Agree with Lindsay 100% bud! You've been taking your art to new and higher levels. Keep it up. Thanks for the info here, a medium I know very little about.
There is one exception to using casein paint that I know of for me. Years ago I bought the Casein paint after watching James Gurney. The smell, for me was very bad and I kept checking it for weeks and it didnt stop. I just couldnt get over it. I mentioned it on a Gurney video and a person said to me, you must be a gluten free person. Well I am. They said for us, it is a strong reaction to it. So I had to toss the paints. I really thought I would enjoy them but its not for me. Live and learn. I really enjoyed the detail work on your video. Take care. Essie
Hi Essie - Yes for sure and I know that some people have sensitivities so it’s not for everyone. I don’t even really notice odor, or if I do it seems very faint and not stinky at all. Oil paints are much stronger to me and I have to open a window or set up a fan in the studio when I use them. It’s a funny thing about paints, because the worst smelling paint I ever use is the commercial interior latex house paint. That stuff is noxious to me, but my wife makes me paint the rooms anyway, lol. Hope you are great down there in West Texas my friend. Have a great weekend!!! - Marty
Watched this video a while ago .. over a year ago...lol...and bought a starter set of Casein then. Well, I just watched this again and got out my tubes that were virgin and guess what? I just plopped it on a box that holds the rocks that I paint and I am in love! This stuff is great! I need a break from watercolor and gouache. I feel the spark again. Thanks Marty...keep spreading the word... .
Marty! That snow scene! Gorgeous! Friend, you have leveled up your art this year. I never tried this paint (or egg tempra) but its neat to learn about it:)
You are very kind Nora. I really appreciate the kind words and support. Love following your work on Instagram my friend. You are really an inspiration.
I have a few years of experience with casein, and just want to add a couple of notes: - First: It actually cures with time. If it is recently dry, you can glaze over it (more than you can with gouache), but you have to be careful about it, as you said. If you wait one day, you can be a bit more rigorous. After a few weeks it's almost impossible to pick up. - Second: It dries very light, even more so than gouache. I have to admit this is both an attraction for me and a problem, because e.g. ultramarine dries so much lighter than what I am used to with oils, but it looks nice and bright :) Kinda like fresco in its brightness (which is one reason why it is sometimes used in fresco secco techniques)
This is my experience with casein, it lifts easily even after a few days, although that might be substrate dependent. Mary Nagel Klein underpaints with casein but waits a full two week before working over the surface with casein.
thank you so much for making a video about casein! please don't stop making tutorials about casein. There aren't many tutorials about casein unfortunately
Very informative, Marty! I always enjoy your videos. I've said this before, but you would make an excellent narrator of audiobooks. I could listen to your voice all day. And I loved the old-timey video about milk you included in the beginning. Keep up the awesome work, as always!
Between you, and Steve Mitchell, I am learning SO much! I just love your easy going style of teaching and showing your viewers your “Yoda” wisdom…for your love of painting. Thank You, and your sketchbooks are so awesome! 🌿❤️👍🙏🏻 - Messy Mendy
Hi Marty, We used to use casein paint (Plaka from Pelikan) for sign writing alot back in the day here in Germany. If you dry the paint thoroughly and then buff the artwork with a brush (like you use for dusting off clothes or the big ones used for putting up wallpaper) it doesn't need varnish and even lasts outside for a long time. It is a very pleasant medium and the fresh paint last very long in its containers.
Fantastic information and demonstration! We’ve been watching your paintings this summer and wondering how Casein behaves in a painting. Love the house painting!! You have once again inspired and spurred us on my friend! Thank you so much!
Hi Denis - I always love hearing from you my friend. I also love the long talks with Carl. We are chatting the other day and I looked up and an hour had flown by. It felt like 10 minutes. Hope you get a chance to use some Casein, if just for the fun of trying something new. I've really enjoyed them and James Gurney was my inspiration. Say hi to Carl for me and glad to hear you guys are hanging in there. All the best, Marty
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!! I have fallen down a hole in the internet trying to research milk paint for the past two weeks! Today was the day I found the word Casein and pretty much immediately found this video, and everything I wanted to know about painting with it! I don't have a backgrouund in painting so maybe that's why i took me so long but when you google the words milk paint. You get a few links about painting old furniture, some very brief historical pages with a few paragraphs, or vague connections to a handful of paintings. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right places. but thank you and maybe consider including milkpaint in your tags and and your description of the video. to help people find it.
Thanks, Marty. Very helpful demo. I'm transitioning from oil to watercolor so it's fun to see this water media you can use for thicker paint application.
Hi Sally - Thats exactly what I did. Along the way I discovered some great mediums and now I’m just having a blast using them all. What fun eh? Hope you are doing great and thanks for the note. - Marty
I used it a while back and really enjoyed it BUT, if you don't use it up rapidly, it will dry like a rock in the tubes. So you have to be careful about buying it, too, that you don't end up paying for tubes you can't get any paint out of. Maybe they've found an additive, by now, to keep this from happening, but watch out for this factor.
