Oil Portrait Using the CSO Method by Maurice Garson

Still another technique that has proven very affective with this medium that I can share with you today. As previous mentioned about the use of dry pastels in the preliminary sketch/brown layer, if you develop the practice of loading your brush in minute quantities with this highly viscous medium it can be used in the same way as the method discussed on 06/09/09 just as with dry pastels. It rubs into the oil out emulsion and can be moved around or removed with the same amount of ease.

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At this point in the painting it is at a phase where I and most artists would stand back and take a break to come back after a few days or weeks for analysis of fine details. Shadowing was added with a touch of Indigo in the background. More white has been used to highlight the gown. Detail has been added to the leaves in her hair as well as the necklace.

For use with traditional methods of painting, I have found this to be a pleasant experience given the flexibility to use this medium effectively as any on the the market. As you progress through the your painting you will notice inconsistencies in the luster. This is not an issue since, a final clear coat (not a finish) can be applied once you are certain the painting is dry as described in Louis' book.

There are many areas that I have observed needing a little of this or that but I always prefer to take the patient approach towards the final painting details rather than go back and repaint later. I will have to move on to completing the restoration of the frame I have chosen during this drying period. At that time finishing touch ups will be made and I will post the completed project on this post.

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Oil Portrait Using the CSO Method by Maurice Garson

Day three again I found the painting dry to touch in most areas after 24hr. although, the finish at his stage has areas that have dried somewhat flat. I am pleased with the Venetian plaster like texture from the primer because of it's effect on the overall painting. However, there were some areas that should appear smooth on the subject's cheek and chin that required some fine sanding. On to wiping clean and oiling out the surface to start the next layer.

A comment about layering steps. There are many artist's who have done excellent realistic work that no doubt was due to their intense attention to details and the multiple transparent layers applied to their canvases. Partially because I'm impatient and lazy, on this painting I've intentionally omitted a few stages. Noted in each step in this painting this is done in a way where color and tones are only placed where needed to play off each other versus coloring over a gray scale painting. Hence, a colorful under painting can add more brilliance and depth.

Today, I begin to add color such as a transparent Rose and Venetian Red to the background blended on canvas to expose the blue under painting. Starting to bring in Cadmium Red and Yellow to the palette to introduce some color to the flesh tones. Layering shades of burnt sienna in the highlights and adding more black to the dark areas is beginning to add a deep color to the hair. Some heavy white highlighting was also added to the gown.

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It has been my intention up to this stage to continue with thin layers to build color and depth. However after completion of this stage, it has become obvious that I must start painting with a fatter medium if I do not intend to use a finish as Mr. Velasquez claims I should not require. Ratio judgments made with grinding this medium are much different than resinous oil mediums where I am finding has a huge impact on the luster of the dried paint film. At this time this is best achieved by reducing the ratio of glare in the thinner. Hopefully this won't seriously hinder dry time.

Oil Portrait Using the CSO Method by Maurice Garson

Regardless of the use of the thin transparent coats I'm working, on day two surprisingly the entire surface was dry enough to begin work.. Other than it's satin luster, it's easily as fine of a working oil medium as copal. I'm still trying to get used to thickness of the CSO.

The only problem I have incurred is a few loose brush hairs from new brushes. At this point I have only strayed from Louis' recommendation in one area. If this were a large landscape with a rough canvas I would have most likely been using a stiff hog hair brush.

Instead I have opted four four different sizes of red sable:

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Bright #10 - for the back ground blending (when I don't use my fingers) Bright # 6 - large detail and blending Bright #1 - small area blending Round # 2 - minute details I begin with the "oil out" with my fingers for the next layer over the entire canvas. Working towards accurate definition in this rendering of the roses in her hair and the gold necklace today and I've started to work in more detail within the shadows and light using only variations of Burnt Umber, Ivory Black, Cobalt Blue & White.

Added black in the detail of the subjects hair, different tones of gray with umber and cobalt blue to shadow the flesh tones, first coat of white to the gown and of course more Cobalt blue to the back ground.

In between layers of this painting I have begun restoring an antique wood and gesso frame to use with it. I will provide a photo of it when the project is complete.

Note: I found a good palette to use with this medium to extend use and reduce waste of premixed colors.

