Saving mixtures under water

[Allan Rahbek]

I am testing a method of preserving my mixtures over day's and weeks.
I find it annoying that a good mixture will dry up and be wasted if the paint is not used up the same day.

So now I put the remaining paint, basic colors and mixtures, down under water over night or longer. The paint seem unaffected of the stay under water and I can even let it be in it's deposit and only take a little part up on the palette, with my knife, when I will need more of a given color.

I use a glass basin, 2 " high and squared. Inside the bowl is a glass plate that fits to the button so that I can easily take it up for placing paint or cleaning.

This seems so far to work well.

Allan

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Hi Allan!

I love how artist are so resourceful.... I bet your wife must love these Pyrex dishes in her fridge! I am interested to hear for how long you have been able to keep the paints submerged, without noticing a change in their consistency.

I just tubed a bunch of paint and put left over paint in those small jelly jars that they give you when you order room service at hotels. I then placed them in a jar vacuum and sucked the air out. I use the vacuum daily in the kitchen to suck the air out of opened containers and have to say that the food stays fresh much longer. That led me to try it with the paint.

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi Enzie,
Talking about resources, my wife is my best critic, I always listen.

The idea is to eliminate the influence of oxygen, and the only problem I will expect is that the water will rot if it is not shifted once a week.
The oil paint will not obtain water as long as it is not dry, I think.

Allan

[Jeff Fuchs]

I have a friend who shoots a little propane into his varnish cans to keep oxygen off the surface (propane is heavier than air).

I was thinking there's probably a way to do the same thing with a non-flammable gas, like carbon dioxide. Drop a chunk of dry ice in your pyrex container, and put celophane over it. Or get co2 cartridges and shoot a little gas in. The paint will be protected from oxygen. That way you don't have to mess with water.