The Nitrogen Family Elements at a Glance

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Author: Al Dawson
Source: articlesbase.com

Research has shown that nearly half of those between the ages of 18 and 40 have a tattoo or several tattoos. The problem here is that a majority of those who have tattoos have later decided that they don’t want them anymore. The biggest complaint to tattoos is dissatisfaction, which has led to a recent increase in tattoo removal. It’s been proven in the past that women research their removal options more than men — due to the fact that men have less of a stigma when it comes to tattoos.Often times, the ink that is used during tattoos can lead to infection, simply because the type of ink being used isn’t regulation for tattoo parlors. Clean equipment is also essential with tattoo parlors; otherwise someone can end up with hepatitis B, C, and various other infections. There are many serious diseases and other sicknesses that can occur if a tattoo parlor doesn’t keep their materials and parlor clean.In the event of infection or if someone just doesn’t like their tattoo, there are ways to get them removed. Skin grafting and dermabrasion are good examples of tattoo removal, although the most popular and most common these days is laser removal. Laser removal is the fastest and by far the most preferred. With this surgery, the laser being used will zap the metal ions that are found in the pigment of the tattoo, fracturing the ink into very small pieces that the body can easily dispose of.There are several great things about laser tattoo removal, although there are some bad things as well. In some cases, where infection is involved, the surgery will be a bit different. First, you’ll need to get the infection out of the area before the tattoo can be removed. Depending on how bad the infection is, you may end up staying in the hospital for a few days. For this very reason — you should always make sure that the equipment is clean and sterile before you ever get a tattoo.Laser tattoo removal can be very painful, depending on the area that you have the tattoo on. Almost all surgeons will use numbing ointment and local anesthetics before they do the removal, so you experience little to no pain. Even though you may think that you have a high tolerance for pain and can deal with the treatment, you may still want to take any type of numbing that you can get.Before you decide to get a tattoo removed with laser removal, you should always make sure that you choose a surgeon you can trust. Lasers can be very dangerous, and there are always side effects and risks involved. Although laser tattoo removal is certainly an option for getting rid of a tattoo — the best thing to do is think long and hard before you get one to begin with.

Al Dawson is a 25 year + collector of Tattoos and runs the company http://www.ultimatetattookits.com.
For the best prices and fast service check out his store now: http://www.ultimatetattookits.com.

The Author grants full reprint rights to this article. You may reprint and electronically distribute this article as long as its contents remain unchanged and the Author’s byline remains in place.

Author: Susan Harrison-Tustain
Source: ezinearticles.com

Is this watercolor? I am often asked. It looks like oils it is so rich!

I am often asked what colors I use to create my luminous and transparent reality. It is not a straightforward answer. But one of the main reasons my work looks as if the subject has a presence is because I use a multi-layered technique using transparent or semi-transparent watercolor.

Why?

Because they allow our paintings to glow. Think of several fine layers of color, laid one on top of the other. Each one will be influenced by those laid beneath them. The final color glows like a jewel because the colors are unsullied by opaque pigment.

I will share my magical palette of hues below. But first – let me explain a very important factor when choosing pigments: Not all hues are equal! The same names are often used by the color houses for very different colors. They are not interchangeable. For instance Indian Yellow in one brand is very opaque – but in the brand I use – it is very transparent. Transparent colors are crucial in the success of unsullied color using my methods.

These are Schmincke colors and are available at many of the large art supply stores:

1. 208 Aureolin Modern

2. 220 Indian Yellow

3. 218 Translucent Orange

4. 363 Scarlet Red

5. 357 Alizarin Crimson

6. 351 Ruby Red

7. 367 Purple Magenta

8. 484 Phthalo blue

9. 494 Ultramarine Finest

10. 519 Phthalo Green

11. 530 Sap Green

12. 787 Paynes Grey Bluish

These can be bought individually or in a set that should be available in November 2009.

