Sonnet oil paint sets, 8 or 12 × 10 ml tubes

Sonnet oil paint sets are for studies, sketches and practising colour mixing. The paint uses linseed oil as its binder and mainly contains blends of several pigments. Choose one cardboard set with eight or twelve 10 ml tubes; select brushes, palette, medium and painting surface separately.

Choosing eight or twelve colours

The eight-colour set contains zinc white, yellow, red, ultramarine, a second blue, green, burnt umber and black. The twelve-colour set adds titanium white, lemon, carmine and an ochre. Alternative shades are possible for yellow, red, the second blue, green and ochre; read the exact names on the tubes. Choose eight for a limited mixing palette or twelve for more starting colours and two whites. Lightfastness varies by colour.

From palette to painting surface

Use a surface prepared for oil painting, such as primed canvas or a painting panel. The small tubes suit squeezing out modest amounts for a study. Do not thin these conventional oil paints with water; choose a suitable oil painting medium if needed and follow its instructions.

Work wet into wet for soft transitions during one painting session. For separate layers, start thin, allow the lower layer to dry sufficiently and follow fat over lean when using medium. Colour, thickness and medium affect drying; do not use one fixed waiting time for every colour.

Build a useful mixing chart

Choose yellow and blue and mix three swatches: more yellow, roughly equal small portions and more blue. Beside each, make a lighter version with white. Record the tube colours and proportions, then compare the dry swatches on the same surface. With the twelve-colour set, repeat one mixture separately with zinc white and titanium white to assess the difference yourself.

Care and safe working

Follow the labels on each tube and auxiliary. Keep paint out of reach of children, avoid skin and eye contact and ventilate the workspace without eating, drinking or smoking. Close tubes after use. Wipe excess paint from brushes before using a suitable oil paint cleaner; water alone is insufficient.

Keep paint and cleaning residues out of drains and the environment; collect them for disposal under local rules. Store oily cloths in an airtight metal container, as crumpled cloths can heat up and catch fire.

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