Whitaker: sketchbook and Reverie workshop

[William Whitaker]

Mentler, here is a photo of the Oleogel. I fill an old plastic film can with the stuff for short term use, then put the lid on the original can real tight to keep it from gradually oxidizing.

I’ll usually oil out the dried surface of my painting before I start painting on it again. Sometimes I do this with my fingers, sometimes with a brush. I want to end up with a very light film, like a well oiled rifle – very little oil.

The brush glides on a lightly oiled surface. Too much oil and it slides.

[William Whitaker]

And to round things out tonight, here is a shot of that painting used to illustrate a point in my last post. It's 10x8", oil on panel. I painted it using Rublev Stack Process white lead and Rublev Oleogel.

Truthfully, one high quality brand of paint is as good as another to me. If a painting is successful, I owe it mostly to brushes.

By the way, I did a little brush care video for Trekell. They have posted it on their site. http://www.trekell.com I'm also told it's on You Tube now.

[The Pariano]

Im guessing you're a fan of their product if you did a video for them? Does the conditioner need to be washed out before you paint again the next day or can it be left in? Also, do you seriously keep your brushes that clean? I may just suck at cleaning brushes but I came to believe some colors stain bristles and they never go back to their original purity?

Beautiful painting by the way :] I would be honored if you found the time to take a look at my work, I have a link in my signature.

Also, what does adding the silicate to the linseed oil do to the working qualities of that medium?

[F87]

Absolutely awe-inspiring my friend. How beautiful.

[stridiggio]

Is a pleasure to me start in this Forum looking Beautiful Art, Nice to meet you.

[PieterV]

These gentle and serene portraits sure are a nice break from all the orks and robo-warriors on this site. I enjoy the way you keep the painterly aspect in there even when they're worked out more.

[JS Neo]

It is always a pleasure to see new stuff from u, sir. Really inspiring for us newbies.

[Timmi-o-Tool]

I love it, it's really enjoyable to look at your pictures! Traditional Painting rocks so much!
Thank you for posting! *subscribe*

[keith eager]

Thanks William and Ironmaul, great tips!

[alesoun]

If only I wasn't working in a space not much bigger than a cupboard, I'd be breaking out the oils right now!

Will you be going to the European workshop?

[The7Artist7]

Hi William,

Firstly, I came here just trying to find a way to contact you but wow! - it's so nice to see traditional (i.e. non-digital!) paint used so well! Not just technically great but 'alive' with true character - beautiful work sir!

Sorry to post kinda off-topic but I recently sent you a PM and then more recently an email (to an e-mail address found on your website) regarding the super-posable manikin idea you started a few years back.

I'm just a freelance illustrator but really want it to become a reality and have been raising awareness, have talked on the phone to Dave Cortes and various toy/figurine companies and then Jason M. saw what I was doing and contacted me to let me know MB and CA would really like to produce the manikin! Jason has told me he'd want you to be involved if it goes ahead as you pretty much headed up the original idea here on CA sounds cool to me!

If you could send me a PM or email that would be great!

Ok - I'm off to look at some more of your paintings!

[Smyk Vitaliy]

Speechless.... Amazing works!!! Thank for sharing.

[Jussi Tarvainen]

Mr. Whitaker,

I wanted to express my gratitude for sharing this wealth of information and seeing the effort of taking photos and showing the demonstrations. It is wonderful to be able to learn directly from you and even more great is that you communicate directly in this forum.

You are a true inspiration to us all.

[conte]

very nice, it feels so oldschool, that really rocks.
great one, man, keep sharing.

[RETEP]

beautiful work!!

[SpookyPooka]

Hullo Mr. Witaker! Thank you for all your knowledge! I enjoy reading all your lessons/advice! (I hope you don't mind, I draw from your sketches often! They have helped a lot.) I'm very awkward in saying nice things, so I will leave it all at that. I will keep reading if you keep writing.

[bejaranocasarino]

Thank you very much for the answers William, the last piece is superb and your words not only informative but inspiring!

[Bushido]

Oh that last paint is so nice!

Love it!

[Dynamike]

Awesome!

[Mat Kaminski]

Beautiful work, as always!!

I'm curious though, are these all done from life? Or do you do them all from imagination?