I have a few favorite mixes that I like to share on my DVDs and also with those on my workshops:

To create a gorgeous Sap Green:

Mix Sap Green with Translucent Orange = fabulous, clean, fresh and very transparent green.

To create a brilliant purple:

Thalo Green and Purple Magenta = stunning clean purple ideal for floral studies

To create a rich dark luminous transparent black:

Mix Alizarin Crimson with Thalo Green – add a touch of Thalo Blue

If your color is too strident or you simply wish to grey if off slightly – just mix a touch of the complementary color to it and voila – you have the perfect subdued color – that juxtaposed to other bright colors, will allow them to really sing.

You can dull a colour down to create beautiful grey – by simply adding more of the complementary color to a hue.

Complementary colors:

-Blue/Orange

-Orange/Blue

-Red/Green

-Green/Red

-Purple/Yellow

-Yellow/Purple

By using transparent colors you will not create mud. You can create browns and earth colors that will resemble mud in hue – but they will always glow beautifully from within.

Try my palette and you will see what I mean.

Have fun!

UPDATE: Because so many people want to purchase the transparent hues I love to paint with – I have been working with Schmincke to produce a “Susan Harrison-Tustain” signature set of my specific palette of hues. The colors will come in a very practical and useful tin presentation box that has flip sides which can be used for mixing! My signature set will become available at selected art supply stores by the end of November 2009.

BIO: Susan Harrison-Tustain is an internationally acclaimed watercolor artist and teacher. For more information you can visit her website at http://www.susanart.com or take a look at her best-selling watercolor lessons on DVD at http://www.susanart.com/pennyfarthing

Author: Annette Labedzki
Source: ezinearticles.com

Tattoo – The Concept
Tattoo is used as a form of body modification to create a design, usually permanent, on various parts of body. They can be employed for a multitude of reasons, like tradition, identification, medicinal purposes, or for fashion. The color pigment, which is an indelible liquid, is inserted in the skin in such a way that it colors several layers of it and settles there permanently. The term ‘tattoo’ was derived from the Polynesian word ‘tatau.’ This art has been prevalent in various parts of the world, since antiquity.

The History
The evidence of tattooing in Japan traces back to the 5th Century B.C. However, Gishiwajinden, the Chinese historical account, describes face tattooing by the Japanese men in the 3rd Century B.C.! Around the 18th Century A.D., prostitutes used dot like tattoos. In 1720, tattooing of letters or circles on the forehead or on arms was legalized as a punishment for financial crimes and frauds. After the Horeki Era (1751-1764), first pictorial tattoos appeared in Japan. As the modernization of Japan began, tattoos were banned in the year 1872, citing them as a mark of barbarism. The ban was finally lifted in the year 1948.

Several mummies, which date back to 2000 to 5000 A.D., exhumed from Ancient Egypt and the Alps region between Italy & Austria, also carry tattoos. These were simple designs, like lines or dots in monochromatic ink, rather than elaborate patterns. Germany and other parts northern & central Europe also witnessed the use of tattoos among its natives, in the Pre-Christian era. These tribes used organic woad extracts and copper compounds as dying agents. The art of tattooing was prevalent in India since ancient times. Mostly the leaves of a plant known as ‘mehendi’ were used to create a ‘temporary’ pigment. The paste of the leaves was used to create elaborate designs on the skin. It was washed-off on drying, leaving behind red-orange patterns by etching through the layers of the skin. The evidence of the use of permanent dyes and iron needles process were also found.

Conclusion
These days, professional studios use motor-operated tattooing tools. The studios lay special emphasis on hygiene concerns. The patterns these studios use vary widely from religious themes to abstract art, names & initials to faces, and so on. Now a days, a large number of tattoo designs are copyrighted, which are later sold as flash (sample designs) directly to parlors, or online to the internet community.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. Please visit the website at http://www.Labedzki-Art.com It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited.