Hi, I read your comment a while back and have been keeping it in mind. In a video James Gurney suggested to keep one's gouache tubes sealed in glass jars to keep them from drying. I decided to do the same with my casein tubes as well. I can't comment on how well it works in the long-term though.
Just started exploring casein. watched James Guerney and now you. Loved your informative video. I teach watercolor and I am very excited to try casein. I have always loved Quiller, but never explored Casein until now. Thanks.
Hi Marty. I love the bit at the top of the video - thanks for that extra touch. Wow, your casein and gouache work is just getting so outstanding. Look out James Gurney! Have a great weekend.
Hi Patricia - Thanks for noticing that part, I really had fun with that. Thanks for the compliment about the work evolving, as I’ve really worked hard to get getter this past year. Helps to have good teachers like Steve Mitchell and James Gurney. Hope you are doing great my friend.
@@owingsart Yes, I value both Steve and James who, like you have contributed greatly , as have you during my steep learning curve. I'm still a noobie. I'm doing well and hope to be back on TH-cam before too long. I'm trying to figure out Instagram since I think that would be a good place to start. I've found some ways to manage so that I can watercolour for about an hour at a go. So I feel hopeful and I'm so grateful to be painting again! Take care, P.
Ever since I saw James Gurney use Casein, I've wanted to try it. It's so nice to learn more about it, especially since most people I come across have never even heard of it! 😅 Great art as always!✌💙🎨
So interesting! As mentioned in one of the previous videos when you talked about this paint, I heard it from you for the first time. I also have never seen it in stores or online in central Europe. Milk as a binder is an interesting idea. I wonder why it doesn't get moldy. Egg tempera paints are also a weird situation where egg yolk is used as a binder and somehow the painting lasts for centuries without growing mold! 🤯
Hi Zoe - Thanks for the note. It's pretty expensive in Europe. I think it doesn't get moldy because it is de-acidified and treated with some agents before use as a pigment binder. Maybe these is what they did in the old days as well. Loved your LIVE veggies painting yesterday. Thanks for entertaining my dumb questions.
@@owingsart Maybe you are right. There is definitely a very good explanation but I lack basic chemistry knowledge to try to decipher it. As for the live, it was lovely of you to drop by and I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation ☺️
Good video, thanks! Having recently discovered James Gurney myself, I note he often uses casein paint as a toned underpainting for his guache sketches in his sketchbook. He piqued my interest in sketching in guache, so I just ordered a small primary set of those. NOW, seeing him use it, I’m trying to come to grips with benefits of this additional medium (casein) water resistant underpainting, and my question would be, for sketching, wouldn’t acrylic paint work just as well? Thanks for your perspective! Pat in NH.
Hi Pat - I suppose yes, acrylic would work just fine. I think there is something nice about casein though that isn't like acrylic. Acrylic is a fine medium but it feels like a coat of plastic underneath watercolor or gouache.
Sandrine’s gallery (YT) uses casein for some of her work and I’ve been interested in it since then but it is very expensive in the UK, so not tried it yet. I’m sure she said in one of her videos that the longer it is left the more water resistant it becomes.
The clip in the beginning cracked me up! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about Casein, which I've been curious about for years. It's a very informative video. Do you have to seal the painting after using Casein?
Hi Kelly - Thanks for the kind words. It's not. bad idea to seal any painting, but you have to be cautious about how you, "seal", depending on the medium you've used. I think there are a variety of ways to seal casein, like wax or some fancy spray fixatif, or even a varnish. I think I've had the best luck with this which is for Acrylic, but works great on Gouache and Casein - amzn.to/3YGkpyD
Excellent material and I realize how you have great dedication to represent your self & knowledge to viewers. I know it took lot of time to prepare such colorful charts. Great work. Appreciate your knowledge and skills with casein.
Wow!! i have never heard of this. I have never used gouche, oil or acrylic-just watercolor. This is very interesting and I would love to see a full tutorial on a painting using both mediums
Thanks Marty, any idea how long casein keeps before spoiling? Also, diluted acrylic paint can also be used as a (mostly) permanent underpainting. The downside is you can't use it too thickly if you want to paint goauche or watercolor over it, as it may form a film. But in a thin application, it pretty much stays put and allows the glow of the paper to shine through.
Great tip John. I’m not sure how long it lasts in the tubes, I’ve seen conflict information on that, but I’ve had some tubes for a year or so and they’re still fresh as a daisy. Once put out though, they dry quickly, so I usually put them on a wet paper towel and that helps a lot - I learned that trick from Gurney. I don’t think I have more than a dozen tubes of acrylic around here, mostly bought it for the kids, but I keep thinking about using them somewhere in my work so thanks again for the tip. Talk to you soon my friend. Marty
@@owingsart thanks Marty. I've seen conflicts on the shelf life of casein as well. I prefer oil to acrylic for opaque work, but sometimes acrylic is just quicker (though smooth blends are really a pain because of the daggone fast drying time). Give those acrylics a try as an undertone, I think you'll like them.
