Oil painting is as much about understanding your materials as it is about mastering your technique. Rublev Colours Artist Oils are distinct in their commitment to authenticity, offering a closer connection to historical painting practices by avoiding modern stabilizers and additives. While this approach preserves the individuality and purity of each pigment, it introduces certain characteristics, such as oil and pigment separation, that may require adjusted handling techniques.
The Nature of Oil and Pigment Separation
Oil and pigment separation in Rublev Colours occurs due to the absence of additives like aluminum stearate and zinc stearate, commonly found in many modern oil paints. These additives serve to:
Stabilize the Paint: Prevent oil separation and pigment settling.
Alter Rheology: Create a uniform consistency across pigments.
Prolong Shelf Life: Reduce changes in the paint’s properties over time.
However, they also homogenize the behavior of pigments, diminishing the nuanced characteristics each pigment brings to the painting process. Furthermore, additives like aluminum stearate have been implicated in long-term deterioration phenomena, such as soap formation and structural instability in painted layers.
Rublev Colours embrace the natural properties of pigments, ensuring their behavior in oil remains unadulterated. This does mean that the paints may separate in the tube, especially for pigments like Ultramarine Blue, which has a high oil absorption value (38–42 grams per 100 grams of pigment) and hygroscopic properties that hinder uniform oil dispersion.
Handling Oil and Pigment Separation
Separation is a natural process in authentic, additive-free oil paints. Here’s how you can manage it:
Proper Storage: Always store your paint tubes cap-side down. This allows any separated oil to collect at the crimp end, preventing it from being squeezed out with the paint when you use the tube.
Redistribute Oil: Gently knead the tube before use to reincorporate the separated oil into the paste. If the paint has become stiff, adding a small amount of linseed oil can restore its consistency.
Understand Variability: Different pigments exhibit varying degrees of separation due to their intrinsic properties. For instance, Ultramarine Blue’s hygroscopic nature makes it more prone to separation than a pigment like Lead White, which has lower oil absorption and remains more stable.
The Advantages of Rublev Colours
By choosing Rublev Colours, you gain access to a unique painting experience that honors traditional craftsmanship:
Purity of Pigments: Each pigment retains its natural properties, allowing you to explore their distinct effects and enhance your artistic expression.
Unadulterated Formulation: Without stabilizers, you avoid potential long-term issues such as soap formation, haze, or water sensitivity often associated with additives.
Creative Freedom: The varied behaviors of pigments encourage experimentation and open up new possibilities for texture, color blending, and layering.
A Minor Inconvenience, A Major Opportunity
While the absence of additives introduces minor inconveniences, such as the need to manage oil separation, it ultimately aligns your practice with the traditions of classical painting. Artists throughout history worked with materials in their natural states, gaining an intimate understanding of their medium and unlocking its full potential.
By adjusting your approach to the handling and storage of Rublev Colours, you can fully embrace the benefits of their authenticity while mitigating the minor challenges they present. If you have further questions or need additional guidance, we’re here to support your artistic journey.