Author: Tina Banks
Source: isnare.com

If you like to use rubber stamps to personalize cards and letters then you will love to emboss using rubber stamps. This technique adds extra elegance to your cards, letters, and artwork.

It’s not difficult to learn how to emboss with rubber stamps. The materials that you need to start are simple and inexpensive to obtain. But the results are astounding. You obviously need rubber stamps, but also an embossing ink stamp pad, embossing powder, an embossing heat gun, and of course something to stamp on.

The first thing you do is stamp your design onto the material you are using with a slow drying pigment ink pad. Make sure that the entire stamp is covered with ink. Don’t rock the stamp when you place it onto your paper since this may blur the lines. You need to press down all over the stamp to ensure that the design is completely transferred and you get the perfect image.

Once the image has been transferred sprinkle embossing powder onto the image and then gently tap off the excess and remove any stray flecks from the paper with a dry paintbrush. This embossing powder comes from ultra fine to tinsel as well as in a variety of colors as does the pigment ink. The powder also comes in different compositions such as metallic powder in gold, silver, or bronze, and glitter powder. This adds a rich color to your artwork and looks really effective. For these metallic powders to really stand out, you can use them with clear ink, or if you use colored ink you can produce effects such as tinted copper.

The final step to produce thermal embossed art is to use your heat tool to direct hot air onto the embossing powder, which will melt and produce the thermal embossed effect in the shape of the image that you stamped. The best way to do this is to use a heat gun as this creates the most even, glossy effect. Around the home you can try to use a toaster or oven but you will have to be careful not to scorch the material you are using. It is therefore worth investing in a proper heat gun, especially if you plan to emboss a lot.

Since there are so many different colors and compositions of ink and embossing powder to use, you are able to personalize each piece of artwork. For example, if you wish to celebrate a friend’s wedding or the christening of a child you might want to use pearlescent powder, which produces a beautiful pastel effect. However, a card for a child’s birthday may need to be bright and colorful so you may wish to use metallic and glitter effect embossing powders to produce a dramatic but fun result.

The more you emboss using rubber stamps the more you will create a unique style with the colors of ink and type of embossing powder that you use. After all, the fun part of crafting is not being afraid to experiment so that you create your own unique artwork!

Author: Lori Mcnee
Source: ezinearticles.com

We have all been taught that ‘oil and water do not mix’. However, rules are made to be broken in art and water soluble paints are rebels on the scene. But, your intelligent mind is probably still pondering, “How can oil pigments possibly be water soluble?”

The answer is this: The oil vehicle has been modified to make it soluble in water, eliminating the necessity for turpentine or other dangerous solvents to thin paint and clean brushes and other supplies.

There are still some painting purists who question whether or not these pigments are true oils, but I assure you they are. In fact, I have been successfully executing my paintings using water soluble oils with professional results forover 10 years. I made the smooth transition from acrylics to the new oilsin my home studio so my family and petswere not exposed totoxic fumes. With an open mind and a little time experimenting, you might also enjoy the benefits of water soluble oils. Below, I will do my best to inform you of this remarkable paint from my own personal experience and with a little help from the technically informative book, “Painting with Water Soluble Oils,” by Sean Dye.

Facts:

