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Lean
paint
has
more
turpentine
thinner and
less oil medium
mixed in it, and
fatter paint has less
turpentine thinner
and more oil medium.
This principal is impor-
tant because if one was to
paint fat layers underneath
lean layers, the fat layers will
dry slower, and cause the lean
layers on top to crack as the
layers underneath dried.
Now, here is my
advice on mixing
the three: First
of all, I like to put
my paint on disposable
paper palettes. This is
because oil paint is ex-
tremely hard to clean off
of a plastic palette and
the paper palettes can be
thrown away, are reasonably
priced and quite large, so I can
still mix a large amount of paint.
To mix in the oil and the turpentine,
I first put down my paints, approximat-
ing how much I will need (which is a
skill in itself), next I take one of my
more absorbent brushes, dip it in tur-
pentine, and drip the turpentine onto
the paint until I am satisfied with the
amount. Sometimes this takes a while,
but pouring turpentine onto the palette
can be problematic. Next, I carefully
pour a little oil next to my pile of paint.
Now you can mix! However, never
use a paint brush to do this. Unless
you like ruining paint brushes, always
use a palette knife to mix. It seems
obvious, but it is easy to get lazy and
use your paint brush. Just know that
a bunch of paint will get stuck in the
base of your bristles and you do not
want that to happen because it is im-
possible to clean out and your bristles
will get crusty.
5) Unleash your inner artist:
Now that you have mixed your
paint, it is time to apply it to the
canvas! This is where you can
get creative and experimental!
Try out different types of mark
making, experiment with your
color palette, use all shapes and
sizes of paint brushes, and use
a carrot! (I would advise against
using your fingers with oil paint
though)
P.S. If you ever get some oil paint
on your clothes; immediately put
some turpentine on a paper towel
and get to dabbing, works like a
charm.