Oil Painting Questions and Answers, with Gamblin

Oil Painting Questions and Answers

Oil Painting Questions and Answers, with Gamblin

Do you have questions about oil painting and the best materials to use? Look no further, it’s here! Robert Gamblin, Mary Weisenburger, and Pete Cole join me to answer your biggest questions about oil painting and more! I’m so excited for you to hear their helpful insights into some really great topics. You’ll hear them go over questions about pigments, stories about pigment sources, why some paints have more oil separation, some great information on oil paints and toxicity, and much more! This will serve as a great resource for artists like you to keep in your back pocket. Learn how you can connect with Gamblin and utilize their great resources!

A Dedicated Focus on Oil Painting

You’ve heard that old phrase, “Jack of all trades and master of none” right? That’s what comes to mind when I hear Robert Gablin talk about why his company solely focuses on oil painting instead of branching out to provide water colors, acrylic paints, and other materials. Instead of being a jack of all trades, Robert and his team have decided to focus on being a master of one, oil paint products. Their narrow focus has paid off, they have displayed an amazing passion for detail and improvement on their niche subject. Just hearing from Robert, Mary, and Pete I could tell that they really know their field – they are the experts when it comes to oil paint!

Is the New Blue Worth it?

If you follow news about pigments and breaking developments around that subject like I do, then you’ve heard of the new “YInMn Blue” that was discovered at Oregon State University. This new color was discovered in 2009 as a byproduct of an experimentation. Since this news has recently been making the rounds on social media again it led me to get Robert Gamblin’s take on the new color and if they’ve found it worth it to start producing the color themselves. Robert explained that they found that it is not effective to produce the color for a few reasons. Their primary reason is the enormous cost it requires to create the color. This is due to the fact that the color requires three compounds and two of them are rare earth minerals. Robert’s vast knowledge was on display during our conversation and I know that artists like you will find his insights very helpful.

mitigating toxicity risks

Do you find yourself concerned about your health when it comes to your time in the studio? Are you nervous about how your lifestyle as an artist will impact your health in long run? What would it mean for you to have supplies that are responsible, not only for the environment but for artists like you? My guests from Gamblin are happy to share with artists like you that their line of high-quality products are free of toxins. They want to see more artists use products that are sustainable and health conscious. Don’t let your time in the studio get clouded by concern for your health. Hear from the Gamlin team and how their products could be the best fit for you!

what is fastmatte?

Don’t you hate it when you are in a creative flow and you have to make the decision to pause and let your paint dry before you can proceed? What if there was a way to avoid that pause and continue with your creative momentum? That’s where Gamblin’s helpful product, FastMatte come in. FastMatte colors are a unique type of oil colors, every color dries fast, every color dries matte. These qualities make them perfect for underpainting techniques. FastMatte also serves as an excellent way to come back to oil painting for those painters who have switched to acrylics because of the need for a faster drying rate. I was seriously impressed with this helpful solution that Gamblin has developed and I hope you get the chance to find out for yourself!

Outline of This Episode

  • [0:15]I introduce today’s special Q&A session with the Gamblin team.
  • [2:30]Robert Gamblin joins the podcast and shares how he started Gamblin.
  • [6:00]Why does Gamblin only provide oil paint?
  • [8:00]Robert shares some interesting pigment formulations.
  • [16:00]Dreaming about color combinations.
  • [17:30]Has Gamblin made custom colors for well known artists?
  • [23:00]What is the value of white in the painting process?
  • [32:30]Advice for artists who have never used oils before.
  • [38:30]Warm and cool objects.
  • [44:30]Explaining the reason behind oil separation.
  • [47:30]Does Gamblin have any plans to start making water mixable oil paints?
  • [52:30]Pigment history and toxic pigments.
  • [1:00:30]Advice for artists who work in small enclosed spaces.
  • [1:04:00]Avoiding toxins and working with a baby nearby.
  • [1:06:00]Should I use a retouch varnish? Why varnish in the first place?
  • [1:11:30]Is there a good alternative to cadmiums that are opaque?
  • [1:14:30]Working with the cold wax medium.
  • [1:17:00]Solvent free mediums.
  • [1:22:00]What is the shelf life of oil paint?
  • [1:24:00]Will Gamblin consider changing the size of their caps?
  • [1:26:00]What is FastMatte?
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