Celine

Working on a small scale presents its own challenge. I grind my colors using powdered pigments and black oil (cold pressed linseed oil boiled with lead), then mix my colors and values for the area I’m working on (in this case the turtleneck, black pants and leather boots).  To keep the paint fresh for extended use (up to two weeks), I store them in a plastic box with sponges on the lid and keep it in a fridge between sessions.  My brushes are Winsor & Newton Series 7 finest quality Kolinsky sable (mostly 000) brushes. Picking up a small amount with an individual brush for each color in my box, I place the excess on my “finger pallete” and use that to dip into to replenish my brushes.  Before I paint in a particular area, I apply a thin layer of hand made Maroger medium (gum mastic crystal solution mixed with the black oil) to paint into. For my detail work, I wear a jeweler’s OptiVISOR by Donegan Optical Company.