Thanks for this video! I was picking up some new paints along Quiller's book on Casein painting, and your Shiva blue swatch helped me out a bunch. Have you come any further with your casein painting?
I'd heard of milk paint, and was wondering why the word casein sounded so familiar. Of course, it's a milk protein! I need to find some of these paints and try them out; they look really interesting. Thank you for the review and explanation! 😊
Hi! Thanks for making this informative video. I was wondering: how’s the freshness of your casein tubes now? I’m hoping that storing it in air tight containers will prevent it from hardening inside the tube. Thank you!
Thank you for the response! I’m glad to hear that they don’t harden too quickly. It’s hard to make time for painting sometimes so I didn’t anticipate being able to use it up very rapidly. :) Happy New Years!
Love this! Can you tell me do you use it straight from tube or add small amounts of water for creamy consistency like gouache? Also is this medium considered a fine Art or for illustration/ commercial art? Thank you!
Hi There - Yes I use straight from the tube and mix in water or not as I need to so I get the right consistency in the paint (thick or thinner). I'm not sure if the medium is considered, "fine art", because that is so subjective. Ancient Egyptians used this paint and their work is still visible in the Pyramids and temples from 3000 - 4000 years ago. 🙂
This video was very informative! Just discovered these paints recently. I had question about the paint. Can you put these paints in a pallet and let them dry, to be used later like watercolors or is it best to used them fresh from the tube? Don’t wanna waste them if I can’t reactivate them.
Thanks for the video! Do you know anything about the shelf life of Casein? I've read that it's pretty short, which makes me rethink how many to purchase (I'm brand new to this medium). What are your thoughts on that or what have you experienced?
amazing! Very few art supply stores sell this type of paint (the links your provided say they are all unavailable) , so unfortunate, as it's exactly what I was looking for...
I don't remember ever using casein paint; maybe I did in my junior high art class. I've never bought it. I wonder if you can use powdered pigment and just add a little milk to it to make your own.
Hi Donna - The process for making Casein is actual a little more involved. I believe you need to use powder that’s be de-acidified and some other ingredients, however it can be down pretty easily if you want. I found a place that sells the raw pigments and the mixing ingredients. I’ll post soon.
Hi Andrea - I talk about those differences in the video, but basically once casein dries, it won't lift. When gouache dries, it can be re-wet and will lift.
Thanks for the helpful video. How do you dispose of the used paint water? Do you need to take the same precautions as with acrylic (filtering out the particles) or can it just go down the drain? Thanks again.
After using a casein underpainting, will the paper warp when you apply gouache or watercolor paint? Is it possible to use wet-to-dry with the underpaint? How long should I let the casein dry to get the full effect of it not lifting before I use the paper to paint? I want to get more into watercolors and kinda want to use casein as underpaint.
Thanks and these are great questions. Whether the paper will warp or not depends on a few things like how thick the paper is, and how heavy you lay on the casein. Generally #140 watercolor paper will be fine unless you heap the paint on. Many people use #300 or illustration board. Some folks just paint on the watercolor block and then take the paper off when they’re done. You can let the casein dry for as little as an hour or leave it overnight, or if you are in a hurry like I often am, you can use a blow dryer on low heat and dry it that way. The casein won’t lift unless you really soak it with water. Hope that helps.
I bought some for using ti paint over gold leaf on an icon. I painted on the gold leaf yesterday, but this morning it came off the gold leaf very easily when I ran my finger over it. How ling should I leave it to dry?
I’m curious how these would compare to acrylics? Other than maybe drying to more of a matte finish and being able to use watercolor on top I’m not sure if there are any other differences?
@@owingsart Thank you so much for your reply! :) It sounds like an interesting medium I was just trying to decide if it was worth the $$ to try when I already own a little collection of Watercolors, Acrylic, Gouache (Which I like using but hate the texture of), Inks, and oils. - I was just trying to ascertain what it's unique characteristic was that separates it from the other options. - I do like the idea of painting with watercolor over-top of it. Perhaps someday in the future I'll get a tube or two to try. Hmmm.
@@owingsart As luck would have it, I have a couple Quiller books from my library, in addition to my copy of Color Choices. I'll have a quick peek in them, let you know which covers casein the most. Take me 1/2 hour.
@@owingsart His book 'Watermedia Painting with Stephen Quiller' looks like the best choice. It covers water, gouache, casein, acrylic, and combinations of them. He also uses the Shiva (Richeson) paints.
Does Casein work well on canvas? If so, how do you prep. Id like to use it as my art in an artist blank book. Is that a good idea? Or would it crack, as maybe its not flexible for page turning?
Hi There - I might try gesso on the canvass first, then thin coats of Casein could be used easily. I think the cracking problem develops if you put casein on too thickly.
Have you used the medium they make? I found it very gelatinous like egg whites in texture but have only tried these paints one so far. Wondering if you use it, or only water?
Thank you for the question - About the same in my experience. It also depends on how thick you lay it on. The thicker the paint, the longer it takes to dry.
