More about getting started- setting up and cleaning up

SETTING UP THE PALETTE:

I organize my palette using the color wheel starting with yellows on the left and ending with the blues on the right. Put out about an inch of each color. One of my teachers once said paint like the paint is free.

Start with lemon yellow, cad yellow, cad red light, alizarin crimson, cerrulean blue, cobalt blue, ending with ultramarine blue.

Put the paints on the palette the same way every time because eventually your brush will go to the right color almost without looking. It's like playing the piano.

CLEANING BRUSHES

Remove excess paint with a paper towel.

Swish the brushes in turpentine to remove a little more paint, then rub the brush on white bar soap using warm water until the soap no longer shows color, rinse with the warm water, then dry flat.


MEDIUM

3 parts odorless mineral spirits (Gamsol is the one that I like)
2 parts stand oil
1 part damar varnish