Masterson Sta-Wet Palette Seal Masterson offers a variety of easy ways to keep your paints fresh while working. Your acrylics or oils stay fresh for weeks! Masterson's Sta-Wet palettes are made of lightweight white plastic that cleans up easily. The Palette Seal is airtight when closed. Disposable palette film is available for acrylics or oils. The sponge layer creates a damp atmosphere and keeps acrylic film moist (remove for oils). Place your wet palette inside the Palette Seal and preserve your oils or acrylics in an absolutely airtight environment. The lid features built-in legs for holding the palette in place. Masterson's Artist Palette Seal is a flexible, yet sturdy white plastic tray, measuring 12" × 16". Palette film not included.

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Oil Portrait Using the CSO Method by Maurice Garson

There are new habits you will have to develop early while painting with CSO:

• Your first action is to remove all other materials other than your pigments that you're accustomed to using such as Turpentine, Resins and Driers. They are not needed or welcome in this method of painting.

• Grind and thin your colors on your palette. The consistency of CSO is similar to a thinned version of glazing putty until it is ground with pigment and thinned with glair emulsion. Color can be easily manipulated and blended on canvas. For those who are familiar with using turpentine to thin out or to lightly remove pigment from your canvas, don't. Thinking about the same process using emulsion? It will work but it will dry with a matte finish.

• Make up your palette in limited quantities or use a palette you can seal off from air when you are idle unless you don't mind the waste. This medium is nothing like the oils we are used to that takes weeks to dry.

The chemical composition of this paint film becomes the result of a reaction between calcium carbonate, the fatty acids of the linseed oil and the oxygen in the air causing a cross-linked resin like polymerization. In a cruder form of refinement and higher concentrations of calcium carbonate these are exactly the same components of glazing putty. Note: Although the CSO method is a much safer medium to use, it does not eliminate exposure precautions required for handling your pigments.

My subject is from an old photo which has been scanned and the image was digitally edited to avoid the waste of time and materials on study sketches or color manipulation on canvas. Since it was my intent to be fairly realistic with this rendering, many of the conflicting issues for determining the properties of this painting where addressed before the canvas had even been touched. There is also the advantage of printing a larger, more detailed reference photo to work from. Additional information from other artists about how the use of digital methods can be used to complement traditional painting can be found in these reference books

On the first day, I will be skipping the initial charcoal or inked sketch and move directly to the under painting or "brown layer" drawing with a mixture of umber, cobalt blue, ivory black and pink (under her gown). The choice of color for the under layer was to create luminance. The back ground under layer at this time should contain more blue (under the deep red) and I've used pink shadowed with cobalt blue for under her white gown.

Click image for larger veiw

Using an Egg Glair Viscous Emulsion from Louis' read, I initially favored a dry brush technique instead of "oiling out" since this layer is only used as a definitive sketch to outline dimensional and tonal scale properties. However, in an effort to reduce excessive build up of paint and the amount of pentimenti in this painting, through a little testing I discovered an outstanding alternative. After the first "oil out" process, I have found that soft pastels work well for sketching and that when blended with a brush or finger into the glair emulsion it will dry as if it was painted.

The advantages are as follows:

• Reduced time for grinding paint colors. After oiling out and wiping the excess, you can move on to applying the colors of your first layer.

• Obvious enhanced control of line and color. Color can be smeared and moved on the canvas much like pastel painting.

• Can be erased easily. This must be done lightly to avoid removing the emulsion in your first oil out. Lightly rubbing with a Colour Shaper works well. Avoid soft erasers in this step since rubbing with them will produce eraser crumbs that contaminate the emulsion layer.
  

• Allows more freedoms in regards to choice of under painting colors through out the painting.

• Minimizes paint build up to improve the flexibility of the canvas.

Note: With this process you should only be using soft pastels which contain minimal amounts of gum binders in a compressed pigment stick. Chalk and oil pastels contain chalk and wax that will interfere with adhesion and the polymerization process.