I’ve never heard of casein until James Gurney used it as an under painting. Why not just use all casein and no gouache? I’m asking cuz I have no clue ! Thankyou
You certainly could do that Sue, there's no rules about that, but some folks just like using casein as the under painting because it won't lift as easily. You could just apply casein on top, but you can also use Gouache. It's just up to you. :-)
Would you say that painting an under-painting, using Casein paint, could be a “poor man’s oil paints”, so to speak? Is casein paint a less expensive alternative to oil paint? I’m asking because I found, earlier in my life, that I couldn’t use oil paints because of my lungs. I couldn’t breathe very well around all the fumes. Turpentine and such. And you said Casein only has a slight smell to it.
I am confused You mentioned that if you got casein too thick it would crack--than you talk about painting it impasto What is the limit to the thickness please ?
@@owingsart I’m unable to depict an apple with a light shining on it, with a core shadow and reflected light coming into the apple from the table top surface. I can’t make the illusion work credibly in the same way I used to do with oil or that I can do with pastels, etc. The casein simply won’t blend while it’s wet, in my hands anyway.
@@joebeamish Ahhhh, interesting problem. Have you tried just using the Casein as the under painting and then using transparent watercolors over that? You can do some glazing that way, but it's very hard to duplicate oil painting in that way. I've had some success just using layers of transparent wc's over the casein.
@@owingsart You did mention that in the video. Perhaps I will try it. I am very fond of transparent watercolors as a medium, though it is hard to learn and has its own limitations. I have a lot of them on hand, as well as gouache and casein, which are newer to me. I am totally unable to create the illusion of reflected light in a shadow area!
Agree with Lindsay 100% bud! You've been taking your art to new and higher levels. Keep it up. Thanks for the info here, a medium I know very little about.
Very kind of you Steve. I still have a long way to go, but this year has been a good one for learning. Hope you are doing great my friend.
There is one exception to using casein paint that I know of for me. Years ago I bought the Casein paint after watching James Gurney. The smell, for me was very bad and I kept checking it for weeks and it didnt stop. I just couldnt get over it. I mentioned it on a Gurney video and a person said to me, you must be a gluten free person. Well I am. They said for us, it is a strong reaction to it. So I had to toss the paints. I really thought I would enjoy them but its not for me. Live and learn. I really enjoyed the detail work on your video. Take care. Essie
Hi Essie - Yes for sure and I know that some people have sensitivities so it’s not for everyone. I don’t even really notice odor, or if I do it seems very faint and not stinky at all. Oil paints are much stronger to me and I have to open a window or set up a fan in the studio when I use them. It’s a funny thing about paints, because the worst smelling paint I ever use is the commercial interior latex house paint. That stuff is noxious to me, but my wife makes me paint the rooms anyway, lol. Hope you are great down there in West Texas my friend. Have a great weekend!!! - Marty
I actually love the smell is not even overwhelming
Watched this video a while ago .. over a year ago...lol...and bought a starter set of Casein then. Well, I just watched this again and got out my tubes that were virgin and guess what? I just plopped it on a box that holds the rocks that I paint and I am in love! This stuff is great! I need a break from watercolor and gouache. I feel the spark again. Thanks Marty...keep spreading the word...
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Thanks. First time I learned about this medium.
Thanks a ton Terry.
Marty! That snow scene! Gorgeous! Friend, you have leveled up your art this year. I never tried this paint (or egg tempra) but its neat to learn about it:)
Thank you Lindsay. James Gurney really got me interested in all the illustration type mediums and now I’m in deep. 🤣🤣🤣
hi, Marty! thanks for this incredible review and sharing all this information .. your work is blossoming like crazy !! 👍👍
norakag, here 😊
You are very kind Nora. I really appreciate the kind words and support. Love following your work on Instagram my friend. You are really an inspiration.
I have a few years of experience with casein, and just want to add a couple of notes: - First: It actually cures with time. If it is recently dry, you can glaze over it (more than you can with gouache), but you have to be careful about it, as you said. If you wait one day, you can be a bit more rigorous. After a few weeks it's almost impossible to pick up. - Second: It dries very light, even more so than gouache. I have to admit this is both an attraction for me and a problem, because e.g. ultramarine dries so much lighter than what I am used to with oils, but it looks nice and bright :) Kinda like fresco in its brightness (which is one reason why it is sometimes used in fresco secco techniques)
Great tips and you’re right of course about it being more permanent the more time it has. Thanks very much for sharing this.
This is my experience with casein, it lifts easily even after a few days, although that might be substrate dependent. Mary Nagel Klein underpaints with casein but waits a full two week before working over the surface with casein.
thank you so much for making a video about casein! please don't stop making tutorials about casein. There aren't many tutorials about casein unfortunately
Will do!
Very informative, Marty! I always enjoy your videos. I've said this before, but you would make an excellent narrator of audiobooks. I could listen to your voice all day. And I loved the old-timey video about milk you included in the beginning. Keep up the awesome work, as always!
