Conversations with Dik F. Liu

Why are you getting so worked-up about what I wrote?

'When teaching old ladies to paint aquarell, I always say that use the best available paper and let good colors take care of the rest' (Joseph Gary: Jimson and the whale) quoted from memory

variations lead to problems..<

I supposed this isn't your fault. It is just a problem with this newsgroup format. Here, people who just read about paints but obviously have never lifted a brush write as though they actually know how to paint.

Painters mix and match brands all the time, choosing their favorite colors from different manufacturers. It's a part of what makes painting fun, Chris. Even if you can't paint, visit a local painter's studio. Visit a local art school and see what students have in their palettes, and the variety of paints students experiment with. Better yet, try painting yourself. Yes, mix and match paints. I promise it won't explode, and killer bees won't fly in to attack you for mixing Talen's paints with Sennelier's. And it sure beats imagining and conjecturing about paints in front of your computer screen.

Dik...

What a joy to reevist RAF after a year and a half productively away. Couldn't help getting into this just a bit. I have in current use tubes of oils from five

Hi Joe, good to see you back. I don't think I have seen you here in nearly two years now. I am glad that you have been productive. W-burg paints: a local art supplier promises to carry the line this Fall; so I am looking forward to giving them another try. Their white used to be inconsistent but I think they have improved somewhat. For white, I am pretty addictive to Permalba White - it's the only Permalba color most artist supplies store carries anyway. Permalba's other colors are really junky. Permalba was piggybacking these colors on the reputation of their famous white. But it didn't quite work out. When I can get my hand on W-burg's white again, I'd give it another try. A friend who painted just black-and-white paintings loved it.

Happy painting.

The only 'difficulty' in the foregoing thread was what Dik made of a simple suggestion to someone who was wanting to know about buying their first oil paints. I should have simply said, 'you can buy beginner sets of paints' and left it at that. But I made the mistake of suggesting that it would make life simpler to buy all one's first paints in the same brand.

EVERY artist, anyone who has painted a few paintings, knows it's no problem mixing different brands. Even a rank beginner will eventually work their way through to a solution - or worse, give up!

[snip]

Yes but the initial discussion was about beginners - wasn't it? Beginners don't have favourite brands or colours - they're beginners.

Starting out with a mixed bag of colours is a bit like trouble-shooting your computer by changing a dozen different things at a time.... you'll never know what one thing is causing any problems you might be having.

Andy D.

'I'm a great speller - but a hopless tpyist!'

computer by changing a dozen different things at a time.<

I guess the real problem here is that there are too many mountebanks as you or Ami or Goody or Gud or whoever, hiding behind your keyboards and acting as real painters. Anyone who has walked into a real art school and has watched real art students working, knows that no one cares about being anal-retentively loyal to just one brand. It would be pointless, as the difference among the pigments is far, far greater than the difference between any brands. This you would only know by painting, not by typing and speculating.

I am not trying to be mean. But get some real painting experience instead of just making things up. You might be pleasantly surprised.

You know nothing about me or what brands of paints I use or recommend.

If the beginner has a bottomless budget then you are absolutely right (and you can quote me on that). They can buy two of everything and have a whale of a time seeing what results. If they are nervous about wasting money and just want some idea of what a new medium is like to use, then sticking with one brand is hardly bad advice.

Of course, this assumes that they might actually care what the finished piece looks like. If they are into abstract expressionism then they can mix brands and media and supports and hope their artist statement sells it - assuming they want to sell it that is

Andy D.

'I'm a great speller - but a hopless tpyist!'

can quote me on that). They can buy two of everything and have a whale of a time seeing what results. If they are nervous about wasting money and just want some idea of what a new medium is like to use, then sticking with one brand is hardly bad advice.<

Huh? The alternative to sticking with one brand is to buy two of everything? Are you stoned?

Look, painting is what you learn in the real world and from the palette. Either you know, or you don't. You can't bluff your way through it by typing onto your screen ideas that look pretty good and sound kinda right. No offense, but may I suggest that you begin by taking a painting course in a local school? If you don't take it for credits, the fee is reasonably low. You will have some real painting experience under your belt; and it's better time spent than just typing away while imagining what real painting is like.

I have a feeling you're going to eat crow once (if) you see Andrew's art. I've never seen it, but through his text, I can sense his mind is that of an extremely detailed sort. And I believe he has labeled himself in the past as a super-realist (or photorealist). Since he's recently shown at a gallery, I just don't think a 'painting course' is relevant here.

But hey - it's your flame. <chomp chomp>