Wash your hands!

If you've painted with oils before, you know that getting that paint off of your hands can be a pain. I've tried a lot of different things. The abrasive hand cleaners like Fast Orange/Gojo work well, but if you wash with it everyday, you'll probably wear several layers of skin off in the process (trust me, I've been there.) Special artist's soaps are usually more expensive then they're worth.

Anyway, I've found that the best way to get oil paint off of your hands (or things like motor oil or grease) is by washing your hands with baby oil. The baby oil (which is just scented mineral oil) dilutes the quicker drying oils of the paint and keeps it from staying in the little cracks and crevices of your skin. It also helps wash away paint thinner from your skin. What's also good about baby oil is that it's relatively safe to use (mineral oil can be swallowed as a laxative, if you so desire, though I prefer to use it on my hands) and also inexpensive. The nice thing about using mineral oil to clean other hard to wash oils from your skin is that it can be easily washed away with dish soap or liquid hand soaps. So, basically, you pour the baby oil on your hands, rub them together until the paint is removed from your skin, and then wash the remaining baby oil from your hands with soap.

 

Useful software

If you need to organize your thoughts, you might want to try a program called FreeMind. It's a free mind mapping program that can really help unclutter your head. 

Return to normalcy.

  Holidays are over. Routines can go back to normal and painting can take place on a more consistent and regular basis. Although the holidays interfered with my normal habits, I still managed to get further on a portrait then I had anticipated. After working on the General's portrait, I tend to work much faster then I used to.

  Speaking of habits; I need to get into the habit of better journaling my progress, work, and environment with photos. This blog is a good example. I've been known to go on with more words then most people, including myself, would care to read without the occasional visual reference. Besides, I'm much more visual and I like having photos to go along with my ideas, thoughts, and memories.

Happy New Year.