Thanks for this interesting tutorial. I wondering if whiting is used as well to make distemper? Or is it best to just use the two elements or pigment and rabbit skin glue?
Hello, thank you for your interest in this video. Whiting is effectively a neutral fine chalk which is usually mixed with rabbit skin glue to make gesso for a flat, smooth surface (approximate ratio 25% whiting powder, 25% RSG granules and 50% water). If you then add to the recipe a pigment, you could successfully build up layers of thickness onto the canvas stretcher or painting board. It is well worth experimenting with adjusting the ratios to achieve the result you require.
Never knew about this thanks very much for sharing. I imagine this could be used over a gesso panel as a coloured ground for either oil or acrylic painting. Cornelissen's are great but quite expensive do you know if there's somewhere else to get pigments if you're trying this out. On paper I imagine this would buckle it, instead of stretching the paper I wonder if the paper could be glued to a panel (instead of using gesso) to make a quick support surface?
Thankyou for your positive comments. In my video I was showing that it is possible to paint a mixture of pigment and rabbit skin glue (distemper) straight onto canvas without any gesso ground, for instance in a large theatre backdrop, but I'm sure you would be able to use it over a gesso panel provided the gesso is made with rabbit skin glue. If it was acrylic gesso there's a chance of a reaction as the two are water-based, so it's always best to try these things out first. Regarding the supplier, I have often used Cornellissen because their products are consistent and good quality. However, it's worth looking online at Jackson's, Lawrence Art Supplies or Cass Art to compare prices. The paper I've always used is Fabriano or the handmade paper from St Cuthberts Mill in Somerset as cotton fibres are incorporated into the paper to give it strength. Because of this, I've not needed to stretch it. Thankyou for your interest.
Thank you for your interest in this video. This is an interesting question. I'm afraid I haven't tried painting distemper onto an oil-based canvas, but it’s well worth doing some tests for yourself.
Question: is distemper paint ever finished with a top coat? Varnish? Wax? It just seems the RSG remains hydrophilic and would absorb moisture from the environment…
Thank you for this interesting question. The overwhelming reason for doing my research into distemper paint was to make a safe working environment for the artist in the studio, by not using any products that have a solvent or white spirit element. So, for my own purposes, I was happy to leave the distemper paint surface as it is. However, there are some natural wax varnishes available which seem to work with distemper paint and could be worth a try. My advice with any research is to test a few products out in your own studio environment, and see what is most successful for the purpose in which it’s being used.
Many thanks for looking at the video. I don't know the exact answer to your question, but I don't think water-based acrylic is suitable for oil gesso. Therefore, as rabbit-skin glue and pigment (distemper) is also water-based, that probably isn't appropriate for a gesso oil-primed linen canvas either. However, the distemper paint mentioned in my video can be applied directly onto linen or a cotton canvas. It's always best to do a test sample and wait for any reaction before trying any new combinations.
Another 2 questions: Is it possible to preserve the mixing of pigments and rabbit skin glue in a tight container for future applications? And the misture of rabbit skin with water must be preserved in the warm water to the next day or it can be put away and rewarmed again? THANK YOU!
Hi, thanks for the questions. I have rewarmed rabbit skin glue the following day and it did work, but it's unclear whether it loses its strength with repeated warming over a long period. I tend to estimate and mix up the amount I need for a day's work, so I can guarantee that it's full strength. The main thing to remember is not to add more water to the mix. As regards storing liquid rabbit skin glue, I've been testing this out for a future video. I filled a glass jam jar with warm rabbit skin glue right to the top so that it had no air gap, and then screwed the lid on. I've left it for a couple of months and will be trying it out in the near future. I'm anticipating that this method could keep it from deteriorating. I'll put the video up as soon as I get a conclusion. I'm sure that if the glue remains stable, then it would be the same with pigment added.
Yes, it is possible to paint another layer of distemper paint on top after it has dried. In doing so you could add greater depth and colour to your painting surface, and as the distemper paint has a translucent effect with some pigments, it could be an advantage when using it for layering in fine art practice. However, as it’s water-based, each new layer may interact with a previous colour, so there may be some blending.
Rabbit skin glue and chalk are used in some recipes to make gesso as a preparation ground and for sealing the canvas or wooden panel. In my video, however, I was showing that it is possible to paint a mixture of pigment and rabbit skin glue (distemper) straight onto canvas without any gesso ground, for instance in a large theatre backdrop. If it was applied to a painting stretcher, you would perhaps size it with a layer of rabbit skin glue first to tighten the canvas. Regarding the amount of chalk in a particular pigment, it is best to check with your fine art supplier.
Andrew Cranston uses this very same medium and in the description of the painting titled "wainting for the bell" he uses rabbit skin glue on bleached canvas. May be you'd know what he means by "bleached canvas"? Thanks a lot!
@@isabelgarrett2966Hi. Bleached canvas is not a product I'm very familiar with, but I believe it's bleached to make it white by removing all the natural colour in an industrial process. The fabric can then be used in the textile industry to print on. It seems that bleached canvas can also be used as a scenic backdrop.
I was looking for the Vuillard's technique after I saw some master pieces at the museum. You answered very well to
my questions. Thank you!
Thanks for this video I’ve been looking for info on distemper so I’m delighted to find this
Glad it was helpful. Thankyou for the message.
thank you!
That was fascinating, thank you
Thanks for this interesting tutorial. I wondering if whiting is used as well to make distemper? Or is it best to just use the two elements or pigment and rabbit skin glue?
Hello, thank you for your interest in this video.
