Painting trivia
 

I still consider myself to be a newcomer to the art of painting, so I thought I would start a thread about the little things.

First, palette knives are called knives for a reason. Yesterday I decided to check the edge of my favorite palette knife for knicks by running my thumb along the edge. I now have a half inch long cut (like a paper cut), deep, on the tip of my thumb. Lots of blood and three bandages later I have learned a valuable lesson. Knives are sharp!

Please add to this if you have any other insignificant trivia that may save a life! :)

Jean

Life Saving Tips
 

Hi Jean -

This made me laugh - I still regularly get paper cuts after many years of knowing better!

Let's see - beware the staple gun, and make sure you point it in the right direction. Thank God I never did that wrong! But I have left staples one the floor and stepped on them later. NOT good.

if you use a glass palette, be careful cleaning the edges. I got myself once with that one.

What else? Make sure your large-size paintings have large, strong hanging straps and wall holders (I forget the technical name - at least I don't call it the "Wall thingie") or yours may make a funny sound one night as mine did when it fell to the floor with a heart-rending thump.

If you have cats, keep them out of the studio! Or you might get a heart attack after seeing their handiwork (or should I say "paw-work"?) :)

Don't set your glass of lemonade too close to your container of turp. You'll inevitably take a drink from the wrong one. That once happened to someone I know. But not me, though. I would never (*hack*) do something (*choke*) that stupid (*spittle*)........

Hi, all - I thought this thread would have a happy home in the Cafe..

Richard, that's a good one, makes my little cut seem like a walk in the park! I choke along with you, yuk.

Julie, I used a glass palette years ago in college. We were told to put masking tape around the edges and in an X on the bottom. This saved me many times I'm sure.

I now have two german sheperds, and three cats. So far I've been lucky. One of my sheperds (Zoe) is a thief, she steals my pencils, pastels and brushes. I've learned to keep them out of her reach. Now she steals my clothing and shoes. She doesn't hurt anything, just does it for fun.

I can't afford an organizer for my pastels yet, so I use check register boxes filled with rice. The rice cushions and cleans them, and they stack easily.

Jean

Animals in the Studio
 

[My cats like to eat my charcoals sticks. I find little remnants lying around if I don't put them away.

Don't wash your palette knives in the dishwasher! Don't leave them in the kitchen, for other people (husbands) may put them in the dishwasher.

Jean

Here is another one that don

I had a cat eat some Cad Orange one time. Must taste good. Another reason to keep small children out of the studio!

Hi Michele,

So you are Cat Orange free now, or ?

Allan

Although medium does not contain pigment, don't absent-mindedly imagine that it will evaporate away like turpentine. Clean it up like paint.

Cadmiums
 

Animal must love cadmiums, after days of mysterious disappearances I finally caught my little dachshound with bright red moustache...
Also another tip: if, like me, you go and buy your colours by scooter (Roman holidays style), mind to tie the bag properly when you park it, before you squash a good amount of Michael Harding expensive paints
Ilaria

I'm very glad that my animals don't seem to like the cads! They just steal things. Allan maybe that's how peacocks got so colorful!

Jean

Another thing to watch out for with cats....

Don't set your palette down anywhere they might walk on it! Think bright multi-colored paw prints all around and (caught red-handed!) kitty with gobs of paint caught in the soft fur between all those paw pads. The counter and window sill she walked all over was much easier to clean than all those furry paws!

Emu oil!
 

This is wonderful stuff (for skin, not to paint with). I've always fought with dry skin, especially when using pastels. Emu oil softens, repairs, and doesn't have a smelly, fruity, flowery, or unpleasant odor.

Jean

Terri, I had the same sort of cat-astrophe that you did. My bouncy little kitten ran over a large glob of prussian blue on my palette and managed to cover a lot of territory before I caught her. Aaaaaargh!