Thank you so much Amy. I’ve been called, “The NPR of art YT channels.” 🤣🤣🤣
Between you, and Steve Mitchell, I am learning SO much! I just love your easy going style of teaching and showing your viewers your “Yoda” wisdom…for your love of painting. Thank You, and your sketchbooks are so awesome! 🌿❤️👍🙏🏻 - Messy Mendy
Thank you so much for the kindness.
Wow-love the texture on those trees. Have to give these paints a try
Thank you Beth, much appreciated.
Hi Marty,
We used to use casein paint (Plaka from Pelikan) for sign writing alot back in the day here in Germany. If you dry the paint thoroughly and then buff the artwork with a brush (like you use for dusting off clothes or the big ones used for putting up wallpaper) it doesn't need varnish and even lasts outside for a long time. It is a very pleasant medium and the fresh paint last very long in its containers.
Hi Chrissie - Are you near Frankfurt?
@@owingsart Hi again Marty,
No, I am in the North of Germany, in Bremen.
Fantastic information and demonstration! We’ve been watching your paintings this summer and wondering how Casein behaves in a painting. Love the house painting!! You have once again inspired and spurred us on my friend! Thank you so much!
Hi Denis - I always love hearing from you my friend. I also love the long talks with Carl. We are chatting the other day and I looked up and an hour had flown by. It felt like 10 minutes. Hope you get a chance to use some Casein, if just for the fun of trying something new. I've really enjoyed them and James Gurney was my inspiration.
Say hi to Carl for me and glad to hear you guys are hanging in there.
All the best,
Marty
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!! I have fallen down a hole in the internet trying to research milk paint for the past two weeks! Today was the day I found the word Casein and pretty much immediately found this video, and everything I wanted to know about painting with it!
I don't have a backgrouund in painting so maybe that's why i took me so long but when you google the words milk paint. You get a few links about painting old furniture, some very brief historical pages with a few paragraphs, or vague connections to a handful of paintings. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right places. but thank you and maybe consider including milkpaint in your tags and and your description of the video. to help people find it.
Great review Marty, I’m always learning something new. What lovely paintings. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Rae - Thanks for the kind note. Really appreciate that.
Thanks, Marty. Very helpful demo. I'm transitioning from oil to watercolor so it's fun to see this water media you can use for thicker paint application.
Hi Sally - Thats exactly what I did. Along the way I discovered some great mediums and now I’m just having a blast using them all. What fun eh? Hope you are doing great and thanks for the note. - Marty
I used it a while back and really enjoyed it BUT, if you don't use it up rapidly, it will dry like a rock in the tubes. So you have to be careful about buying it, too, that you don't end up paying for tubes you can't get any paint out of. Maybe they've found an additive, by now, to keep this from happening, but watch out for this factor.
Hi Jill - So far, so good with the tubes I have. I'll keep an eye on them though.
Hi, I read your comment a while back and have been keeping it in mind. In a video James Gurney suggested to keep one's gouache tubes sealed in glass jars to keep them from drying. I decided to do the same with my casein tubes as well. I can't comment on how well it works in the long-term though.
Not a lot of videos out here on Casein, so thank you very much for sharing your studies!
Just started exploring casein. watched James Guerney and now you. Loved your informative video. I teach watercolor and I am very excited to try casein. I have always loved Quiller, but never explored Casein until now. Thanks.
Thanks for the comment and for watching. I think you'll like Casein.
Hi Marty. I love the bit at the top of the video - thanks for that extra touch. Wow, your casein and gouache work is just getting so outstanding. Look out James Gurney! Have a great weekend.
Hi Patricia - Thanks for noticing that part, I really had fun with that. Thanks for the compliment about the work evolving, as I’ve really worked hard to get getter this past year. Helps to have good teachers like Steve Mitchell and James Gurney. Hope you are doing great my friend.
@@owingsart Yes, I value both Steve and James who, like you have contributed greatly , as have you during my steep learning curve. I'm still a noobie.
I'm doing well and hope to be back on TH-cam before too long. I'm trying to figure out Instagram since I think that would be a good place to start. I've found some ways to manage so that I can watercolour for about an hour at a go. So I feel hopeful and I'm so grateful to be painting again!
Take care, P.
@@MPLangerArt Keep at it Patricia. :-)
The way it interacts with watercolor is surprising, it looks like a very flexible and great paint for an aquarelle artist
Ever since I saw James Gurney use Casein, I've wanted to try it. It's so nice to learn more about it, especially since most people I come across have never even heard of it! 😅 Great art as always!✌💙🎨
Hi Allie - Same here and James Gurney is the one who inspired me to give it a try. Thanks for the nice note. Have a great weekend!!!
Great video to illustrate colour mixing and properties on layering. Thankyou
So interesting! As mentioned in one of the previous videos when you talked about this paint, I heard it from you for the first time. I also have never seen it in stores or online in central Europe. Milk as a binder is an interesting idea. I wonder why it doesn't get moldy. Egg tempera paints are also a weird situation where egg yolk is used as a binder and somehow the painting lasts for centuries without growing mold! 🤯
Hi Zoe - Thanks for the note. It's pretty expensive in Europe. I think it doesn't get moldy because it is de-acidified and treated with some agents before use as a pigment binder. Maybe these is what they did in the old days as well.
