Small formats/big results

I painted over the varnished sketch as quickly as possible

Recently I organized my studio (again!)  While in this process I came across a box of H2Oils that I had worked with previous to becoming a Chroma Teaching Artist.  I had enjoyed working with the Van Gogh brand, which has now been discontinued.  I loved the creamy consistency, and the fact that they were inexpensive and had alot of medium right in the tube so I didn't have to add.

 During this time I also tried several other brands and since I had run out of few colors I began to research by purchasing a few different tubes (on sale).  Of the three brands I tried I like the Lukas Berlin best.  The others are stiff and difficult to blend.  As to the various mediums, my advice is to use liquin sparingly with a bit of H2Oil linseed oil added to the pigment.  It takes about 4 days for the H2Oils to dry if used with liquin.  Beware, liquin does produce vapors that aren't the best for health.  Use with proper ventilation! 

Why H2Oils? Easy clean up, and they are compatible with acrylics as a final glaze, but mostly I have them here. (Is it just me or do all artists accumulate massive amounts of materials?)
The best resource book for this medium is "Painting with Water Soluable Oils" by Sean Dye.

Let me know what materials you are playing with in your studio, and happy painting/creating!!

I began with 4, 4 x 4" canvas panel with a value sketch on each.

Next I glazed and varnished the panels.