when making oil paint mixes is it feasible to save them for th enext time .i.e. will they keep or is it just a case of mixing up some more next time you need some?

cheers

Oil as in "Enamel" or "Artists Oils"????

whoops sorry, artists oils.

Hi hip,
One thing I've done that works pretty well is to put the paint mix into the refrigerator.
This seems to slow down the evaporation of the carrier in the oil paint.
Hope this helps.
Craig

I use a square section of plexiglass for my pallet. I stick it in a tupperware container, (after asking Mrs. Keenan which one I can use) and put it in the frig...

Shaun

I try to mix only as much as I need, but given that my only recipe (flesh=burnt sienna and Titanium White) is very simple, I can get backthe excat shade very quickly. That said, when I have made a marger amount, it's often availabel onthe pallette for a couple days.

I mix what I need at the time. I usually do not need anything over a couple of days. I try to do my painting at the same point. Yes, I have not always mixed enough, but I am too old to change.
capnjock

I put my palette in a zip lock bag and pop it in the freezer if I'm going to be away from it for a couple of days.....some colours will last that long out.....just break through the skin that forms and add thinner to the fresh paint inside.

Thanks for all the answers, I'll bear those in mind for the future.

Next quick question, how long do artists oil paints take to dry?
24+ hours and counting at the moment. Is this right?

It depends on how much oil is still in the paint and how thick it is. Using very thin paint with thinner added will speed up the drying time considerably. Washes take very little time to dry, mabye 20 minutes. Dry brushing (straight paint, thinly applied) takes a few hours. After that it all has to do with ratios of mix. Another thought, adding medium will extend the drying time. When I use oils for figures, flesh mostly, I use the wet on wet approach and then let the figure dry for at least a week. I am conservative by nature. Unless I need the blending qualities of oils, or doing weathering, I use acrylics because of the very fast drying time.
capnjock