THE REVELATIONS

OIL PAINT DEMYSTIFIED
Devoting himself exclusively to the colours of oil paint, the historical basis of the Lefranc-Bourgeois range, Olivier Masmonteil inspired the new campaign on Lefranc-Bourgeois extra fine oils and painting mediums.
History of Lefranc Bourgeois oil paint
For more than three centuries, Lefranc Bourgeois has been committed to working with artists with authenticity, passion and high standards, and innovating to make their creativity shine. Lefranc Bourgeois oil paint was born from the meeting between the painter Jean Siméon Chardin, one of the greatest painters of Europe in the 18th century, and his neighbour Charles Laclef, ancestor of Lefranc Bourgeois and a grocer, who, by virtue of his guild, held the right to sell the raw pigments. The friendship between the two men gave birth to the production of colours as we know it today.

The artist Olivier Masmonteil
Olivier Masmonteil is a French painter, graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux. He devotes himself to oil painting with passion, requirement, enthusiasm and restraint. Painting is unique in that it imposes itself on the artist as a necessity. It requires discipline, reflection and care in exchange for which it gives space and time. In short, it is a treasure.
The Revelations, short films immersed in the master's studio, illustrate five artistic paths inspired by the great painters, in which Olivier reveals his knowledge of art history and invites everyone to reveal their creative potential.

A historical medium
Oil paint can be worked with a brush or a knife to create effects in the material. It is possible to accentuate these textures by using mediums. Depending on the degree of creativity sought, the type of medium used will allow for viscosity, dryness, transparency, smoothness, shine.... It can favour the inclusion of fillers or, on the contrary, favour thin layers, glazes. In 1954, for example, Lefranc Bourgeois invented the definitive formula for Flemish Medium, inspired by Flemish painters who were looking for a very lacquered, dense and textured finish.

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The three rules of oil painting
By working on skies with Olivier Masmonteil, you will learn all of the rules of oil painting and the constraints of the medium. During the Renaissance, the practice of painting skies was an important exercise used to teach apprentices in painters’ workshops.
Rule #1 - Fat over lean
Each layer of paint must be fatter than the one below it. This means that as you work on a painting, each layer should gradually be applied with a greater concentration of oil. This is the only way to guarantee the siccativation of the first layers. Adding oil makes the paint fatter, while adding mineral solvents makes it thinner.
Rule #2 - Light on dark
It is best to work with oils from dark to light. It is common to paint the darker parts of your subject first, then to lighten and add brightness at the end.
Rule #3 - Opaque on transparent
Always take into account drying times. We recommend that you start your painting with fairly thin, transparent layers and gradually add more opaque and thick layers.
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