This is a question I’m often asked about the oil paints I use. Water mixable oils are a type of oil paint that can be thinned and cleaned up with water, rather than traditional solvents like turpentine or mineral spirits, making them much more user friendly. I switched to these when I started to have problems with solvents a few years ago.
So How Do They Work?
The paint is just like any other oil paint, the same rich colours as traditional oils, except for the addition of a water-based emulsifier into the oil base. This is what allows it to bind with water molecule, giving the oils their water mixable properties. The emulsifier evaporates out of the paint as it dries leaving a normal oil painting behind.
But Oil And Water Don’t Mix Do They?
In fact they do when you use an emulsifier. We do this in cooking all the time. Think about how you make a salad dressing for example, put some olive oil, some vinegar and some mustard in a jar and give it a shake and suddenly you have a salad dressing. The mustard is the emulsifier for the oil and the vinegar.
Better For Your health
With no solvents water mixable oils are better for your health. If you are concerned about solvents you should be aware that even OMD (odourless mineral spirits) still give off harmful vapours, you just can’t smell them. So if you have health concerns or you are working in your home and don’t want to affect others then water mixable oils are the ones for you.
What Are They Like To Use?
I love my oils! I use several different brands because just like regular oil paints, each brand varies in its handling properties and it’s colours.
These are the brands I use…
Holbein’s Aqua Duo’s: My favourite water soluble oil paint! I love the buttery feel of them, they are consistent across the range and have some stunning colours too. They are rather pricey though.
Cobra Artists: A lovely creamy oil paint, lovely to use and reasonably priced. They dry consistently too.
Daniel Smith: Another buttery brand, although I only have two colours from their range. Pretty expensive to buy here in the UK.
Winsor & Newton Artisan: I find them quite stiff, they’d suit you if you like a stiffer paint. Lovely colour choices and reasonable priced.
Do you really clean up with soap and water?
Yes I do! You can use soap and water to clean your brushes. You may need to give each brush 2 or 3 goes to make sure you get that hidden paint at the base of the ferule, but they clean up very well.
Water mixable oils are a fantastic option for artists who want to enjoy the richness of oil paints without solvents. They’re a convenient and eco-friendly alternative to traditional oils.