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COLOURS |
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| Where does the colour of the paint come from? |
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The first pigment marks date back to Prehistoric times. In Lascaux caves, drawings were discovered, whose colours were made from soil and blood.
Paint is made from a mix of a pigment and a binder, the pigment gives its colour to the paint. There are various types of pigments :
- Mineral origin: Ochres, raw Sienna.
- Organic origin : extracted from a root, a plant, an animal (Carmine, cochineal, ivory black, burnt bones.)
- Synthetic or chemical pigments
Synthetic or chemical pigments Raw materials are selected according to their colour concentration. Then they are ground to microscopic pieces and, depending on the binder added, they will be adapted to various kinds of paints: acrylic or oil paint, pastel, watercolour, egg Tempera.Many pigments are no longer available. The depletion of natural resources and ecological issues have lead to the replacement of natural pigments by synthetic pigments.
There are different kinds of pigments : in addition to numerous basic coloured powder, there are iridescent (pearly), metallic, phosphorescent, fluorescent hues. They do not all have the same degree of lightfastness, some are transparent, others are opaque.
Pigments have 16 characteristics:
- Vivacity of the tone
- Sensibilité à la lumière
- Permanence en mélange
- Covering power
- Colouring power
- Siccativity
- Suspension power
- Fineness
- Compatibility with other pigments and techniques
- Resistance to bad weather
- Stability in high temperature
- Toxicity
- Weight
- Density
At Sennelier, we inform you of the composition of the pigments used, thanks to a number on each product. You can find the corresponding pigments in our index, and thus know the origin but also the degree of lightfastness. |
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| How can I make my own colours? |
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You can make your own colours by mixing pigments and binders. Each paint has its own binder
(acrylic, oil, watercolour, egg Tempera.).
For water-based colours such as watercolours, gouache or egg Tempera, you may use gum or resin (typically, some Arabic gum) to which you may add glycerine, to slow the drying process and soften the brush stroke. Then, add some natural binder to preserve the adhesive of animal or vegetable origin.
For oil colours, you can use clarified linseed oil or safflower oil or some poppyseed oil for a few colours (blue, white.).
To bind colours, use a glass muller on a sheet of glass or polished marble or even a pestle with a mortar.
Once the colour is obtained, it is better to store it in a dry, dark, place, in an hermetically closed box, a flask, a film box or a Tupperware®.
Sennelier proposes a very rich range of pigments as well as the binders for each technique.
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| How can I preserve my colours as long as possible? |
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Colours are very light-sensitive and particularly with direct sun light. They must be spared from dramatic temperature change and preserved in a dry cool place.
Oil can be preserved long after the tube has been opened. However, if a thin layer starts to form, just scrape it and the paste will be intact underneath.
If you leave it on the palette, it is better to dampen it regularly and to keep it under a cap. If your paint completely dries, add some binder to try and recover it. |
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| How can I dry my work in the best conditions? |
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For the drying process not to affect the quality of the painting, place it in a dry, cool room filled with light (do not place it above a radiator). Never expose it to the sun, it could alter the hues.
Do not try to accelerate artificially the drying process.
You need a well-insulated room, so that there is no humidity that would damage the paint or the support.
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| What is the difference between soft pastels, dry pastels and oil pastels? |
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The first two pastels are both designated as dry pastels. They include dry pastels (Art Chalk) and soft or extra-soft pastels. Sennelier pastels 'à l'écu' are considered as extra-soft because they are so smooth and velvety. They are available in three sizes(standard, half-size and giant size) and in 525 shades..
Oil pastels' only common point with the other pastels are their shape. They have a different consistency (oil or wax) and they are not necessarily used on the same surface. Sennelier offers a range of 120 oil pastels in three sizes: standard, big and giant (only for white and black).
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| What are primary, secondary and complementary colours? |
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There are 3 primary colours (blue, yellow and red). By mixing those colours, you can obtain all of the other colours. If you mix the 3 primary colours, you will obtain black.
Secondary colours are obtained by mixing 2 primary colours. Thus, you obtain green, purple and orange.
To simplify colours' identification, you may use the chromatic circle.
Colours are also classified, in a more relative and subjective way, in cold and warm colours.
Usually, yellow, red and orange are considered to be warm colours. Blue and green are called cold colours. |
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PASTELS "A L'ECU" |
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How can I accentuate the paper texture with pastels 'à l'écu'?
And how can I conceal the paper texture? |
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The easy technique of layout enables you to accentuate the effect of the texture of the paper, while retaining the spontaneity of the gesture. You may use strong, average or slight layouts in order to accentuate it more or less.
On the contrary, if you wish to obtain a blending, you must shade off with your finger, with a stump or a brush. You will thus have a harmonious gradation between the different hues of a colour. By slightly mixing the colours, this technique enables a better transition between them and the texture of the paper does not appear. |
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| On which surface can I use dry pastels? |
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Ideally, you should apply your pastels on Pastel card, as they are specially suited for that, but you may also use the albums 'Mémoire de Pastel', 'L'Esprit du Pastel', coloured Ingres and Kraft.
In fact, it depends on whether you want the texture of the paper to show.
We advise you against using pumice paper because it is too abrasive with dry pastels and it strips off your sticks very quickly.
If you wish to obtain a more blending, softer aspect, use 'velvety' paper or deckled edges. |
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| What are the different techniques to apply my pastels? |
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Stomp is a good way to blend colours, which is very useful as pastels do not mix on a palette but must be shade off with a stump. Colours must be overlapped, not mixed.