Colour Shapers Tools Colour Shapers are a revolutionary tool for painting, drawing, lifting, and blending. Invented by artists for artists, Colour Shapers combine tradition with exciting new technology. The durable tips are made of an advanced rubber composite. Apply oil or acrylic paint straight from the tube with a Colour Shaper, and then use it to carve back into the paint for a variety of texture and surface effects. The tool easily lifts paint from the surface or draws lines, contours, and edges on the color. With seamless nickel ferrules and lacquered hardwood handles, they offer the quality needed by dedicated artists. To clean, simply dip the tips in water or solvent and wipe with a cloth. Don't worry — dried color just peels away! Available in Soft or Firm tips. The ivory-colored tip is soft and designed for responsiveness with fluid and soft colors. The gray tip is firm and offers better control over heavy bodied paints. Choose your size, shape, and firmness, or try a sampler set of 5.

For reference on the use of color shapers: Colour Shaper - Handles Paint In An Entirely New Way With Michael Sanders [VHS] by Michael Sanders

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Oil Portrait Using the CSO Method by Maurice Garson

The canvas used for this project is an acrylic primed 10 oz fine smooth linen stretched over a 20" x 16" x 1 ½ “ Gallery Pro cross braced stretcher frame.

I usually don't use pre-primed canvas but I was offered a deal I could not refuse for a large quantity. Taking advantage of this, the acrylic primed side of this canvas was utilized as a protective finish to the back of the painting instead of wax. Fortunately the acrylic primer will allow additional soaking with water to help keep the canvas taut while at the same time protecting it from contaminates. The painting surface itself was prepared as described in the previous post.

Through out the Louis Velasquez book emphasis is placed on the correct use of the primary ingredient "linseed oil" and how

it was processed by the old masters and applied to canvas.

In quote of his book "The oil paintings of the 14th century Van Eycks and other masters of the era, were made slowly by hand, with natural materials and with methods guided by experience and understanding. Almost 600 years later, they are still in extraordinary condition of preservation."

It goes on to say "Their paintings took weeks, or months to complete the layering process. The artists had understanding of thixotropic properties of unrefined oil and the properties of natural emulsions. These paintings have brilliant color depth, hard lustrous surfaces, extremely fine minute micro fine details, sensuous textural applications and have been called "jewel-like' by experts throughout history."

There have been many theories about the old masters mediums. Fredrick Taubes, Charles L. Eastlake and many painters and conservators from the turn of the 20th century believed that the jewel like qualities of their paintings could only be achieved with the use of resinous materials such as Amber and Copal. However, there is documentation that use of different additives and incompatible solvents have also been the cause of discoloration and decomposition.

One topic that is abundant in all their notes is a process to remove impurities from and to bleach and thicken the linseed oil used. Louis believes this is the key to perfecting an archive oil medium. And, while using his materials and instruction I am set out to prove him right.

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Oil Portrait Using the CSO Method by Maurice Garson

After reading his book and considerable conversation with the author "Oil Painting with'Calcite Sun Oil':Safety and Permanence Without Hazardous Solvents, Resins,Varnishes and Driers" by Louis R. Velasquez, I've experimented with his painting process and I've decided to start a journal of a portrait work in progress using the patented "Calcite Sun Oil" method. Cold Pressed Sun Thickened Linseed Oil which is actually produced from the flax seed in this painting will be used for thinning, improving gloss, transparency, and smoothing brush marks. Louis believes and provides substantial evidence that this was ultimately the main ingredient of the old masters when it was sun thickened and beached from exposure to air to get a head start on the polymerization curing process before using it on canvas. Inspired by his mentor Frederic Taubes, Louis provides insight in his book from a considerable amount of valuable research on this topic. He also covers the advantages of using calcium carbonate and egg white glair blended with linseed oil in his medium.

I will begin this portrait utilizing the strict traditional method of stretching and preparation of my canvas as explained here on my website. The only exception made at this step is the replacement of rabbit skin with poly vinyl acetate glue sizing. Scientists and conservators claim that rabbit skin glue allows the damaging absorption of moisture and it is also believed that rabbit skin glue and acrylic gesso possess different expanding and contraction properties than oils where eventually in changing atmospheric conditions these underlying materials will cause the oil painting surfaces to crack. Prepping with lead white oil base primer, the entire canvas ground is neutral toned in Ochre and applied with a palette knife.

When this segment of the project is dry I will provide images of it's progress in my next post.

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