Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Process of Oil Painting Restoration


Oil paintings have been around for centuries. Over time, an oil painting tends to age and wear down. Oil painting restoration involves the retouching of a worn out oil painting to make it look better. Oil painting restoration is a booming business for artists. The process of restoring an oil painting is as follows.

The first step in restoring an oil painting is de-framing. This involves removing the canvas from the stretcher bars. This makes the restoration process much easier since you can work on the canvas much more easily.
After de-framing, the second step in oil painting restoration is cleaning. Use a soft cloth to clean off any dust that might have settled on the paintings surface. You can also use a fine brush o remove any dust and debris that might have gotten stuck within crevices within the texture on the painting. Vacuum the back of the painting to remove any dust that might have settled there.



The third step in oil painting restoration is the removal of varnish. Using a soft cloth soaked in methylated spirit, clean off the layer of varnish to expose the paint. Be careful not to damage the underlying paint.
If there are tears and holes on the painting, the fourth step is applying fresh canvas from the back of the painting to mend the tears and holes. If the damage is extensive, apply a whole piece of canvas at the back. This process is known as re-canvassing.



Fifth, apply paint on the areas where it’s faded and damaged. Try as much as possible to match the color of the pigment used in the original. After this, mount the canvas onto the stretcher bars. Finally, wait until the new layer of paint has dried off and then apply a fresh layer of varnish to your painting.


4 Killer Tips for Painting Beginners - Alla Prima Vs Glazing Painting


Oil painting is perhaps the most popular painting method among today’s artists. If you are a beginner and want to create oil paintings, you are faced with the task of deciding which oil painting technique to use. Among the oil painting techniques to choose from are the alla prima and the glazing technique. But which between the two is the best for beginner oilpainters? Here are some of the things to look at before you decide which technique you want to use.

Alla Prima Paintings- Amazing, isn't it?

The first thing to look at is the amount of time you have. Oil paintings take a lot of time to dry. That said, alla prima paintings willtake lesser time to dry compared to glazes since they are created at a go. If you are interested in creating a painting that can be available for display within the shortest time possible, then alla prima is the way to go.

Secondly, look at the amount of detail you intent to include within the oil painting. Glazing provides you with the opportunity of including lots of detail and texture. Alla prima on the other hand doesn’t provide such opportunity since you will be painting at a single go.

Thirdly, look at the amount of paint and oil medium you have available. Alla prima paintings don’t use up a lot of paint as compared to glazing. Glazing actually requires that you increase the amount of oil medium with each subsequent layer you paint.
Great Glazing paintings - How Real!

Finally, consider the type of painting technique you wish to use in your future. Many painters will often try out different painting techniques before sticking to one technique. However, if you want to master one painting technique fast, then why not start practicing it when you are still a beginner?

Both alla prima and glazing are excellent oil painting techniques which beginner painters can adopt. Check out these new releases by Thomas Kinkade. Neither can be described as the most appropriate for beginners. It only takes taking into consideration a couple of factors before deciding which technique will work best.

Check out the Free Painting Lessons.





Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Disney Dreams Collections - Top Oil Painting Techniques



Oil painting has been around for centuries. Some of the greatest painters are recognized by their remarkable oil paints. There are a couple different oil painting techniques which will be discussed here.

Alla prima is one of the oil painting techniques known today. The term translates to “in one go”. This oil painting technique therefore involves starting and completing the painting at a go as opposed to other techniques which can take days even weeks to complete. This oil painting technique is usually associated with beginners who want to learn the art of oil painting.



The impasto oil painting technique involves the application of thick paint onto the surface. This technique is used in the creation of expressive paintings. This technique is excellent for the creation of the element of texture and movement within a painting. It however can result in the use of large amounts of paint.

Glazing is an oil painting technique which involves application of translucent layers of paint over existing paint layers. The translucent layers are used to modify the hue of the underlying layer. It’s commonly used by advanced painters. Linseed oil is the most commonly used oil painting medium for glazing. Since a glaze (new layer) should only be applied once the underlying layer is completely dry, a drying medium such as liquin is also used. Learn how to do it by Thomas Kinkade.



Sgraffito is an oil painting technique usually practiced to add movement and texture to an oil painting. This technique involves etching off an overlying layer of paint usually to reveal an underlying layer usually of a contrasting color. The etching can be done with any mark making equipment such as combs and scissors.



Tonking is yet another oil painting technique. Rather than involve the addition of paint to the surface, tonking involves removal of unwanted parts of a painting without disturbing the surrounding area. To do this, you simply place a newspaper on the unwanted area allowing it absorb the paint.


Learn Oil Painting from Experts - Check out this video


How to Sell Your Thomas Kinkade Paintings



Since the untimely death of the painter of light, Thomas Kinkade’s paintings have become more popular and attracting higher prices. This is especially so for limited editions. Do you own a Kinkade painting that you wish to sell? Here’s how to go about this.



First of all, learn as much as you can about your painting. Many people don’t know much about their paintings and end up selling them for much less than they are worth. Is your painting an authentic print and do you possess the certificate of authenticity. What edition is it? What is its size and does it have any damage? Taking into consideration such details will enable you create your unique selling point. After considering this, consider how much you wish to receive for the painting. Of course the print might have increased in value but don’t be too far fetched. Just get a realistic estimate.


With this information ready, the second thing to do is find your potential buyer. Art dealers are a great option since they are very likely to be in the search for Thomas Kinkade paintings. Approach an art dealer with your proposal to sell. If possible visit a couple of art dealers and schedule a date when you will present the painting.

If visiting a couple of art dealers doesn’t appeal to you, a less time consuming way to go is the internet. There are many online websites dedicated to buying and selling Thomas Kinkade paintings. Approach them with your proposal to sell. Many will ask you for the price you expect for the piece. Besides websites dedicated to buying Thomas Kinkade paintings, you can also sell your painting through bidding websites such as eBay. You can also open an account in Amazon and put your painting on sale.


Selling your Thomas Kinkade painting isn’t a hard process. The main thing is to have all the necessary information regarding your painting. This allows you to have a unique selling point which will enable you get a good price for the piece.

How to Buy Disney Paintings Online



There are countless Disney paintings on sale online. If you are a fan of Disney paintings, then buying online is one of the options you have. Here is how to go about doing this.

The first thing to keep in mind is the type of style you prefer. Do you like a particular painting style and, do you have a particular painter in mind? There are many different painting styles to choose from when it comes to Disney paintings. In addition, there are thousands of Disney art painters to choose from.



Secondly, consider whether you want an original painting or its print. Original paintings attract a much higher price compared to their prints. However, these are the versions which gain value over time. 

Thirdly, consider how much money you are willing to spend on the Disney painting. Before buying any piece of artwork, setting a budget is essential. Check online galleries to get a picture of how much you can expect to spend on the Disney paintings you fancy.

Fourth, with your budget ready, search the different online dealers selling Disney paintings. There are many different websites selling these paintings and besides providing a picture of the painting, it’s hard for you to determine whether the website is legit or not. Some of the features to look at to determine whether a website is worth dealing with include the following. 



Check whether the website provides a certificate of authenticity alongside the painting sold. Certificates of authenticity indicate that the painting you get is the original copy as well as provides proof that the painting isn’t stolen. Another thing to check is whether your personal details are protected during and after the transaction. Does the website provide a privacy policy? Finally check whether the website allows you to return the painting in case you aren’t satisfied with the product.
If you assess the features above and ascertain that the website is legit, you can now go ahead and place your order for the painting.