Whiting is effectively a neutral fine chalk which is usually mixed with rabbit skin glue to make gesso for a flat, smooth surface (approximate ratio 25% whiting powder, 25% RSG granules and 50% water).
If you then add to the recipe a pigment, you could successfully build up layers of thickness onto the canvas stretcher or painting board.
It is well worth experimenting with adjusting the ratios to achieve the result you require.
Never knew about this thanks very much for sharing. I imagine this could be used over a gesso panel as a coloured ground for either oil or acrylic painting. Cornelissen's are great but quite expensive do you know if there's somewhere else to get pigments if you're trying this out. On paper I imagine this would buckle it, instead of stretching the paper I wonder if the paper could be glued to a panel (instead of using gesso) to make a quick support surface?
Thankyou for your positive comments. In my video I was showing that it is possible to paint a mixture of pigment and rabbit skin glue (distemper) straight onto canvas without any gesso ground, for instance in a large theatre backdrop, but I'm sure you would be able to use it over a gesso panel provided the gesso is made with rabbit skin glue. If it was acrylic gesso there's a chance of a reaction as the two are water-based, so it's always best to try these things out first.
Regarding the supplier, I have often used Cornellissen because their products are consistent and good quality. However, it's worth looking online at Jackson's, Lawrence Art Supplies or Cass Art to compare prices.
The paper I've always used is Fabriano or the handmade paper from St Cuthberts Mill in Somerset as cotton fibres are incorporated into the paper to give it strength. Because of this, I've not needed to stretch it.
Thankyou for your interest.
Thank you! Very interesting! Could I paint on top with oil paint?
Thank you for your interest in this video. This is an interesting question. I'm afraid I haven't tried painting distemper onto an oil-based canvas, but it’s well worth doing some tests for yourself.
Question: is distemper paint ever finished with a top coat? Varnish? Wax?
It just seems the RSG remains hydrophilic and would absorb moisture from the environment…
Thank you for this interesting question. The overwhelming reason for doing my research into distemper paint was to make a safe working environment for the artist in the studio, by not using any products that have a solvent or white spirit element. So, for my own purposes, I was happy to leave the distemper paint surface as it is.
However, there are some natural wax varnishes available which seem to work with distemper paint and could be worth a try.
My advice with any research is to test a few products out in your own studio environment, and see what is most successful for the purpose in which it’s being used.
Hello thanks for the tutorial, can I use this medium on gesso oil primed linen canvas?
Many thanks for looking at the video. I don't know the exact answer to your question, but I don't think water-based acrylic is suitable for oil gesso. Therefore, as rabbit-skin glue and pigment (distemper) is also water-based, that probably isn't appropriate for a gesso oil-primed linen canvas either. However, the distemper paint mentioned in my video can be applied directly onto linen or a cotton canvas. It's always best to do a test sample and wait for any reaction before trying any new combinations.
@@MakingArea It makes sense, Thank you!
Another 2 questions: Is it possible to preserve the mixing of pigments and rabbit skin glue in a tight container for future applications?
And the misture of rabbit skin with water must be preserved in the warm water to the next day or it can be put away and rewarmed again? THANK YOU!
Hi, thanks for the questions. I have rewarmed rabbit skin glue the following day and it did work, but it's unclear whether it loses its strength with repeated warming over a long period.
I tend to estimate and mix up the amount I need for a day's work, so I can guarantee that it's full strength. The main thing to remember is not to add more water to the mix.
As regards storing liquid rabbit skin glue, I've been testing this out for a future video. I filled a glass jam jar with warm rabbit skin glue right to the top so that it had no air gap, and then screwed the lid on. I've left it for a couple of months and will be trying it out in the near future. I'm anticipating that this method could keep it from deteriorating. I'll put the video up as soon as I get a conclusion. I'm sure that if the glue remains stable, then it would be the same with pigment added.
can you layer the paint after its dried? you painted the orange on paper, when dry can I put another color on top? without it blending etc... ?
Yes, it is possible to paint another layer of distemper paint on top after it has dried. In doing so you could add greater depth and colour to your painting surface, and as the distemper paint has a translucent effect with some pigments, it could be an advantage when using it for layering in fine art practice. However, as it’s water-based, each new layer may interact with a previous colour, so there may be some blending.
does the pigment already have chalk in it..? isnt this another way of adding gesso made with rabbit skin glue?
Rabbit skin glue and chalk are used in some recipes to make gesso as a preparation ground and for sealing the canvas or wooden panel.
In my video, however, I was showing that it is possible to paint a mixture of pigment and rabbit skin glue (distemper) straight onto canvas without any gesso ground, for instance in a large theatre backdrop. If it was applied to a painting stretcher, you would perhaps size it with a layer of rabbit skin glue first to tighten the canvas.
Regarding the amount of chalk in a particular pigment, it is best to check with your fine art supplier.
Andrew Cranston uses this very same medium and in the description of the painting titled "wainting for the bell" he uses rabbit skin glue on bleached canvas. May be you'd know what he means by "bleached canvas"? Thanks a lot!
I'm afraid this is completely new to me as I've not seen rabbit skin glue used on bleached canvas. This could be an interesting area for research.
@@MakingArea ...and what is bleached canvas, please?
@@isabelgarrett2966Hi. Bleached canvas is not a product I'm very familiar with, but I believe it's bleached to make it white by removing all the natural colour in an industrial process. The fabric can then be used in the textile industry to print on. It seems that bleached canvas can also be used as a scenic backdrop.
@@MakingArea Thank you, very usuful!