Water soluble oil offers greater convenience and increased accessibility. Especially to people with allergies, home studios, students, schools and those who have avoided oils because of the toxic solvents.
Water soluble oils smell great, just like traditional oils!
Linseed oil is contained in both new and traditional oils.
Water soluble oils are real oils. They are water mixable, not water-based.
The new oils were developed to be used with water in the place of turpentine, mineral spirits or other solvents!
The vegetable drying oils have been restructured in water soluble oils which eliminate yellowing.
Like traditional oils, water soluble oils must dry through oxidation – absorbing oxygen through the air. Once dry, they are just like any other oil painting and should be treated as such.
Like traditional oils, water soluble oil paintings cannot be reactivated with water when dry.
New water-mixable mediums have been developed for water soluble oils: quick dry mediums (my favorite), stand oils, painting mediums and impasto mediums, linseed oils and alkyd mediums.
Traditional oil paints and mediums can be added to the new oils in small amounts of up to 20%-30% and still retain water solubility. Small amounts of traditional oil color can be added to these new paints affect the color or consistency.
The new pigments blend and mix extremely well.
When the new oils are mixed with water, it may at times appear somewhat cloudy until the water evaporates. Although I have read this complaint, it has not been my experience with these oils.
The fast drying mediums allow for plenty of time for blending but still make over-painting easier and faster.
Luminous, transparent glazes can be made by using the water-mixable mediums. Rich, opaque darks are easy to achieve.
Water-mixable linseed oil medium makes the new oil more transparent.
A loaded brush of traditional oils spreads much farther than a brush loaded with water soluble oils. This does not affect the look of the finished piece, only the actual painting process.
Water soluble paints produce fresh, bright, strong color. It is easier to avoid making ‘muddy’ color.
The new oils are easier to clean up.
Those with limited or no experience with traditional oils adjust to water soluble oils more quickly.
Depending on how thick you paint, the water soluble oils retain their elasticity and workability for up to 48 hours.
The new oils lack of the glossy appearance of traditional oils, but a final varnish is a quick way to replicate the luster of traditional oils.
Tips:

Take care when drying your freshly painted new oil or traditional oil paintings. Avoid dark or moist areas to prevent darkening or yellowing that is caused by the linseed oil.
Water soluble oil paints are perfect for travel, especially on airplanes. Many airlines restrict traditional and flammable solvents on commercial flights. Eliminating the need for harsh solvents makes water soluble oils easy to pack for painting on location whether by car, plane or horseback.
The plein air painter can keep paint on the palette for long periods of time without the paint drying out. However, finished paintings dry more quickly than traditional oil paintings which make these new paints even more desirable for the plein air painter.
Last summer,I used water soluble oils during my plein air painting workshop in France. I painted on canvas sheets which mademy studies of Provencelight and easy to pack for travel. In the past, I have also used 300lb watercolor paper with two coats of gesso.
Acrylic gesso should be used as the starting ground for water soluble paints to ensure proper adhesion. For studio works, I prefer to paint on hardboard or Masonite panelsfor a smooth and rigid support, but I do use canvas and linen at times.
Hog bristles are good for under-paintings, but do not let them sit in water or they become mushy. I often use synthetic bristle brushes for large areas. For fine work synthetic watercolor brushes work well.
The new oils will remain water soluble after these specific mediums are used. Having said that, I have found that it is better not to mix water with the medium because using water makes the mediums sticky and the paint does not flow as easily. By the time I begin to add the oil medium, I usually abandon the water except for brush cleaning between color or temperature changes.
A few drops of linseed oil on the palette restore the paints to their original workable form.
All oil paint should be applied fat over lean to prevent cracking.
Use water to thin the new oils for laying in washes. Build up the oily layers after the under painting is dry.The new oils will remain water soluble after the specific water mixable mediums are used.
Just like with standard oils, the new paints can be laid down in many smooth thin layers, called indirect painting or can be applied in a thick wet single layer called direct or alla prima painting or everything else in between.
Drying time is longer when a lot of white pigment or Naples Yellow is used.
The dark passagesin water soluble oils sometimes ‘sink’ and lack the glossy appearance of a traditional oil painting. This is easily remedied by a final varnish.
I prefer Max Artists’ Oil Colors by Grumbacher and Artisan Water Mixable Oils by Windsor & Newton. The characteristics of these brands are consistent with their traditional oil color counterparts. They both use all of the traditional pigments in their lines including cadmiums and cobalts. These paints deliver brilliant, luminous transparent glazes and rich, mysterious opaque passages to my work.
Holbein’s Duo Aqua Oil has a rather firm consistency which makes them ideal for painting with a palette knife straight from the tube. The Van Gosh H2Oils have a softer consistency that is similar to acrylic paint. They are perfect for detail work without the need for adding mediums. However, for palette knife work, impasto medium is recommended.
I use non-toxic Turpenoid Natural on hard to clean brushes otherwise; “Dawn” dish soap does the job.Baby oil is also a good cleaner, followed by soap and water. After, a little petroleum jelly conditions the brushes back to their original shape.
Rubbing Alcohol and a razor blade keep my glass palette fresh for the next painting session.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding and appreciation for the benefits of water soluble oils. They are easier and less intimidating to use and deliver the beautiful results of traditional oils. I encourage you to give them a try and let me know how they work for you.

