As deadlines approach, sometimes finishing a painting seems beyond reason, forget giving it enough time to dry.
Below are some quick tips to help your oil paintings dry faster:
1. If you know that you'll be rushed for time, try using more thinner than oil in your medium (while maintaining the Fat over Lean rule).
2. A professor once mentioned that you can dry a painting in the oven on the lowest setting. She always warned us that it will make the entire house smell and that you risk burning the painting, though. So maybe not the best option.
3. A blow dryer. Be prepared to sit there for hours.
4. A space heater. This is my preferred method when I need a painting to be dry a day before it wants to be. Select the lowest heat setting and let it go for hours.
5. Put your painting under the rear window of a warm car. The warmth inside the car will help heat the layers.
Even though these methods can help speed up the drying time, they will by no means take a wet, thickly painted canvas and make it dry by morning. Remember, oils do not dry by dehydration, but by oxidation. Adding additional heat helps to increase the rate of chemical reactions your painting is undergoing. Always remember to maintain a well-ventilated area and to have patience.
Warning: Never use the above methods unless you are completely finished with the painting. Trying to force drying time between layers can lead to cracking and a lot of swearing. Trust me, I know.
For more tips about painting, take a look at my main Tip and Techniques page.
Putting your painting under the rear window of a warm car is a fantastic way to expedite the drying process. The combination of heat and limited humidity inside the car can work wonders in helping your paint layers set faster and more evenly. Moreover, if you happen to live in the beautiful Gold Coast region and are looking for a way to clear some space in your garage, consider reaching out to Cash for Car Removal Gold Coast (sell unwanted scrap cars). They can help you turn your old or unwanted vehicles into cash, making more room for your creative endeavors, like these car-assisted drying techniques for your artwork.
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