After each new layer, remember to use a fixative, otherwise, the colour could stomp when overlapped by another one. |
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| How can I give special aspects to pastels? |
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You may use a dry wash tint, which consists in laying pastel powder directly onto the paper, thus enabling subtle variations of colours in the blending, especially when it is done with the fingers.
In order to materialize the impact of the light, you may apply colour touches-up, which are the last brush strokes applied.
Dotting creates unexpected results : you will obtain a spotty aspect by placing colours side by side.
The glazing technique may also help improve a work : you may apply a thin layer of pastel on top of a colour that is already fixed. It will give some transparency, thanks to slight layouts with a clean pastel. |
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| Should I apply a fixative on a pastel? |
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Two opinions emerge on the issue of preservation : some people advise to use a fixative while working, and between each layer. Other people consider that fixing the pastel distorts the initial vibration of the tones.
As for Sennelier, we suggest to use the Latour fixative, which does not modify pigments' hues. Otherwise, keep your pastels mounted under glass, this way, they won't be damaged by any element. |
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| What are the different techniques for pastels? |
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| In addition to its wide range of colours, pastels may be used in different ways, each time giving a different result. You may apply it by rubbing or crushing it, in lines, in portions, in layout, with you finger or a stomp or a cloth... |
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OIL PASTELS |
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| On which surface can I use oil pastels? |
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| Work on textured (paper, canvas, wood) or smooth or polished (paper, glass, porcelain, metal) surfaces. The smooth Sennelier Oil Pastel Pad or the textured Sennelier painting paper suit perfectly this oil technique. |
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| What are the characteristics of oil pastels? |
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| Oil pastels are as smooth as butter,as they are bound with a very pure greasy texture, and rigidified with mineral wax. Their consistency is close to that of lipstick. They may be used in any way you wish. They have a high colouring and covering power and they have a high degree of lighfastness. |
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| What is a scumble? |
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| A scumble stain enables the overlap of slight colour layers. It is especially suited to draw cloudy skies. It is a kind of 'pastel blend'. |
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| How can I apply a fixative on oil pastel? |
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In order to fix oil pastel works, you may use Sennelier oil pastel fixative, it is best suited for Sennelier oil pastels. |
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OIL PAINT |
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| What does it mean: 'painting fat on lean' ? |
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That is a painting rule to ensure that the oil paint is completely dry, and thus to avoid surface check.
The so-called fat layer is diluted with oil or with a medium and the so-called lean layer is diluted with petroleum.It also refers to the fact that painting with oil paint on acrylic paint is possible, but not the reverse.
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| How can I paint a beautiful backdrop? |
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You may start with a first layer of paint, diluted with petroleum, as a backdrop. Thus, you will apply a 'grisaille' or monochrome backdrop. This enables you to apply dominant shades and to create the structure of the painting.
You may use earth colours, as they unify and dry well.
Do not forget the golden rule : fat on lean. For example, the first layer may be diluted with petroleum, the second with oil and petroleum in equal proportions and the third may be some paint with oil. |
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| What is glazing? |
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| Glazing enables to intensify a colour, to give it a deeper aspect and even to modify it entirely. It may be obtained by applying a translucent layer of paint on top of a tainted backdrop that is dry or thick. It may be fat or lean. |
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| How can I paint a fake marbling? |
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You may start off painting a blending, which will enable you to obtain a gradation of colours.
This effect is obtained with wet paint applied with a badger hair brush or a fan brush. This will also help you paint 'faux-bois'. |
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| What is the secret to creating a beautiful sky? |
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You may paint a sky using the impasto technique: apply the paint in thick brush strokes or use a knife. |
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| What is the 'spraying' technique? |
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It is a technique based on projecting, with a hard brush, some very diluted paint or pure petroleum onto fresh layers. This enables you to accentuate the vibrant effect of movement.
This technique is especially useful to paint the grass, the rain, the waves. |
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| What is a 'sgraffito'? |
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This term, which means 'scratching' designates the ridging of a layer of wet paint with the point of a knife or a knife to show the backdrop.
You may even use hair locks, grass stems.This technique is close to that of engraving and enables you to show the under-layers of the painting and even to scratch and clean out unsatisfactory parts of the canvas. |
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WATERCOLOUR |
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| What can I use together with watercolours to have
a better effect ? |
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As watercolours are used with water, you may add some salt, for example. It will give a surprising result by absorbing the water. This technique is used for silk-painting. If you use a cloth to absorb top layers, it will create a design.
You may use drawing gum, which will enable you to have uncoloured spaces and create a reserve.
Drawing gum is a kind of paint which is conditioned in jar. You may apply it using an old brush or an old tooth brush. Let it dry then paint it. Once it is dry, peel the gum away. That tool is very useful to paint small details, the sea, the sky. |
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| What is the difference between watercolours
in half-pans and in tubes ? |
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Their making is very similar but they use differ.
Pans are useful for drawing pads or travelling pads, for small works. They are easy to carry, but it is hard to keep the same mixture.
Tubes contain more watercolour and enable to create bigger paintings, large layouts. Mixes can be used outside, as well as in a studio.
At Sennelier, we offer you 10 ml and 21ml tubes, whereas other manufacturers only offer 5 ml and 15 ml tubes.
We offer you a wide range of 80 colours (50 transparent hues, 12 half-transparent and 18 opaque). |
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| What is the secret of a beautiful wash? |
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To obtain a wash drawing, you must prepare your colour carefully in your palette, then humidify well the paper before applying the shade with a wide brush. Then, apply the shade in regular gestures (right then left, left then right.).
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