Lori Mcnee is a nationally recognized professional artist who specializes in still life and landscape oil paintings. Lori shares valuable fine art tips, techniques and art business tips on her blog http://www.lorimcnee.com/ or http://www.finearttips.com/

Author: Jeremy Neil Mayers
Source: ezinearticles.com

There are many such people who want to remove their tattoos. These days there are various methods to remove your tattoo. At the end of the 1980′s laser treatment was the best method and remains one even today. It makes sure no scars are left on your skin after the treatment. Before the laser treatment came into picture, people used the following methods for tattoo removal.

1. Dermabrasion-Method
In this method of removal, the skin was sanded using a wire-brush or a diamond-fraise, which is a kind of sanding disc that removed the upper surface of the skin and also a little bit of the inner layer if necessary.
The main drawback of this method was that it left scars on the skin surface.

2. Salabrasion Method
This was another method which was widely used in the past. In this case, a salt solution was prepared and this removed the pigmentation from the skin surface. At times, this was used in conjunction with dermabrasion, but later it has become very unpopular.

3. Cryosurgery Method
In this method of tattoo removal, the skin surface which had the tattoo would be first frozen to make the part numb and then it was removed.

4. Excision Method
Before the laser treatment came up, the Excision-Method was commonly used. Here, a dermatologist would remove the tattoo by utilizing a scalpel and closes the open-wound with stitches. If the tattooed are was too big, skin transplantation would have to be done. (Skin from another part of the body would be taken and placed over the tattooed area.)

5. Scarification Method
In this method an acid solution is utilized to remove the tattoo. The main disadvantage of the scarification method is that it leaves scars in place of the tattoo. Due to this reason, not many people preferred this process.

6. Camouflaging Method
In this case, utilization of injections takes place. New pigments are injected to the skin surface to either form a completely new patter or cover the existing tattoo with a skin-toned pigment, so that it will cover the tattoo. Injected pigments do not look natural because they lack the natural translucence the skin has.
Most of the above mentioned methods are used even today. But the laser surgery is definitely the best method to remove a tattoo due to certain advantages like minimum side effects, bloodless, low risk and effective.

Now you know the different ways in which you can remove you tattoo. But they say prevention is better than cure, therefore make sure you select the right artist and get a perfect tattoo done so that you do not have to remove it.

Get Tattooed!
Getting a tattoo can be one of those decisions that take an instant to decide, but a lifetime to regret. Quickly flipping through a binder at your local tattoo shop and making an impulsive decision could cause you to kick yourself later on. A tattoo should have a deep meaning to you. Something you will be proud to show off to your friends. Explaining the “meaning behind the ink” shouldn’t be an embarrassing moment that you will regret for years to come.

What You Must Do Before Getting Yourself Tattooed!
1. Research on the various types of tattoo design before heading to the tattoo studio
2. Select the colors and appropriate design that will match your skin tone, while still being able to grab attention and make you look attractive
3. Never ever rush into deciding the type of tattoo design and matching color scheme
4. Always hire a professional tattoo artist!

