I bought some BLO...

[gtech]

yes... I know... some like it, some don't...

But I like old techniques and everything related to past anyway. I'm also one of those who like to experiment.

Anyway, after seeing Gene using it for his antiquing solution, I decided to try it. I normally use water based products, including the clear coat which works very well and doesn't color the bare wood for unpainted carvings.

But for caricatures, I like to use washes for color, and then I add a clear finish for protection and to add a little sheen.

Back to BLO, I searched for articles mentioning its use and ended up with a question in my head...

Everywhere, they say to use it as an undercoat UNDER the paint because it is meant to penetrate the wood to do its job. It is not meant to be used as the last coat.

Ok, no problem there... except that when used as an antiquing soluting, mixed with mineral spirit and burnt amber or sienna, it shouldn't stick to the paint very well, from what I read anyway.

Is there a place where it is suggested or explained how to use BLO on top of the paint?

Talking about experimenting, I saw some very nice carvings finished with olive oil, floor wax, shoe shine, etc... I don't like the finish of some of these carvings, and I am glad somebody tried it before me. I know what NOT to use...

But BLO is attracting me...

Any ideas why it works or should work after the paint?

Again, I don't want to know if you like it or not. I am more interested by the technical side of it.

Gilles

[snickerbocker]

Gtech,
Phil and I use BLO exclusively on top of paint all the time. We paint our wet carvings with washes of acrylic paints and then dip them in a mixture of BLO tinted slightly with Burnt Sienna oil paint. This is all we do to our carvings and they look fine. You can also put a finish over the BLO if you so desire. Hope this helps.

[gtech]

Yes, your carvings look fine indeed. BLO only with burnt sienna, no mineral spirit?

I don't have mineral spirit yet but will buy some today. Turpentine is also something I will try.

I used BLO only, no color added on a carving yesterday for a test and it looked fine. But I will need to to the same test on a few carvings painted the same way to see the difference mineral spirit and turpentine make.

I am trying to find my style, the kind of finish I like, and something that I will be able to use all the time.

But I still don't know why it works...

Well at least I know now that boiled linseed oil is not really boiled anymore, but only have secative added to make it dry faster.

Update: I think I found why it works...

From the Golden Paints site,

Almost all acrylic paint films, regardless of sheen, are still porous enough to allow oils to penetrate sufficiently and form a reasonably strong bond.

So that must be the reason why we can use BLO on top of acrylic paints.

From another site:

linseed oil has a smaller molecule than does acrylic.

That's another interesting detail.

Sorry, that's the technical side in me. I have to know.

Gilles

[snickerbocker]

We just use the BLO no mineral spirits. The carvings will look dry after awhile but you can refresh them with Pledge (furniture polish). They look like new.

[gtech]

Ok, thanks.

So it means I could use the wax I already have on top of this stuff if needed.

I just did a test with BLO and an orange scented thinner which is made for oil paints and oils as well, wich some burnt amber added. I had to use more color than I thought and when I have time I will use it on a real painted carving. I'll see then how it works.

I also have turpentine and mineral spirits to do more testing. And I just realised thjat it would have been easier to start with undiluted BLO with burnt umber for my tests.

Gilles

[Iowa Carver]

BLO is contraversial here. I use it both before the paint and after the paint. If painting with oils, you dip it first, then the paints blend well on top of the oil. Others dip the carving first in blo and paint it with acrylics... this gives a very soft finish. Wayne Shinlever and Pete LeClair paint this way. I normally with acrylics when I use BLO use a foam 1 inch brush and coat my piece with it. I towell dry it and let it dry indoors over night. Of course wet your paper towells and lay them out flat and do not wad them up and throw them away. Anyway, I never leave the BLO as the final finish. I always shoot them with either a coat of Krylon #1311 flat finish or Deft Satin Lacquer. Some times I skip all of this and use my wipe on poly mixture. But I prefer BLO over acrylic paint and then seal it. Some folks use a dark liquid wax as a final step. I dont use oil paint in my blo as a antiquing solution. I just use the blo to pop the acrylic color. Hope this helps.

Corey

[gtech]

Yes it helps,

I needed more details on how it is used than just a simple "I use BLO".

Thanks for the details.

Btw, the first test I made gives me the impression that the color plays only a small role in the result, unless a lot is used I suppose. I just adds to the slight color of the BLO. Maybe I didn't use enough though...

Gilles

[snickerbocker]

Gtech,
We use the Burnt Sienna because we don't like the way Burnt Umber dirties the flesh. The Burnt Sienna gives it a Sepia tione. Let the BLO dry for a couple days and then you can use wax, Deft, Krylon , whatever. We don't because we don't want our carvings to shine.

[gtech]

I was affraid Burnt Sienna would be too redish, so that's why I used the Burnt Umber, but I must admit I also added a bit of Sienna to the mix.

I don't have more unfinished carvings for tests, so I will have to carve a few before I can continue. But I will try more mixes as soon as I can.

I just bought some water based Ceramcoat varnish for a test with some water soluble "brou de noix". I will see how it compares with BLO. I could also test it with acrylic Burnt ****** color as a water based antiquing solution. I just found that Delat also has an antiquing solution. I like the BLO texture and will compare everything elso to that finish.

Gilles

[gtech]

I did a test with water based varnish. It fails to give a nice finish. It would need too many coats to even come close to BLO.

More coming. I am waiting for paint to dry on a small carving I made for a test with BLO + Burnt Sienna.