On that same note, do you have any pieces that you've done completely from the imagination? Like fantasy characters or monsters or anything? I'm just curious really lol

[Gloominati]

whoa that last one is soooo beautiful, I love all that rough stuff thats happening in the background and how you rendered her dress.....uh damn there's just everything awesome about it moremoremore!!

[Miato]

Hi!... I decided to join this forum today, and to find people like you here is impressive...
Thanks for all!!!

*yawn* *goes to sleep*

[brentos8]

Absolutely beautiful attention to detail and edge control. Well done.

[mentler]

Are you using the Oleogel to oil out
or Linseed by itself.

I have used Liquin for
years to oil out but I am
working on a large scale
so I often only oil out
the area I am going to
work on as I go because
the Liquin sets up very fast.

I have used the Wilson medium
for glazing as I am doing a
lot of Velatura glazes at the moment
on some smaller portrait studies.

Have also tried their Velasquez medium.

Based on your recommendation I am
going to give the Oleogel a go.

I like the consistency of their colors
and am a big fan of the Earths and
more traditional (weaker)
tinting strengths of the pre lab
colors. It gives me more control
when mixing and better harmonies.

I like my paints to set up pretty fast
because I am doing a lot of glazes
over whites and building up my
brushwork in the lights.

Thanks for the advice in advance

[William Whitaker]

mentler,

Good to hear from you. I hope all is going well. I've been working late and in consequence have been too brain dead to post lately.

As you know, linseed oil sags. That's why we use resins. Well, Oleogel works like resin - keeps the oil from leveling or sagging if the canvas is vertical.

Currently I'm mixing Oleogel and linseed oil about half-and-half. I like a slightly softer medium and I almost never add turps or other thinners to my paint mix.

I too used Liquin for years and years. I work much slower now and I want my paints to stay open all day long. Raw Umber will set up within a day, as will Terre Verte. Since I work on several paintings at once, I don't need anything to accelerate drying.

I will check out and try Wilson medium. I have to try everything. Thanks for the tip.

I treasure Natural Pigments Stack Process lead white. It gives me the most gorgeous tiny white highlights. I will be using more of their pigments too. I sent away for Smalt. It sets and dries super fast, but is hard to get used to. It is simply ground blue glass. It has a subtlle tint, similar to ultramarine but slightly quieter. I certainly won't be using it on a regular basis!

Oil paint: we can explore forever!

[mentler]

I Don't Think I
Have The Power
To Walk By A Book
Or Art Materials
I Don't Have

The Wilson's Has
Some Turp As Well
As Wax Medium
So I am not Sure
You Will Like It.

LOL

[TASmith]

Here's a quick question. I came across this artist, and I wonder if you're related?

George William Whitaker
(American, 1840-1916)
http://www.the-athenaeum.org/people/detail.php?ID=1149

[Jamie Romoser]

Hello Bill, i stumbled upon your sketchbook thread today. I must say, it is one of the most beautiful and inspiring threads ive ever been in. I have learned more from your thread then any art class ive taken in high school. My high school teachers fround upon me for copying my favorite artists saying i would go no were doing that. So the past 2 years ive been struggling trying not to copy and get my own style and originality as my teachers put it. If you have the time i would be pleased if you could drop by my sketchbook and give some critiques.

Thank you again for the inspiration keep having fun doing art -Jamie

[EvrEst]

Being a photographer by trade I usually skip right down to PhotographyMob and work on those threads but this afternoon i decided to see some sketchbooks which had first brought my inspiration back a year or so ago.

It was a pleasant surprise to take some time to travel through your words of wisdom. I am most please with your first posts that talk about the work ethic required to attempt to reach master level of our crafts. Im sure many of us younger artists can attest to the almost hummingbird-like actions we take with our lives; never resting or staying in one place for long. It was a breath of fresh air to listen to your wisdom as well to see some of your work.

You are a true blessing and I can only hope to master my craft and be able to pass on the blessings of knowledge I will have received over the many years of sculpting light with a lens.

Thank you
Ethan

[Jesus Food]

wow, beautiful work man! your thread is inspiring. I cant stop looking deeper into your paintings to pay attention to the detail. GJ