TattooMeNow Tattoo Gallery:
TattooMeNow is a biggest tattoo gallery featuring over 3,523 designs (and growing!) in 40 categories! All the designs are professionally designed with YOU in mind! Award winning artists constantly provides fresh new design for your every situation, from sexy to bold, tiny designs to full body artwork!

All the things above were created in order to make your ‘tattoo journey’ as fun and pleasant as possible and maximize your chances of getting that dream tattoo you will love for the rest of your life.

Award Winning, Largest Tattoo Gallery Online: 3,523 Tattoo Designs

Author: Susan Harrison-Tustain
Source: ezinearticles.com

I developed my Priming Method over a period of many years, and I now teach this watercolor technique to all of my students. It is a simple but very effective 3 step process:

The first step is to apply water to the region you wish to paint and then allow the moisture to be absorbed into the paper.

Next, while the paper is still barely damp from step one, i.e. the sheen of the surface has just disappeared, lay in another light wash of clear water.

In the 3rd and final step of the Priming Method, while the previous wash is still wet and shiny, lay in your pigmented wash. Before moving on to apply further washes it is extremely important to ensure your watercolor paper is BONE DRY.

That’s it! 3 simple but extremely effective steps to mastering watercolors.

My Priming watercolor technique is successful because it allows pigment to be absorbed as far as possible into the inner layers of the paper. I use this method at the early stages of a painting. As the painting advances and I feel I have reached the tonal depth I desire – I then change to a wet-in-wet method for the middle few washes.

Before I create my finest detail with dry brush I fine-tune the colors I have achieved by laying in final washes to adjust color temperature, depth of hue or change of color as I see necessary.

Once totally dry I then use the age-old dry brush method to establish fine detail where needed. Naturally, you can’t wash over dry brushing unless you intend to lift off some of it. Dry brush sits on the surface of the paper and is easily dispersed. You can of course use this to your advantage but generally my dry brush layer is my final layer.

I never have a problem with the fibers in my paper lifting despite using anywhere from 2 – 20 washes! Take a look at my work. I hope you agree this glowing method speaks for itself.

Here is a simple experiment you can try at home. Draw three 1 inch circles. Use my Priming Method in the first circle, Wet in Wet in the second and Wet on Dry in the third. Why not use a transparent yellow for this so you can play with the glow of this in subsequent washes?

Now allow all of the circles to become bone dry. Use a dryer if needed. To check for dryness: Once the heat from the dryer has gone from the paper, touch the paper with the ball of your hand. If it feels cold – there is still moisture in there. If it feels room temperature, then it should be dry.

Now lay in clear water washes over all three of the circles. If you have used transparent colors and my Priming Method – you will find there is very little pigment movement. The Wet on Wet will lift a little more easily and of course the Wet on Dry will move very easily. Now add further washes and hues to your Priming Method circles and see how the yellow underwash glows.

Where my final tones are to be light – I use very little yellow. Naturally where the final tones are dark – I may use three or four priming sets of washes to create enough depth of yellow so it can glow through even the richest dark hues.

Yellow underwashes take away the raw look of colors and establish a look of substance that can almost feel palpable.

Susan Harrison-Tustain is an internationally acclaimed watercolor artist and teacher. For more information you can visit her website at http://www.susanart.com or take a look at her best-selling watercolor lessons on DVD at http://www.susanart.com/pennyfarthing

Author: Sean J Williams
Source: ezinearticles.com

Hello and welcome back to another article on finding oil painting supplies at a great price if you’re new to oil painting you may not know what color paints to get. As we’ve discussed in previous articles it is always to buy paints in sets when beginning. Buy paint sets will always save you the most money possible especially if they are 37 mL tubes. The smaller bottles of paint just aren’t worth their money so unless you see them on sale, avoid them. Here are some great colors that you should have in your collection from the start.