Loved your LIVE veggies painting yesterday. Thanks for entertaining my dumb questions.
@@owingsart Maybe you are right. There is definitely a very good explanation but I lack basic chemistry knowledge to try to decipher it. As for the live, it was lovely of you to drop by and I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation ☺️
Good video, thanks! Having recently discovered James Gurney myself, I note he often uses casein paint as a toned underpainting for his guache sketches in his sketchbook. He piqued my interest in sketching in guache, so I just ordered a small primary set of those.
NOW, seeing him use it, I’m trying to come to grips with benefits of this additional medium (casein) water resistant underpainting, and my question would be, for sketching, wouldn’t acrylic paint work just as well?
Thanks for your perspective! Pat in NH.
Hi Pat - I suppose yes, acrylic would work just fine. I think there is something nice about casein though that isn't like acrylic. Acrylic is a fine medium but it feels like a coat of plastic underneath watercolor or gouache.
Great info, great video! Thanks, I learned a lot!
Sandrine’s gallery (YT) uses casein for some of her work and I’ve been interested in it since then but it is very expensive in the UK, so not tried it yet. I’m sure she said in one of her videos that the longer it is left the more water resistant it becomes.
I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the note.
Thanks for the great info and demo! I have been really interested in this and love the look.
Sure thing Karen - Thanks for watching.
The clip in the beginning cracked me up! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about Casein, which I've been curious about for years. It's a very informative video. Do you have to seal the painting after using Casein?
Hi Kelly - Thanks for the kind words. It's not. bad idea to seal any painting, but you have to be cautious about how you, "seal", depending on the medium you've used. I think there are a variety of ways to seal casein, like wax or some fancy spray fixatif, or even a varnish. I think I've had the best luck with this which is for Acrylic, but works great on Gouache and Casein - amzn.to/3YGkpyD
Another great and informative video. Now I want casein paints LOL.
Thanks my friend. Appreciate the kindness and also love your posts on IG.
nice video, really appreciate all the effort you put into these videos. And your paintings are very lovely :))
Thank you so much. That is very much appreciated. Do you do comedy?
@@owingsart No problem! And not really, just a silly username I came up with ! :)
@@DragonFrootBunny Well thanks for the response and I think its a cool name.
@@owingsart Thank you! And you too, have a good one :)
Excellent material and I realize how you have great dedication to represent your self & knowledge to viewers. I know it took lot of time to prepare such colorful charts. Great work. Appreciate your knowledge and skills with casein.
I appreciate that!
Wow!! i have never heard of this. I have never used gouche, oil or acrylic-just watercolor. This is very interesting and I would love to see a full tutorial on a painting using both mediums
I’d like to recommend James Gurney’s channel for those tutorials. He’s awesome at both. Please tell him I sent you.
Nice paintings Marty!
Thank you!!!
Thanks Marty, any idea how long casein keeps before spoiling? Also, diluted acrylic paint can also be used as a (mostly) permanent underpainting. The downside is you can't use it too thickly if you want to paint goauche or watercolor over it, as it may form a film. But in a thin application, it pretty much stays put and allows the glow of the paper to shine through.
Great tip John. I’m not sure how long it lasts in the tubes, I’ve seen conflict information on that, but I’ve had some tubes for a year or so and they’re still fresh as a daisy. Once put out though, they dry quickly, so I usually put them on a wet paper towel and that helps a lot - I learned that trick from Gurney. I don’t think I have more than a dozen tubes of acrylic around here, mostly bought it for the kids, but I keep thinking about using them somewhere in my work so thanks again for the tip. Talk to you soon my friend.
Marty
@@owingsart thanks Marty. I've seen conflicts on the shelf life of casein as well. I prefer oil to acrylic for opaque work, but sometimes acrylic is just quicker (though smooth blends are really a pain because of the daggone fast drying time).
Give those acrylics a try as an undertone, I think you'll like them.
Thanks for this video! I was picking up some new paints along Quiller's book on Casein painting, and your Shiva blue swatch helped me out a bunch.
Have you come any further with your casein painting?
I keep trying and learning as I go. I love using it and use a lot more now.
I'd heard of milk paint, and was wondering why the word casein sounded so familiar. Of course, it's a milk protein! I need to find some of these paints and try them out; they look really interesting. Thank you for the review and explanation! 😊
Found instantly! Thanks! Maybe someday.
@@TerrieJohnson731 Glad you found it.
Hi! Thanks for making this informative video. I was wondering: how’s the freshness of your casein tubes now? I’m hoping that storing it in air tight containers will prevent it from hardening inside the tube. Thank you!
Hi Catherine- They are still fresh. I keep the tubes in a large ziploc bag.
