Expert: Tom Riddolls M.A.C. - 3/9/2010

Question
My oil paint tubes are leaking,is there some way to
store the paint in another container that will keep
it from drying out and becoming useless?   I put some Titanium White in a glass jar when the tube busted open
with paint thinner and it hardened up and is useless now.
Thanks in advance.

Answer
I have a few tips that may help you.

First, remember that oil paints dry through reaction with air, this is hastened by warmth.  if you can eliminate contact with air, you should be good.

An old trick was to keep you palette under water.  The best material for a palette is a small sheet of glass or plexiglass, it is not absorbent and easy to clean, glass is best as you can scrape it clean and use solvents.  In the process of painting pictures you have a tray of water and over night just drop your palette in - sounds odd but it is very effective.  Let the water get stale it will work better.  Fresh tap water has dissolved oxygen which will react with the oil.

Some painters will also spread a sheet of Saran Wrap, cling film over their palette, press it right down onto the paint and make sure there is no air bubbles, this is messy and you waste some paint, but it does work.  

If you keep these ideas in mind you can modify them to suit your needs.  Consider film canisters (remember film??) if you have some of those around you could squeeze a tube in and fill the rest up with water or even a little linseed oil over the top of the oil.  with water or oil inside any air that gets in will not reach the paint.

This is also true for your linseed oil.  if you have a liter bottle that is half full and a year old it will start to go bad because of the air in the top half.  fill the bottle with marbles to keep all the air out.

Good luck
Tom