Cadmium yellow light: cadmium yellow light is a brilliant light yellow. You will not need to buy this exact color if possible, but not just any old yellow either. If you can find a hue version that’s the best kind to get. When looking at hue versions of this color, what it means is that manufacturer has used substitute pigments. The substitutes are excellent for most beginners because the results look just the same as real cadmium. The hue will allow you to indulge in some brilliant color without having to worry so much about the cost.

Cadmium red light: a brilliant, bright, and opaque red. Once again the same rule of not buying cadmium red applies here unless it’s light; hues are just fine. The normal versions are typically too dark and you can’t be as flexible with how you use them.

Ellis Ari and crimson: this is a transparent wine colored red that’s used to make many violets and other reds.

Ultramarine blue: a deep yet transparent blue. This is often seen as French ultramarine. There are no real differences between French ultramarine blue and normal ultramarine blue. French ultramarine blue is typically just made with a substitute set of pigments and it sounds very fancy. You can buy either a variation. The appearance and costs between the two are normally comparable.

Titanium white: Titanium White is an opaque inexpensive and dense white.

Mars Black: Mars Black is a color that should not be forgotten and is the last in our list. Mars Black is simply an opaque black.

With these basic colors you should have pretty much everything you need to get started an oil painting.

Sean has written a variety of great reviews. Check out his latest review and finds on DVD Storage Unit and DVD Storage Cabinets

Author: Ian Antonio
Source: isnare.com

How to choose between oils, acrylics, watercolours and pastels

One of the very first decisions you must make when you start painting is what sort of paint (also called medium) to use. The following information is intended to be informative and help you decide between the most commonly used paints.

What is paint and what is the difference between each type of paint?

The brief technical bit!

Paint is a dispersion of pigments, resins and fillers in a liquid carrier. By varying the basic ingredients the different types of paint can be created.

Oil Paints

Oil paints as the name suggests contain oil. This is usually a natural vegetable oil such as linseed or a synthetic hydrocarbon made from oil.

The oil is the carrier used for the pigment and resins (alkyd). The pigments provide the colour which can be in the form of a soluble dye or an insoluble powder finely dispersed in the liquid. The various colours are produced from one or several pigments mixed together. By varying the different amounts, not only the different colours, but different shades and hues can be produced.

The resin is dissolved in the oil and acts as a binder for the different ingredients and to, and also binds the paint to the surface that it is applied to.

When the liquid evaporates after application, the resin and the pigments remain and form a skin which sticks to the painting surface.

Acrylic Paints

Acrylic paints are similar in make-up to oil paints, i.e. they are similar in appearance and contain a liquid carrier, pigments and resin. However, the liquid used is water.

The resin is not the same type as in oil paints, because it has to combine with water. The acrylic resin does not dissolve in the water but forms an emulsion (forms globules). When the water evaporates the globules of resin stick together to form a skin. The pigments used must also combine with water and so are chemically different than oil pigments.

Watercolours

Watercolours consist of pigments, filler and water if they are in liquid form, or just pigment and filler in they are solid. As they have no resin component to bind the pigments and form a skin, they rely on the surface they are applied to, to be absorbent. A filler is a fine powder which can be used as a carrier for the pigment and provides texture/body.

Pastels

Pastels are a solid paste form of water-colour. Far less water is used in their manufacture (when compared with liquid paints), and water soluble binders are used to maintain their solid paste form. Oil based pastels are similar with far less oil used than used in making oil paints.

What are the practical differences between the different types of paints?

Oils:

? dry slowly allowing time to work and to blend colours. The temperature of the air you are working in, and the proportion of thinner used dictates the drying time
? can be used to produce texture by building layers
? once dried sufficiently, can be over-painted without disturbing underlying layers
? rich, deep colours which maintain their intensity when dry, so can be left unfinished and returned to later without a change of colour
? can be used thickly or in thin, smooth washes increasing the scope for different painting techniques
? colours are resistant to bleaching by sunlight and surfaces can be cleaned of dirt with methylated spirits
? completely water proof and resistant to the elements
? require brush cleaner/white spirits to clean brushes
? usually applied to non absorbent surfaces including board, wood, coated paper and canvas