Thank you for the response! I’m glad to hear that they don’t harden too quickly. It’s hard to make time for painting sometimes so I didn’t anticipate being able to use it up very rapidly. :) Happy New Years!
Great information - answered all of my questions. Thanks
Sweet!
Love this! Can you tell me do you use it straight from tube or add small amounts of water for creamy consistency like gouache? Also is this medium considered a fine Art or for illustration/ commercial art? Thank you!
Hi There - Yes I use straight from the tube and mix in water or not as I need to so I get the right consistency in the paint (thick or thinner).
I'm not sure if the medium is considered, "fine art", because that is so subjective. Ancient Egyptians used this paint and their work is still visible in the Pyramids and temples from 3000 - 4000 years ago. 🙂
Thank you so much for the video, I always wondered what is Casein paints.
Sure thing Dawn. Thank you for checking it out.
This video was very informative! Just discovered these paints recently. I had question about the paint. Can you put these paints in a pallet and let them dry, to be used later like watercolors or is it best to used them fresh from the tube? Don’t wanna waste them if I can’t reactivate them.
I haven’t had good luck with that. I just use from the tubes.
Thanks for the video! Do you know anything about the shelf life of Casein? I've read that it's pretty short, which makes me rethink how many to purchase (I'm brand new to this medium). What are your thoughts on that or what have you experienced?
Hi Amy - Good question. I'm not sure they last as long as other media, but I've picked mine up after six months or so and they're good as new.
amazing! Very few art supply stores sell this type of paint (the links your provided say they are all unavailable) , so unfortunate, as it's exactly what I was looking for...
I don't remember ever using casein paint; maybe I did in my junior high art class. I've never bought it. I wonder if you can use powdered pigment and just add a little milk to it to make your own.
Hi Donna - The process for making Casein is actual a little more involved. I believe you need to use powder that’s be de-acidified and some other ingredients, however it can be down pretty easily if you want. I found a place that sells the raw pigments and the mixing ingredients. I’ll post soon.
I couldn't help but notice the Honda sticker on your box of paints. I ride an 88 nx250 :) love my hondas
I ride a CB500X and if you search for motobike traveler (motobike, not motorbike) you will find my channel devoted to riding.
@@owingsart very cool, I'll check it out. My second bike was an 84 cb650. Such a fun bike with the inline 4
I never heard of these paints, but I need them, little expensive but seem worth it
Have you used casein emulsion? I’m going to try that to help the casein flow a bit more
Hi Mary - I have not tried that, but am intrigued now. 😊🤔
Thank you very informative.
This seems like something I need to get! What are the main differences between casein and gouache besides thickness ? I love gouache and watercolor...
Hi Andrea - I talk about those differences in the video, but basically once casein dries, it won't lift. When gouache dries, it can be re-wet and will lift.
Thanks for the helpful video. How do you dispose of the used paint water? Do you need to take the same precautions as with acrylic (filtering out the particles) or can it just go down the drain? Thanks again.
Hi There - They are water based and I just rinse them in my wash basin. Not sure if there's any special precautions with this paint.
After using a casein underpainting, will the paper warp when you apply gouache or watercolor paint? Is it possible to use wet-to-dry with the underpaint? How long should I let the casein dry to get the full effect of it not lifting before I use the paper to paint? I want to get more into watercolors and kinda want to use casein as underpaint.
Thanks and these are great questions. Whether the paper will warp or not depends on a few things like how thick the paper is, and how heavy you lay on the casein. Generally #140 watercolor paper will be fine unless you heap the paint on. Many people use #300 or illustration board. Some folks just paint on the watercolor block and then take the paper off when they’re done.
You can let the casein dry for as little as an hour or leave it overnight, or if you are in a hurry like I often am, you can use a blow dryer on low heat and dry it that way. The casein won’t lift unless you really soak it with water.
Hope that helps.
I bought some for using ti paint over gold leaf on an icon. I painted on the gold leaf yesterday, but this morning it came off the gold leaf very easily when I ran my finger over it. How ling should I leave it to dry?
I've never tried that so not sure, but yes give it more time to dry and try again I guess.
I’m curious how these would compare to acrylics? Other than maybe drying to more of a matte finish and being able to use watercolor on top I’m not sure if there are any other differences?
I suppose they'd compare okay, but I like these a bit better. I've had gouache and watercolor bead up on some acrylics.
@@owingsart Thank you so much for your reply! :) It sounds like an interesting medium I was just trying to decide if it was worth the $$ to try when I already own a little collection of Watercolors, Acrylic, Gouache (Which I like using but hate the texture of), Inks, and oils. - I was just trying to ascertain what it's unique characteristic was that separates it from the other options. - I do like the idea of painting with watercolor over-top of it. Perhaps someday in the future I'll get a tube or two to try. Hmmm.
will watercolor soak in to casein if applied on top and useing heavy watercolor paper? will it adhere to it?
@@davidgollop2807 It won’t soak in much. It’s a good base but if you’re worried about it, you could try acrylic gouache? Thanks for the question.
Thanks Marty. I always think of Stephen Quiller when I hear casein.
