they have been painted.
Your canvases should be stored vertically whenever possible. If they are stored angled against a wall they may warp over time. If they are stored horizontally they may sag and become unusable. Sagging canvases can be re-tensioned but this can be avoided is they are stored correctly.
Keep your canvases in a temperature controlled environment such as your home or studio. Do not store them in out buildings such as garages or sheds where they may be susceptible to moisture. This can warp and damage them prior to use.
If possible store your canvases in darkened areas and not in direct sunlight or near heat sources.
Multiple canvases should be stored back to back. Another option is face to face. This minimises the chance of canvases being marked or stained. If possible use bubblewrap on completed paintings.
Framing your finished artwork can protect a painting and reduce the chances of it warping in the future.
Always make sure you choose the ideal canvas for your painting. Lighter canvases can be affected by just a wet or thick wash of paint. Remember you are dealing with natural materials that will react to temperature changes or moisture.
The following suggestions are designed to minimise the likelihood of contact with oil paint and your mouth or skin. Many oil paints contain toxic materials that can be absorbed by the body. Always read the labels and be aware of what you are using.
Solvents should be treated with as much care as oil paints both during and after use.
Solvents used to dissolve paint are highly flammable and can self-ignite. Care should be taken with bunched up cleaning rags soaked with solvent. They can catch fire as they dry. Soak rags in a container filled with water or store them in a sealed metal container where they will be unable to light. Never burn any solvent soaked rags. Do not wash solvent rags in a washing machine or tumble dryer.
While most artists are aware of these rules they can easily be overlooked or ignored due to deadlines or bad habits but sticking to them will ensure being around to paint for many years to come. More detailed reading on this subject can be found in the links below.
More detailed information on the Michael Harding range of Oil paints can be found on their website.
More detailed safety information can be found in the following books:-
Health Hazards Manual for Artists Paperback – by Michael McCann (Author)
or
The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide Paperback – by Monona Rossol
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Please check here regularly for updates.
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