Acrylics:

? dry fast but still allows time to work and to blend colours. Can be a disadvantage when working with thick applications in hot environment
? less viscous than oils so easier to mix but tend to produce less texture and brush strokes
? can be mixed with water or other mediums/gels which are compatible with water
? can be used thickly (impasto) like oils, or in thin washes, like waterclours, so can be used on both absorbent and non absorbent surfaces
? once dried can be over-painted without disturbing underlying layers
? water resistant when dry
? colours dry darker than when applied so can give problems with colour matching if left
? less resistant to sunlight that oils, surfaces can be cleaned of dirt with methylated spirits
? requires water to clean brushes, but can give difficulty if brushes dry prior to washing

Watercolours:

? mixed with water giving transparent colour
? dries fast and requires pre-wetting of the surface in hot environment
? strong tendency to bleed so good for general wash techniques but can be difficult for fine definition
? transparency makes it hard to rectify or hide mistakes
? colours dry lighter than when applied so can give problems with colour matching if left
? no white in watercolour painting, the white comes from the paper you are working on. So can be difficult to produce prominent white high-lights without preplanning or masking
? paint can be lifted off by rewetting so can be useful in some techniques, but can be difficult to use in wet conditions or in hot/dry conditions where rewetting is necessary
? brushes are cleaned easily with water and paint is reusable when dry by adding water
? colour intensity is less when compared with other media and tends to bleach in direct sunlight. Problems with dis-colouration to the support and the media can occur in damp conditions
? very difficult to clean the surface without damage so has to be protected from the elements under glass or other suitable material

Pastels:

? colours are mixed on the paper/support by over-laying or blending so no drying time
? easily used and require no brushes
? oil based pastels can be thinned and blended with turpentine, or scrapped off to reveal colours underneath, known as sgraffito
? a wide range of colour are available, however, usually a greater range of colours are required to create a picture when compared with other media
? different brands and pigments tend to vary in softness so difficulties can arise when obtaining supplies from varying suppliers
? soft pastel works tend to be liable to smudging and the colour coming off the support unless precautions such as fixatives or mounts are used to keep the surface away from frame glass

Other considerations:

Cost:

? Watercolours are the cheapest to set yourself up with and most budding artists start this way. However, watercolour requires different techniques to other media and can restrict development
? acrylics are not as expensive to buy as oils and can bridge the gap between oil and watercolour
? oils are more expensive to buy initially; however a little goes a long way when painting thinly. Several paintings can be produced from a single tube of each of the base colours

Hazards:

Oil Paints:

Some people are put off by oil paints because of the solvents involved; they may be allergic to the solvents or may not want solvents lying around when young children are about. However, oil paints themselves usually contain linseed oil as the carrier which has low odour and is essentially non toxic. The pigments themselves are bound by the oil and are not available to cause hazards. White spirits and turpentine used as thinners or brush cleaners are flammable and should be used sparingly. However the volume used is very small and the hazards are many times less when compared with the use of domestic household paints. Saying this, low odour versions of paints are available.

Acrylics:

Acrylics are the least hazardous as there are no solvents used and the pigments remain bound in the paint.

Watercolours:

Can be hazardous if traditional pigments are used because they are not bound by resin and dry to a fine powder. However the quantities used are so small that hazards are very minimal.

Pastels:

Similar to watercolours, however soft pastels can produce a lot of dust so care should be take to minimise the amount you inhale. For example, do not blow on your work to remove loose pastel.

Your choice of paint

Choose whatever paint suits you. Try them out and you will soon discover whether you enjoy working with it and the results you get or not. If you like certain properties of different paints, you can try working with a mixture of paints (known as mixed media) in one painting. The variation is both challenging and rewarding.

The advice and information above is meant as guidance to the properties of the different paints. The only way you will know if you like a particular paint is to try it.