Snow Birch

Very nice painting voy, you achieved a really good reflection.

Thx Patoex, but really had an off day with this. I will repaint this one day for sure. Thanks for your support!

Voy, u used very nice colors, and the snow looks good, ill used everything from Bob's manufactor the gesso includid, the gesso from the action store ill think is to thin,

Dear Patoex, you are very right about the white gesso, it was WAY too thin. In the future I will use it only as a primer (two coatings needed!). Bob Ross gesso is indeed good stuff but it is my experience that the brand 'Amsterdam' sells the thickest gesso. I use it for my black gesso paintings and I am 120% happy about it! Till next painting!

This painting for me always has had fairytale spirit. I think it is good one. Many details. I like reflections the most. They are so crisp. Like in the mirror!

I guess I expected too much of this painting Sunnylady, I almost wanted it perfect yet failed on some simple things. One of them is to never use cheap white gesso again, an other is to treat snow like snow and yet another is to really stop hamstering my paints and use more of it where needed! Another good lesson learned today, no worries!

You know that you can freeze your paint leftovers in case it is too much left and you dont plan to paint for a week. If you paint next day just put them in the fridge. Properly covered as they are chemicals at the end of the day. Better of course to use the separate fridge.

Dear Sunnylady, yes tried conserving paint before and even outside the fridge wrapped up in aluminoid foil, I can keep it 4-5 days. With hamstering my paints I meant that I am really very economical in using them. So often I realize that I have used too few paint on the canvas. Same happened with this painting where I used way too few yellow and blue. Paint is expensive in Belgium so I try to avoid any spilling! :)

Yeah, I hear your pain. At least you can buy a good brand of the paint there...also there are 200 ml tubes available and it is more economical to buy it that size. For titanium white for sure. It goes like hot pies.

Yes, at first I bought 20ml (poor quality) and 37ml (Bob Ross) tubes but since I got hooked on oil painting wet-on-wet, I invested in 200ml tubes. I get them from China or from Holland where they are cheaper yet with the same thick consistency as a good quality paint requires. They go indeed like crazy, cadmium yellow and T-white are mostly used! Not to mention the large amount of odorless paint thinner needed! :)

Oh yes, the brand I use for the 200ml ones is Winsor & Newton, yet not the very professional stuff since that costs more then double the price as the hobby paints who also have a descent thickness of paint, no worries!

Trick with painthinner I was taught by my God friend. Pour residues after washing your brushes into transparent plastic bottle. Let it sit for couple of days. Paint will sediment on the bottom and top layer is clean enough to be reused again. Just carefully pour it to another jar. Ready to reuse. Helps to save nature a bit. And saves from buying another new paint thinner. Also because I am in the cold climate I just keep it outside and it makes it way easier to pour back from that plastic bottle as paint kinda solidifies a bit. I also paint ones per week. But in your case you may want to keep 2-3 plastic bottles and set them on rotation.

I read that trick before with the bottles, never tried it though so might give this one a go since I paint about once a day now that I still can do this. From March on, I will have too few time to paint this much. I hope to sell some good ones soon, since it will help pay for this wonderful hobby!

Selling is a good idea! I am at the stage I give them as a gift to the family and friends. I donated few to the charity. I think you gave me food for thoughts. Thank you.

My pleasure Sunnylady! Keep enjoying the painting and till soon!