Painting with Water-Soluble Oils

I’ve tried water mixable oils years ago with not very favourable results. The information is good. The application methods are workable. The book is great. Only by practicing and adjusting on my own, have I been able to use them in the same easy manner as traditional oils. That is not the books fault. Read, then put into practice. Thanks

I bought this book a few years ago, and never got around to purchasing water soluble oils. I just placed a large order today for water soluble oils, and this book was extremely informative. It is not a "How to paint" book. There are plenty of those on the market already. It's purpose is to fully educate anyone thinking of switching to this relatively new medium. I have cross referenced the information from this book with that of the different manufacturers of water mixable oils, and I find that Sean Dye is very accurate in his assessment of the capabilities of this medium. It is a delight to just flip through the pages of beautiful images, even if you decide to not try the new medium. I think this book is a MUST for anyone with a sense of adventure and the desire to not snort toxic fumes anymore. What I love the most about this book is that if you are a professional artist and already know the basics, this book will help you decide if you want to switch to a safer medium than traditional oils. I highly recommend this book.

Excellent book full of very helpful information on when, how, and when not to mix with water, how to clean brushes, and generally good tips. Plus several examples from a variety of artists. Well worth my money.

"Painting with Water Soluble Oils" supplied me with what I wanted. A text by a an experienced practitioner in the medium, well-credentialed, successful, and wanting to spread the word (along with spreading the oils!) about this relatively new item. When I started painting, I was not so aware of the TOXCICITY of the paint as I was of my desire to USE the paint in a manner I found at least acceptable. Years later, the latest grimly discouraging news on greenhouse gasses, global warming, and newly-found carcinogens appear in the daily papers----and in the courts. I'm not an alarmist, but I thought "water soluble oils, hmmm, can this possibly work?". Thus, Dye's book told me all of what I needed to know. Of course there are pages on the components of the product, its development, and requisite scientific explanations. The science of safety in the home, the studio, the environment and its impact on our kids made this necessary. Beyond that, I needed to see just how the stuff behaves on a gessoed surface. Dye has what I'd call a painterly style, almost abstract at times, but it's a loose and defiantly colorlful style, with examples chosen to teach. Hey, I'm sure he wants to sell his works, but he is a teacher by trade when he writes. Anyway, I am delighted with the comparative safety of the new medium, with the courage I gained to try many techniques, brushes, knives, etc. I also continue to maintain respect for the pigments themselves. Heck, I'm not smearing it around with my fingers. My money was well spent, and I'd recommend this book because the main purpose of the text was to "git 'er DONE." Mission accomplished, IMHO. Buy, shop, paint, enjoy, plus you can inhale during fits of creativity and still run for president.

The book had all the information needed on the 4 types of water soluble oils..and anything you needed to know about them...brushes, mediums, whatever you need. Really good to get started and what equipment you will need and how it works...Very happy I bought it.

This book is a rather comprehensive exploration of water-soluble oil paint, which supposedly retains the characteristics of traditional oil paint but using water as medium. Consisting of demos from 15 professional artists, the book provides a handful of beautiful paintings, as well as valuable tricks and tips of handling and using this new medium. Artists at any levels can make good use of these tips on brushes and brushwork at different stages of the painting process, such as underpainting, blending, etc. Traditional oil paint has earned an undisputable reputation in art history. However, the use of hazardous solvents as paint thinner has become a major drawback. For artists who are interested in an alternative medium for easier clean-up (with only soap and water), less toxic, yet rendering comparable effects as those of traditional paints, water-soluble oil seems worth a try. Targeting this group of readers (or perhaps any group of other 'non-believers'), the author also presents discussions on differences in pigments, light-fastness, opacity, texture, and application.