How to Keep Colors in Oil Paintings Clean
When the paint colors in your finished oil painting look dirty, the effect can detract from the entire painting by causing the eye of the viewer to be drawn to the dirty section of the painting. Dirty paint colors are typically caused by one of three mistakes made by the painter. By understanding what these mistakes are and how to avoid them, you can ensure your painting is vibrant and always appealing to those who view your work.
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Instructions
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Paint with the appropriate paint color. Avoid placing cool colors where a warm color should be or the other way around. This is one of the most common reasons colors look dirty. If, for instance, you are painting a vibrant sunny day and you place a cool color, such as green or blue, where a warm color, such as red or yellow, should be, the effect can look dirty. The appropriate temperature color overlapping is essential to keeping the painting clean.
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Avoid repetitive brush strokes. This will flatten and mash your paint colors together and create a dull, dirty effect. Apply paint in one or two strokes and leave it alone. Wipe your brush after you've applied these strokes. Never continue painting over an area to achieve a thicker application. If you want a thicker application, put it on the brush within the first two strokes. This will ensure the colors are bright and clean.
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Clean your brush thoroughly with turpentine, but always wipe the brush before you use it. The turpentine will make it look clean, but you may find there are hidden colors in the bristles that come out when you go to apply a new color. Avoid pressing too hard with your brush because those additional colors will seep out into the paint color you want to apply, making the application dirty. For this reason, wiping the paint from your brush and dipping it in turpentine more than once can be an effective solution.
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