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Wow, thank you for sharing that, David! It's hard not to fall in love with oils and the learning is endless. I've painted with gouache before and it's amazing for dry brushing leaves and flowers, but it dries so fast. I bet you'll find that you can get even finer details with oil paint due to its unique layering capabilities and slow drying time.

@@NikitaCoulombe yeah to be fair I used gouache to its maximum potential with the airbrush to achieve the blending, but what let it down for me was when my Bateleur Eagle painting was a finalist for David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2023, I was very confident it would do well until I got to the event at the prestigious Mall Galleries in London. Whilst very confident in the quality of the work, hung on the wall in the gallery behind even the most expensive museum glass to prevent reflection only then did I realise how dull it looked behind the glass compared to works varnished completed in oils in particular but also to some extent acrylics!!! That’s when I started considering oils and sure enough got watching your videos!! The vibrancy of the colours in oils is breathtaking!!!

@@davidprior1196 that’s a very good point, gouache is quite matte. Oil paints are so wonderfully vibrant, plus, oils stay the same color that you put down vs dry darker like gouache. Congratulations on being a finalist by the way, that’s awesome!

@@tanyagupta9830 any of the varnishes mentioned would be fine over acrylic, it really depends on which sheen (matte, semi-glossy, or glossy) you prefer. If you like a glossy look you can also try Golden Waterborne Varnish, which is a removable acrylic polymer varnish with UV protection that is made specifically for acrylic paintings.

@@literallymiyohu glad it’s helpful!

@@pennyd8504 thank you!

Thank you!

@@jasonstreet_art thank you, Jason!

I clicked on your channel and saw that you paint birds. I feel like all of us animal and wildlife artists rely on photography to some degree because animals, especially animals in motion or birds in flight, are nearly impossible to paint from life. It sounds like taking up photography is helping your work feel more authentic and that's awesome. Wishing you much success with your prints and cards!

@NikitaCoulombe very sweet. Thank you

@@stntrschr Gamblin sells paint tube cap replacements for their 37 paint tubes, I can’t post a link but you can visit their site. You can also google “paint tube caps” to see what else is available that could work with other brands.

An artist has to protect and develop their inner world in this world of noise but I don't know if it's a sad thing that having great marketing skills can help an artist succeed. For the first time artists have the opportunity to promote themselves exactly how they want instead of always having to go through gatekeepers. An especially creative person can create their own brand based on their values and find their audience rather than having to mold themselves to "what sells."

@@NikitaCoulombe I think nowadays most artist are persuaded to mold their art & ideas as per the market. Some even have to present a different personality which leads to inner conflict & lack of original ideas. Just my opinion. I might be wrong here...after all you are an artist!

@@irfanfarooq99 that is a really fair point. A few years ago, a gallerist friend mentioned the sudden popularity of square paintings - no doubt related to the square format of Instagram! Some artists definitely struggle with how to present themselves or get burnt out trying to ride the algorithm wave.

@@user-rf9or4vu4c research suggests Zinc White (pigment PW4) is prone to delamination and cracking over time. Further information on Zinc White's issues can be found here: www.naturalpigments.com/artist-materials/zinc-white-oil-paint-color

I feel like more artists and art schools need to recognize this.

@@NikitaCoulombe Hi Nikita, I agree so very much. There needs to be career training of some sort. There are ways to make money and build a side hustle to begin while they are at school. Those side hustles can blossom into real incomes; however they must start early in their careers. The purest mentality can not sustain itself unless.

@@TimothyJohnLukeSmithPSA maybe the solution is recruiting more entrepreneurs to be teachers. At least in art schools, it seems like the romantic vision of the artist persists.

@@NikitaCoulombe That is an amazing idea! Also to give a wake up call to the students that if they wanted to go the "Purest" route, they best know that they will need to do something else to keep the heat on in the winter. Most people need to support themselves and art school does not prepare the student for that at all.

It's always good to hear your thoughts, Will. Finding balance is key. I hear more and more artists who've been at their craft a long time say that they are accepting fewer commissions because they can only make art that they want to make, and some are pivoting to teaching to make up the difference in income. How would you delegate if you had a team?

@@NikitaCoulombe Someone that speaks websites as a fluent language and understands and values the mission of the art I want to help bring into the world. My intention is to teach through play, creation and community using my cartoons. I am fairly good at it in person, but translating that to an online community has been challenging because of my own limitations with web design. I had a website for a long time that did pretty well, but it borked out about 6 years ago and I am slowly crafting a new one. Its a challenge I would have just thrown money at before but financially things are pretty rough right now. Been in survival mode since I stopped working in animation a couple years back. Its a miracle I am still housed at the moment. I am thankful for that.

@@WillTerrell hope your mission and vision come to life. Great web designers can make a big impact. SEO is always evolving too.

@@NikitaCoulombe Are you able to provide for yourself with your art career? Or is it a hobby and you have a side gig, or something in between? What side of your question do you feel you fall into?

@@WillTerrell I am a bit of both, but always leaned more to the entrepreneurial side. I used to feel more inner tension and insecurity, thinking I should be more of a purist. But that feeling has faded. The ups and downs of being an artist are rough mentally, so I'm pursuing entrepreneurial options that feel authentic.

@@janetgoldstein7597 indeed, you can be both in different ways! I’m with you, not a huge fan of his work but he was very successful, carved his own unique path, and caused people to ask questions.