Ooooo, now I need to look up Stephen Quiller. Thanks for the tip my friend.
@@owingsart As luck would have it, I have a couple Quiller books from my library, in addition to my copy of Color Choices. I'll have a quick peek in them, let you know which covers casein the most. Take me 1/2 hour.
Stephen Turner That would be awesome!!! Thank you kind Sir.
@@owingsart His book 'Watermedia Painting with Stephen Quiller' looks like the best choice. It covers water, gouache, casein, acrylic, and combinations of them. He also uses the Shiva (Richeson) paints.
Does Casein work well on canvas? If so, how do you prep. Id like to use it as my art in an artist blank book. Is that a good idea? Or would it crack, as maybe its not flexible for page turning?
Hi There - I might try gesso on the canvass first, then thin coats of Casein could be used easily. I think the cracking problem develops if you put casein on too thickly.
thank you for the video!
Like egg tempera use tiny strokes & allow to cure x 36 hrs.
Have you used the medium they make? I found it very gelatinous like egg whites in texture but have only tried these paints one so far. Wondering if you use it, or only water?
I checked this out because of James gurney. Nice vid. I wonder why casein is virtually unknown to the general public.
Not sure why, but it is becoming more well known because of people like James Gurney.
it was because of transparent watercolor availablity, the tempera and casein went out of fashion.
Thank you
Could you add casein emulsion medium to your guache colors in order to achieve the same effect?
I’m not sure Carl. Sounds feasible though.
DOES CASEIN DRIES SLOWER THAN GOUACHE? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO TOUCH DRY?
Thank you for the question - About the same in my experience. It also depends on how thick you lay it on. The thicker the paint, the longer it takes to dry.
I’ve never heard of casein until James Gurney used it as an under painting. Why not just use all casein and no gouache? I’m asking cuz I have no clue ! Thankyou
You certainly could do that Sue, there's no rules about that, but some folks just like using casein as the under painting because it won't lift as easily. You could just apply casein on top, but you can also use Gouache. It's just up to you. :-)
Can you use casein in a wet palette or will it dry and not be able to reactivate?
It's not very good after it dries.
Thanks.
egg tempera and now casein...
Can casein paint-dried in the tube-b reconstituted or reused?
I don't think it is very easy if it's possible at all.
Would you say that painting an under-painting, using Casein paint, could be a “poor man’s oil paints”, so to speak? Is casein paint a less expensive alternative to oil paint? I’m asking because I found, earlier in my life, that I couldn’t use oil paints because of my lungs. I couldn’t breathe very well around all the fumes. Turpentine and such. And you said Casein only has a slight smell to it.
Definitely and very sorry I missed this comment originally. Thats a good way to put it.
Another great and informative video - however I can't get excited by this paint - it's not for me! Love your renditions with it though.
Hi Nettie - Thanks so much.
Can you drop me off back in to the 80's with your way back machine?
Yeah, that would be awesome! 99 red luft balloons, Walkmans and members only jackets. :-)
I am confused You mentioned that if you got casein too thick it would crack--than you talk about painting it impasto What is the limit to the thickness please ?
You just have to use a stiff substrate like board, etc if painting thicker
Thanks for the question. It will crack if you lay it on too thick, so you just have to practice using it a bit.
Much less toxic..than oil. Illustrators medium.
I have used milk paint to paint furniture. I make my own though
I saw that on some of the sites when I was doing research. Apparently it works quite good for that.
interesting history. Glad it doesn't smell like sour milk.
Thanks for the note! And so am I. 🙏😊
I find that it smells like a cross between cosmetics and Pine sol, but very lightly. I kind of like it.
Can someone tell me, does Casein paint Expire ? Because it’s milk based ?
It does and will eventually dry out, but not for a long while if you keep the cap on tight.
Casein dries matte and can be photograped
Absolutely!
Don't lay on thick in one layer. Cracks.
Right.
It seems to be very expensive!
I get them on sale, which helps a bit.
Daniel Smith wc. Not casein.
He used both!
:-) Thank you
I wish casein blended better.
What sort of trouble are you having Joe?
@@owingsart I’m unable to depict an apple with a light shining on it, with a core shadow and reflected light coming into the apple from the table top surface. I can’t make the illusion work credibly in the same way I used to do with oil or that I can do with pastels, etc. The casein simply won’t blend while it’s wet, in my hands anyway.
@@joebeamish Ahhhh, interesting problem. Have you tried just using the Casein as the under painting and then using transparent watercolors over that?
You can do some glazing that way, but it's very hard to duplicate oil painting in that way. I've had some success just using layers of transparent wc's over the casein.
@@owingsart You did mention that in the video. Perhaps I will try it. I am very fond of transparent watercolors as a medium, though it is hard to learn and has its own limitations. I have a lot of them on hand, as well as gouache and casein, which are newer to me. I am totally unable to create the illusion of reflected light in a shadow area!
@@owingsart You’re so kind to respond. Thank you!
Cures fast.
Yes.