Saturday, October 22, 2016

My New Obsession---Pēbēo Paints

About two years ago, I decided to try to paint with oil paints. The alcohol inks that create the patterns that I love to make are becoming more difficult to find. I needed to branch out. 

I have always liked a challenge, but I also like to work with art materials that by their very nature create interesting effects. This is not usually a desired characteristic if working in realism as one may be fighting what the paints want to do and what they were made to do. However, I work mainly in abstraction so these types of paints enhance or provide more possibilities.

After painting with several brands of oil paints, I ran across Pēbēo paints and was hooked. The paints, Vitrail, Prisme, and Moon, out of the bottles create three unique patterns without mixing with other paints, thinners, or solvents. 

The Prisme™ paints create a honeycomb effect. The Moon paints create a marbled or hammered effect. The Vitrail mimics glass. When these are combined, there are many variations of effects or patterns possible.




I have not taken any classes working with Pēbēo paints, but I love experimenting to discover my own style and techniques and possible patterns.

Right away, the primary disadvantage that I discovered was that the paints tend to dry out when 1/3 to 1/4 of the bottle is left and it turns to a thick gunk. The Prisme line appears to be the one that has this problem most often although the Moon line occasionally gets too thick as well. When so thick, the paints lose their ability to make the effects that they were created to make, and worst of all if too hardened, one must throw them out. 

Two weeks ago, I decided that I must find a solvent that would save this last 1/3 to 1/4 bottle of paints. After testing seven different solvents and some thinners, I found one that works!  I have tested this over and over with the Prisme paints, and it has worked every time for me.

This magical thinner is Winsor Newton Sansodor™. Although this is technically mineral spirits (according to my research), I tested three other mineral spirits and could not get them to mix into the paint well and so the effects would not develop once they were added. One of the mineral spirits would not mix in at all and one could pour it off with none of the color of the paint mixing in.


I use a dedicated eye dropper and drop in only the amount that I think makes the paint about the same consistency as a new bottle and mix it well. I suggest dropping a few drops in when bottle is down to 1/4 remaining if not painting soon so it will not harden in the bottle before you get to paint again. 

The viscosity and the applied thickness of the paint determines the size of the honeycomb pattern of the Prisme. I found that I could make a pattern much larger than what is ordinarily created by varying the amount of the Sansodor™.  The Prisme remained workable even after several days.

In the photo below the pattern made on the left had Sansador™ added to very thick Prisme that would not flow at all. It was not solid or dried out, but so gunky, it would not come off of a wooden stick. The one on the right was from a new jar of Prisme.



This is also Prisme that had Sansodor™ added as it had thickened to the point of no longer making a pattern. The resulting pattern was not the mini honeycomb pattern, but a much more interesting design.



Now all is not lost if your ink has become so thick that it barely will come off a wooden stick. 
The pattern below with the texture is a result of thick Prisme and Moon that had not thoroughly dried when I applied resin.  I will never waste Pēbēo™ paint again!



The most important tip that I can give when working with the Pēbēo™line is to never use a tool---brush, stirring stick, eye dropper, pipette---when changing from Prisme to Moon or to Vitrail.  Keep them separate.  Otherwise, the patterns these paints were made to create will no longer be possible.  

I will be demo'ing the Pēbēo products for the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild at Art of the Carolinas on November 12 at 2:00.  Please stop by to see me and try out some of the products.  

Jerry's Artarama carries the full line of Pēbēo products in their Raleigh store.  They have the large and small bottles of the Prisme, Moon, and Vitrail and many accessories. 

Note added in response to comment below.

These paints are not inexpensive, but it is possible to use them with other mediums.  I did this with this jellyfish painting.  The body/head of the large jellyfish is Pēbēo Prisme and Moon paints.  The border is my own mixture that I developed years ago, but Pēbēo makes a tube of a product that will work to contain the paints.  








   

10 comments:

  1. Very interesting article and helpful for someone who is on the fence about buying some of these paints. I would hate to throw out a 1/3 bottle of completely usable paint because I didn't know that it could be fixed; especially given the price of the paints. They are on my wish list, so I might just go ahead and get some. Thank you again for posting this.

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    1. Julie, Read the end of the post and you will see a painting where I selectively used the Pebeo paints in addition to my alcohol inks. So it is possible to make the use of their special characteristics and not use a large amount when unnecessary. I believe the Pebeo paints adds a lot to this painting.

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  2. This is EXCITING! Thank you so much for shring this wonderful info. Hope to see you Nov 12th!

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    1. Thank you, Caren, for the comment! Looking forward to seeing you November 12th!

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  3. I am so thrilled that you posted this! I use mine for other purposes besides freehand, but it is so helpful to know what to get for some of my emptier bottles! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

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  4. I purchased a bunch of these paints at a Hobby Lobby on clearance. I had stumbled upon Pebeo in print only when I started using Alcohol Inks. They have been patiently waiting for me to start experimenting. Again, I stumbled upon you thru Alcohol Inks and found this wonderful article and your amazing work! Thank you for yr experience and for motivating me to begin!

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    1. So glad you stopped by! I would get the Pebeo paints out and experiment. The one thing I have discovered for how I work --- I like to keep some of the honeycomb pattern with the Prisme so I wait for it to start to set up a bit before adding Moon. The Moon likes to eat the Prisme. I am using Pebeo's Mixtion Relief with the Pebeo Mirror Leaf in the metallics with alcohol inks and almost all acrylic paints. Love the effects I can get with them. Will be writing a blog post about them with photos soon.

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  6. Can you comment on their toxicity

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    1. As with any oil paint, some people have sensitivity. I wish they could be made to create the effects they do without the chemical interactions. Unfortunately, when working with any product that uses chemicals to create certain patterns, I doubt that much can be done to get these same patterns using products with less toxicity. Therefore, I think we have to use all precautions (particularly for those who are sensitive to the paints) when using them. If I am pouring a large amount at a time, I turn on my exhaust fans, open windows, and have good ventilation. I also wear a respirator if using more than a little bit at a time. I replace my caps on bottles and do not leave them open between use. Not only does this cut back on release of VOCs, but it makes the paints last longer and preserves the effects that they were made to create.

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