# Water soluble oil paints **URL:** \ **Category:** Art Medium Discussion and Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2020, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936 "2020-07-04T21:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/1 "2020-07-04T21:19:23Z")
Hello friends! Has anyone had any experience using Water Soluble Oil Paints (a.k.a. Water Mixable). I have no experience with oil paint (right now, I find them too expensive for my taste 😉). My sister paints mostly in oils but has not experienced with the water soluble version. I have watched a few reviews on You Tube from established artists and, many of them, seem to like them. If you have tried these, what would be your pros and cons? (I know that Matt has done a few projects with the water soluble oils such as a White Rose, a Homeless man, a Cow and a few more.) I would be interested to know what your experience has been with these. THANKS! ---
**Author:** ![jamescdeering](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jamescdeering/32/44_2.png) [@jamescdeering](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jamescdeering)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 7:45am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/2 "2020-07-05T07:45:03Z")
I have used them a little bit. In terms of my preference for paintings they are half way between oils and acrylics. I have however found that they seem to take an incredibly long time to dry without any medium in them and stay tacky for quite a while. However a lot of this is probably due to the fact that I haven’t bothered investing in specific mediums for them, because I have my oils. They feel like oils when using them. Another consideration is that I don’t think they have different qualities and to be honest I don’t know whether they are designed to be on a level with the professional standard or amateur and student oil paints. The price is half way between the two, so not really sure if this makes it ‘cheaper than the artists oil’ or ‘more expensive than the student and amateur’ oil paints. If the latter then I would get the oil paint student and amateur versions tbh. All I can say is that their is a definite difference between these two levels in oils. Not sure if this helps?! 🤔😀 ---
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/3 "2020-07-05T22:45:20Z")
Yes, it does help. I think, in my case, it is a happy medium (pun intended). They are a little more affordable and still offer a decent quality. What attracts me to these paints is that you do not need solvents to clean your brushes and you can actually thin them with water. I think my sister might also enjoy it because she has recently sold her house and will be moving into an apartment where using solvents might be unpleasant (open floor plan). Thanks for your input James. ---
**Author:** ![jamescdeering](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jamescdeering/32/44_2.png) [@jamescdeering](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jamescdeering)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 7:29am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/4 "2020-07-06T07:29:25Z")
Yes using water makes everything easier and nicer in a closed space. I would definitely look at the mediums you can get though to speed drying or to thin etc etc if I were you. They make such a difference. Have fun! 😀👍🎨 The ones I have used are the Artisan ones, but just discovered that Georgian and Cobra are two other makes that do them now. And the Cobra ones say that they are an Artists quality with a higher pigmentation! Worth a consideration! 😀 Got some here FYI: Cobra make: > **[Cobra Artists Water Mixable Oil Paint - Ken Bromley Art Supplies](https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/cat-cobra-artists-water-mixable-oil-paint.htm)** > > Cobra Water Mixable Oil Colour is a new generation of oil colours. With Cobra you can paint with oil colours without having to use solvents. Cobra Artist is an Artists' quality water mixable oil paint with an exceptionally high degree of... > **[Cobra Water Mixable Mediums - Ken Bromley Art Supplies](https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/cat-cobra-water-mixable-mediums.htm)** > > Working with Cobra is even more fun and easy with those mediums that are especially geared to water mixable oil paint techniques. Georgian > **[Daler Rowney Georgian Water Mixable Oil colour - Ken Bromley Art Supplies](https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/cat-daler-rowney-georgian-water-mixable-oil-colour.htm)** > > Georgian Water Mixable Oil colours offer artists the possibility of experiencing oil painting without the need for solvent-based mediums. An alternative to traditional oils, the balanced range of 40 vibrant colours can be thinned, mixed, and washed... > **[Georgian Water Mixable Oil Mediums - Ken Bromley Art Supplies](https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/cat-georgian-water-mixable-oil-mediums.htm)** > > Georgian Water Mixable Oil Mediums offer artists the possibility of experiencing oil painting without the need for solvent-based mediums. An alternative to traditional oil mediums, this range of products allow your water  mixable oils to be... ---
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/5 "2020-07-06T17:56:42Z")
Thank you so much for all the information James. I actually have a small set of Georgian ones and their colors provide amazing coverage. I will look into the mediums that are available for these. I don’t know when I will have time to try them on a real project (all kinds of health issues with my mom-in-law and husband keep me busy elsewhere right now - no, it’s not Covid - thank goodness). I will pass the information along to my sister. I am sure she will appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![jamescdeering](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jamescdeering/32/44_2.png) [@jamescdeering](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jamescdeering)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/6 "2020-07-06T19:52:45Z")
You are most welcome, hope you and your sister find time to use them! 😀👍 ---
**Author:** ![lilnora](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/lilnora/32/1050_2.png) [@lilnora](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/lilnora)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/7 "2021-03-04T00:27:55Z")
I have used cooking oil to clean my oil paint brushes. I find that they come clean quicker and keeps the bristles a lot softer than paint thinners and a lot cheaper, too. You can then use water to clean the cooking oil out of them. Lenora - “ArtistLittleNora” ---
**Author:** ![sterlingsiam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/sterlingsiam/32/30_2.png) [@sterlingsiam](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/sterlingsiam)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/8 "2021-03-05T22:54:39Z")
Thanks for tip! Patricia ---
**Author:** ![MikeinPeru](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/mikeinperu/32/1247_2.png) [@MikeinPeru](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/MikeinPeru)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2021, 12:18am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/water-soluble-oil-paints/936/9 "2021-03-06T00:18:51Z")
Many thanks for asking the question and for all the tips. My wife uses Artisan oil paint and it is just too expensive to import into Peru. I have found a source of Cobra paints and we will be checking those out.