How do I work with pigments?

How does one actually work with pigments? Although I’m already in my fifth semester of studying painting, it’s only in the last few months that I’ve really started working with pigments. The reason for this was always that I felt there were so many different types of colours that I usually couldn’t make head nor tail of it all. I’d often just pick any old brand at random without giving much thought to how this might affect my paintings in the future. But this becomes particularly important when, as a young artist, you start selling your work. How long will my painting last, how vibrant will the colours remain, and how can I guarantee good quality for the buyers? That’s why I’m testing Kremer-Pigmente’s oil pigments for you today.

Step 1: Proper preparation

The kit also includes a spatula, a glass squeegee, a glass plate, a brush and refill tubes. Detailed instructions are provided in English and German. You’ll also ideally need a set of scales to weigh out the exact proportions. Personally, when mixing, I wear a mask as a precaution so as not to inhale any pigments. It’s a good idea to work on a clean table to ensure no contaminants get into the pigments. I even use a small extra table just for the pigments. Once you’ve got everything set up properly, you’re ready to go!

Step 2: First, choose a colour!

I’ll start with golden ochre and choose walnut oil as my binder. With light colours or shades of blue, for example, the light-coloured oil doesn’t affect the colour too much. But that – like so much in art – is a matter of taste.

What are binders used for?

Binders are very important for helping the pigments adhere to the canvas or paper; they form a film that encapsulates the pigments, thereby fixing them to the painting surface.

Step 3: Mixing the pigments

I put both onto the glass plate and mix them together until I have a consistency suitable for applying with a palette knife. This means I could pick up the paint onto my canvas with the palette knife without it dripping straight onto the floor.

Step 3: Work the pigments in properly!

I use the glass scraper to ensure that the pigments mix properly with the binder. To alter the consistency, I can add wax-based colouring agents as required. This allows me to apply the paint in a very impasto style – that is, thickly.

I’ll start with a freehand sketch, using red and yellow. I personally really enjoyed mixing the colours and, contrary to my expectations, it didn’t take long at all. I also feel a strong connection to the old masters who have been practising these techniques for centuries. The colours really came into their own, particularly when mixed with linseed oil.

By the way: if you want to mix two pigments to create a different colour, you should first mix both colours with the binders and only then combine them. Furthermore, there are of course different binders and pigments for each type of painting.

Step 5: Tidying

up is a must

It’s

a bit of a faff, but important: tidying up. In fact, there isn’t actually that much to clean here. You can simply wipe the glass panel and tools with a damp cloth. It’s essential to wash your brushes, for example, with a good brush soap. When working with oil, there’s always a lot of residue left behind, so cleaning your brushes properly is very important – you might even manage to keep the same set of brushes for 30 years, just like my painting tutor has done!

What to do with leftover paint?

It’s also very important to store the paint properly. Often you end up needing less paint than you thought, or you might want to save yourself the trouble of mixing a new batch next time. In both cases, you can easily keep the paints. The classic trick is, of course, cling film – but a slightly more environmentally friendly option is to store them in tubes. Kremer has included empty tubes for this purpose, which can be refilled. You can find more detailed instructions here. Incidentally, Anna Niedermeier, a Berlin-based photographer, accompanied me during my tests. You’ll find even more insights in the photo gallery. To sum up, I can say that I really enjoyed working with the pigments and was surprised at how much easier it was than I’d initially thought. The colours are vibrant and the binders create a lovely texture. I’m looking forward to working with Kremer pigments in the future and would recommend everyone give them a go! You can find the oil set here. Please do let me know how you get on with the pigments!