Room Temperature For Oil Paintings

By way of example temperatures above 45 degrees fahrenheit are recommended when using oil based paints.

Room temperature for oil paintings.

Size the panel first before applying an alkyd lead oil ground. But when the temperature is about 50 degrees f the recoat time may be extended to six hours. The average winter temperature here ranges from 18 to 33 f 8 to 1 c though i m sure it doesn t get that cold upstairs. Right now i have a cheap set of acrylics and oils that have been heretofore kept at room temperature for a few years.

For example at an ideal temperature of 75 degrees f you can usually recoat after four hours. The key reason that the surface of acrylic paintings remains softer and more flexible at room temperature is because of their chemical makeup. Some sources say even 50f 10c is too risky. Will the cold or temperature fluctuations damage the paints or paintings.

I paint on wood braced panels i make myself. You must prep your canvas properly. The ideal temperature for storing paintings is room temperature between 60f and 80f 16c 26c. Avoid high temperatures and humidity extreme changes in humidity and temperature can make the canvas and wood stretchers supporting the painting expand or contract.

I don t recommend painting on stretched canvas. If acrylic paintings are stored at really low temperatures 40f 4c or below the paint film will become brittle which could result in damage. Use tissue paper breathable sheets or foam to protect your oil paintings while you store them. Storing a painting in the dark will cause the oil painting to become darker over time.

Store your paintings in a dry room wrapped in tissue paper. This paint contains coalescing agents that bolster paint curing attributes during low temperatures. If you must paint in lower temperatures purchase the specially formulated latex paint made to perform in temperatures as low as 36 degrees f 2 2 c. Although acrylic paintings dry faster than oil paintings oil paintings have a harder surface once they dry.

Oil based paint between 45 90 degrees. Painting in cold weather using alkyd or oil paints requires even more time in some instances more than 48 hours before recoating. The reason for this is the oil paint will eventually rot your canvas. However latex and acrylic paints work much better in temperatures that exceed 50 degrees fahrenheit.