@@francfrog2650 You could ask someone who specializes in art preservation. Personally, I’d take a high resolution scan or photo of the inscription. I’m not sure how much varnishing would help. Cardboard is not archival.

Thank you, Kate!

This is a great distinction - the lead-based colors do look different than lookalike hues when mixed with other colors. Thank you for pointing this out. I haven't tried Vasari's yet.

That's great! Glad the video was helpful.

@@pennyd8504 thank you!

@@jimi5037 yes! And thank you for saying this. I’ve heard portrait artists make similar remarks. I tested it in landscape painting and found it didn’t reduce the vibrancy of other colors the same way titanium white does.

@@mrswray Great question! If you want the wood grain to be visible, Winsor and Newton makes a clear acrylic gesso: bit.ly/ws-clear-acrylic-gesso (that’s an affiliate link, so I’ll get a kickback if you decide to buy, there’s no extra cost to you).

Thank you so much for your reply! I had no idea they made clear gesso!

@@mrswray you’re welcome, hope your painting turns out well!

Hi Yuvika, I reached out to Golden and they said it's fine to use "PVA size or a matte acrylic like our Pastel Ground (diluted with a little water), Pumice Gel or Matte Medium" to seal wood panels.

@@NikitaCoulombe Thank you so much Nikita. Really appreciate it❤️

@@rainbowchaser-v2j you’re welcome!

@@jap_m a lightfastness rating of III indicates fair lightfastness. For example, Alizarin Crimson has a lightfastness rating of III (or IV, which is poor lightfastness). Having fair or poor lightfastness means the color changes from exposure to light over time. Alizarin crimson will fade from deep red to pale pink.

Hi Tiffany, varnishing oil pastels is tricky, I think most people recommend putting it behind glass vs varnishing. That said, you could try applying a very thin layer of matte varnish over the gloss - it might be worth it to create a sample piece on a scrap that looks similar to your painting, varnish it with gloss then varnish it in matte to see how glossy it'll still be. Another option would be to take Q-tips and use Gamsol to carefully remove the gloss varnish.

Thanks for sharing, I'm glad the video was helpful!

@@susanweidman3525 nice! I posted a photo comparing one layer of varnish to two layers of varnish in this article: www.nikitacoulombe.com/varnishing-oil-paintings - as you can see, two layers of varnish is always shinier than one layer, regardless of the sheen being used (matte, satin, gloss). Gamvar does not protect against UV light exposure and does not contain Ultraviolet Light Filters and Stabilizers (UVLS). Gamblin states, “If one paints with lightfast colors, UV light should be of no concern. Colors with an ASTM Lightfastness rating of I or II do not require further protection from UV light. A highly lightfast color does not fade with age, even when exposed to constant sunlight.”

@@NikitaCoulombe Wow! I am impressed with your knowledge! I have been using Golden Archival spray varnish, and it works well with no brush marks, and it drys pretty fast .Grumbacher Final Varnish gloss does not keep its shine. It is cheaper, but I will not use again. Since I am an acrylic abstract artist, I do like mostly a gloss finish. I am interested to see how Gamvar’s shine compares to Golden’s shine. Also want to see if Gamvar leaves brush marks. I have it covered until it dries. 48 hours I am assuming. Have a great weekend!

@@susanweidman3525 that’s great to know re: golden archival spray varnish and grumbacher final varnish. Have a great weekend as well!

@@susanweidman3525 Hi Susan, I think it depends on how long ago the other varnish was applied. If it was years ago, you probably want to remove the other varnish first before applying a new layer. Depending on the resin that was used in the other varnish you’ll need a different solvent to remove it. You may want to reach out to Gamblin to get an exact answer: gamblincolors.com/contact/. For cleaning the brush, the best way I’ve found is to put a small amount of Gamsol (odorless mineral spirit) in the same dish that I used for the Gamvar, let the brush soak for a minute, and then press the brush into a paper towel. I’ll let it soak again for another minute and then let the paper towel absorb any remaining liquid. If the brush dries a little tacky, this process can be repeated and then washed with soap and water.

@@NikitaCoulombe Thank you so much!

@@susanweidman3525 You're welcome!

Thank you!

Glad you like them, Carl!

Thank you!

Hi Stefan, I'm not using Genuine Naples Yellow (PY41) in this video. I'm re-creating it with different colors. The most opaque combination is Titanium White (PW6) + Cadmium Yellow Light (PY35) + Gold Ochre (PY42). Foundation White (PW1, PW6) will give you a slightly warmer version than the Titanium White (PW6) and be pretty opaque as well. See the video notes for links.

Thank you!

Thank you, Armando!

Awesome, glad it's helpful!

Hi Cassandra, thank you! I just reached out to Gamblin to double check and found out that their product expert is on sabbatical. My initial thought is to wait till after you have stretched your canvas to varnish. Definitely check in with them later this summer, they usually get back with answers within a couple of days: gamblincolors.com/contact/

@@NikitaCoulombe thank you so much for taking the time to do that! Wishing you great success with your channel 😊

@@CassandraRichards thank you!

Hi Cassandra, Mary from Gamblin is back from sabbatical and just replied back on your question: "It’s fine to use Gamvar on both stretched and unstretched artwork. The application is the same, the choice to apply stretched vs. unstretched would be a matter of personal preference that should not change the result of the varnish appearance." Hope this helps!

Thank you, Enzo! I agree with you about the gloss being a little too shiny sometimes.

Thank you, Kurtis!

I'm glad this was helpful, Timothy! I like the gloss/satin combo too.