Too much liquid clear problem

TheLandscapePainter

Has anybody discovered a cure for having used too much liquid clear? When I first started painting as a complete beginner I applied too much liquid clear, I had no idea until my paint started sliding off the canvas. It was one of Bobs glaze type paintings. I figured that if I added more paint on top it would mix with the liquid clear on the canvas and it might be enough to remedy it. So I did that and it was no longer sliding off but it wasn't drying. I took to google to try to find the answer from experienced painters. I placed it with the back of the canvas facing a gentle heat source, no effect. I placed it in a high traffic area creating movement of air around the painting, no effect. I waited and waited, no effect. I kept the painting to see what would happen. After two and half years the painting is not properly dry, it is still noticeably shiny, and a tiny bit tacky, other people say it isn't but I can tell. Since then I'm always very careful when applying liquid clear and it hasn't happened again until a couple of days ago despite my best efforts. I applied it thinly then went over it with paper towel as usual. For a while I've been using cheap rough canvasses, but I just got a new batch, these are lovely quality, triple primed and beautifully smooth. I almost get the sense it doesn't need liquid clear at all if using paints that are softer than Bob's. The problem is not as bad as described above but I sense it's definitely not right. I'm not going to leave it like this. I'm going to have to wash it off and start again which is fine, but I am curious to know if any of you guys have found a remedy that works? I don't want to mess up this batch of canvasses trying to find out, they were blinking expensive. Or if you are a regular user of smooth canvas do you know if it actually needs liquid clear? (I am using Bob's thick paints which I know can be thinned a bit).

Sunnylady

TheLandscapePainter This is very interesting thread, I am interested what happens there from chemical point of view. My assumption would be presence of non-drying oils in composition that may have separated due to gravity and were on top. Do you remember if you mixed the liquid clear before using?

I always wondered what is that liquid clear but never found a good description online. I saw that it has a jelly consistency and was wondering what makes it jelly.

Just to be clear I do not have liquid Clear so, this is just my assumption about what potentially can leave a tacky surface and based on comments that I read everywhere on internet. Non-drying oils do not dry over years. Also if there is linseed oil in the composition it may be not clean enough by chemical processes for artistic purposes (resins, unwanted fats, etc are still there).

Regarding smooth canvas, you always can make a double solvent: Artistic Linseed oil and Paint thinner/OR turpentine. Proportion will vary depending on the objective. You can dip brush into such solvent and then mix it with your paint. It will give even creamer texture that is easily to apply to canvas. If you plan layers in the first layers you can use mostly thinner with less oil and then add more oil in the mixture as you progress in your painting. (Fat over lean rule). I do not use any of magic white/liquid clear or any of the home made recipes now as I find it unnecessary - normal mediums solve my problems.

Anyway I will keep an eye on this post as I am very interested what the resolution of this problem gonna be.

TheLandscapePainter

Thank you Sunny. I knew you would come up with something. The liquid clear I used is Bob Ross. I don't shake the bottle. On reading the label it says mix thoroughly although that seems to refer to instances where you are mixing it with paint when using it as a thinner so I never bother to shake it, the bottle is clear and I can see the consistency is constant throughout the bottle. It also says you can thin the clear with turp. There is no list of ingredients on the label so what makes it gel I don't know. There is an actual gel you can get made by Gamblin but I don't know what the ingredients are, a lot of online painters use it with success although I've never seen them coat the entire canvas. I have just realised how it happened this time though. I applied the liquid clear, then the paint. I picked up a clean dry brush and went over the whole thing to take out the brush strokes and to set it into the canvas. Only, it wasn't a clean dry brush, it was the brush I'd used to apply the liquid clear which of course still had some on it. A silly mistake I know. Going forward, if someone does have a remedy it will help a lot of people because it sure is difficult to get the right amount on there, a bit hit and miss. Thank you again sunny.

Sunnylady

Found Safety data sheet and to my surprise it is a double solvent 3 part linseed oil an1 part paint thinner. http://cdn.dick-blick.com/msds/DBH_004551004.pdf
Sorry for being boring here:
Substance Name: Stoddard solvent
RN: 8052-41-3
UNII: 37LNJ1I16R
Notes
Mixture of straight & branched chain paraffins, naphthenes Assoc (cycloparaffins) & alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.
TSCA Definition 2021: A colorless, refined petroleum distillate that is free from rancid or objectionable odors and that boils in the range of approximately 149.degree.C to 204.5.degree.C (300.degree.F to 400.degree.F).

Substance Name: Linseed oil
RN: 8001-26-1
UNII: 84XB4DV00W
Notes
The fixed oil obtained from the dried ripe seed of linseed, Linum usitatissimum (L. Linaceae). It is used as an emollient in liniments, pastes, and medicinal soaps, and in veterinary medicine as a laxative. It is also called flaxseed oil. (Dorland, 28th ed).
TSCA Definition 2021: Extractives and their physically modified derivatives. It consists primarily of the glycerides of the fatty acids linoleic, linolenic and oleic. (Linum usitatissimum).

Now I think that it is jelly based on natural process of partially polymerized linseed oil. Which is in other name should represent some sort of STAND linseed oil that dries faster than normal one.
Now I am questioning the purity of that linseed oil as in 2 years it should have polymerized fully. I bet you don't have thickness of half inch paint on that painting.
Thanks to your question I revisited chemical properties of solvent used by BR and understanding why it is odourless and a little bit oily. Most of aromatic hydrocarbons are gone at the 149 deg C. Since in our homes we have ambient temperature volatile components just sit inside the can. Flash point is 54 deg C. That is why I think combination of these two components gives very slippery medium that you would never get if organic turpentine would be used instead (or solvent with lower boiling range).

TheLandscapePainter

Here we go, I tried something that I didn't think would work but it did and my glaze is dry! This is usually intended for drying down the under layers before adding your top layer but who cares, it worked right over the top. It did push it back a bit and added softness but that's ok I will just add a few highlights and maybe some texture on top. I just laid some paper towel over it for half an hour to soak up the excess liquid clear and peeled it off. I had to do it a couple of times but it was worth it. I really didn't expect it to work as well as it did. Hope that helps someone.

Mgiese84

I was going to say that I almost always use a paper towel and try to wipe off all the excess liquid clear I can off the canvas before applying any paint. Otherwise I have the same problem and it makes painting quite difficult.

Sunnylady

ClintDalton Clint I think this link is fake. Please do not press it. It may lead to unsafe contents that compromise you data.

Rucifi

Every painting I ever use liquid clear on no matter how heavy or light I always use a paper towel and wipe the whole canvas off and I have never had trouble with my paint sliding off the canvas, kind of like what Mgiese84 said