Oil Painting Tip Of The Week (2nd May 2005)

Oil paints can be mixed on the palette using your brushes or a small palette knife. I tend to use both these methods.

For smaller mixes and especially ones using the same colours, I use a brush. I may have 2/3 brushes in use at any one time. One for ‘bluer’ (cooler) mixes, one for warmer mixes etc.

Where I need larger quantities of paint for skies /foregrounds etc., I tend to use my palette knife

I never over mix the colours, otherwise the mix becomes lifeless and dull.