LIQUID WHITE SKIN

tel

Bobs liquid white aint cheap right? but despite storing in a airtight container (not the cheap thing it comes in) i still have to waste a lot because of a skin formation each time i open it.
Does anybody have a tip to avoid this skin formation and to save waste on this expensive paint?

Jin7

I have been using Liquid White for many years, but they were sold in cans many years ago, so I can't simply compare it to what is sold in current containers, but I have little experience with the situation you said. The most likely cause is that the lid is not closed tightly enough. To prevent this, the container should be shaken vigorously with the lid tightly closed before use so that the liquid inside and the individual pieces of liquid white mix well. When closing the lid after use, wipe the container and lid clean before putting them away.
However, Liquid Clear sometimes leaves a skin on the container.

tel

Thanks Jin, as noted the container is airtight and the lid secure. This is not a "one off" it happens every time i open it.

Jin7

Do others have the same problems that are happening to you? I would like to hear what others have to say. I have been using Bob Ross paints for a long time and have had several changes. TW and CY in particular are now harder than before. The LW I use comes in metal cans and is no longer sold,
There may be a difference in the ingredients since the new LW.

Cronenberg89

Jin, the last LW that I bought skinned even when torquing the lid down tight for me. Very difficult to then reopen for an old man like me. Also the last 16 oz jar of TW is virtually runny, making it necessary for me to “dry” it on cardboard to use it. I think that BRI has a QC problem right now.

Jin7

tel,Brian, I am honestly surprised to hear your story, but I thought it was plausible enough.
My only guess is that it is not the pigment but the oil that is causing the skins.
I think it may have a higher percentage of linseed oil than what they used to sell.
I think you should complain to Bob Ross INC. or the manufacturer, Martin F/Weber Co.

tel

I am reliabily informed that to avoid skin formation you should seal securely and tip the container to expel air ?....I shall be trying this in future! 😀

Jeffth

hey all, I'd like to weigh in on the usage of liquid white and some of the issues noted by others.

regarding the skin formation, this has happened to me too. I found that keeping some stored in an air-tight tupperware, 'burping' the lid to expel as much air as I can, and then finally storing it in the freezer helped a great deal to cut down on skin formation. Still formed eventually, but much much slower. Brian, I've noticed that my LW will separate over time, where the oil rises to the top and the pigment settles. I wonder if this could be why yours seems runny, have you tried a stir-stick to see if you can remix the settled pigment?

lastly, I'd like to add that I have come to appreciate the use of gel-medium (I use gamblin solvent-free gel) in combination with Titanium white roughly 50-50 as a replacement for LW. It has been worth it for me, in exchange of any downsides with this method, to rid myself of the idiosyncrasies of LW.

tel

Thanks for the input Jeffth...your comments are noted 😀

Jin7

I know I didn't mention this because I took it for granted, but when I took the CRI course, I was told that LW should be shaken for at least 30 seconds with the lid firmly in place before use. I think this is very important and I hope that not only those who are already painting but also those who are just starting out will know this.
Jeffth mentioned storing LW in the fridge, which I have never done and have never had a problem.

tel

To shake the container would only serve to mix the skin in with the paint, yes LW should be shaken but the skin needs to be removed before doing so....UPDATE...I have been turning the container after use which dispells the air between the lid and the paint ..PRESTO! , no skin! 😀

joha59

My recently bought LW (somewhere at the beginning of this year) was made in Germany (previous in UK) and differs from earlier versions: it dries much faster (in some hours, previous some days) it produces less or no gloss and I need much more to cover a small canvas. It is frustrating, I started to use my own made LW again (mixture of linseed oil and titanium white).

Cronenberg89

I ran out of LW recently and went to hobby lobby where I found Grumbacher Liquid First Coat. I assumed that it would be similar to LW but was surprised to discover it was thicker, almost the same consistency as Cool Whip dessert topping. I began using it (because I bought it) and have found it to be comparable to LW in functionality.