Re: secrets of the masters$$$ pt 1

In Reply to: Re: secrets of the masters$$$ pt 1 posted by James Morton on 09/14/00 at 3:53 PM:

: : :I noticed that it cracked if used on a flexible support i.e. stretched canvas; this was also the experience of another painter who had tried it. I do not recall being able to obtain impastoes with it even remotely resembling Rembrandt's; as a matter of fact, it seemed to offer nothing in terms of handling and interesting effects; its only advantage was that it was hard and fast drying. If one wants to experiment with emulsion whites, I would suggest that it be done on a rigid substrate such as canvas mounted on panel.

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It really depends upon which emulsion you use, Jim. We all know how flexible some of the acrylic and latex emulsions can be. A great deal of the flexibility has to do with the eventual flexibility of the ingredients. The oil in the emulsion is no more or less flexible that the same oil not in an emulsion. The reality is that, over the years, oil becomes composed of its solids. Thos solids bind the pigment particles. Thick layers of solidified oil and pigment are not flexible and will crack. They will crack no better or worse than the same oil in an emulsion.

Saponified oil does not crack nearly as much as raw oil. Thus, any of the boiled oil/lead combinations will remain more flexible over the years because the lead has transformed the oil into a more flexible substance chemists refer to as a "soap" (no suds). That's why lead paint on houses lasts so much longer and does not chip nearly so badly as other paints.
 
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