Blending | Transparent Oil Pigments

Creating an even oil blend using transparent colours can be a challenge, we demonstrate how to do this successfully on a board prepared with extra gesso and sanded to a fine finish for a smooth surface. To reduce the brush marks and accelerate drying, we used Liquin Fine Detail medium with the paints, a wide flat brush and a soft dry blending brush. We started with Prussian Blue as the darkest blue and moved across a range of transparent blues to Phtalo Blue Turquoise, ultimately going towards Zinc White. The blues are placed next to each other on the board using a brush dipped first in clean blending medium to facilitate even transitions. The gradations between colours are then smoothed with a brush dipped in more blending medium, then a soft dry synthetic brush, wiped clean between colours, is used to further smooth the transitions. When finished, the transparent blues move across the surface seamlessly from dark to light.