Live Technical Studio Session
Oiling Out & Sinking-In:
What's Happening to Your Paint
If your darks lose their depth a few days after you paint them—and retouch varnish isn't really fixing it—this is why
A live Technical Studio Session with George O’Hanlon.
Sinking-in is usually treated as a finishing problem—an aesthetic emergency to be covered up with retouch varnish or final varnishing. That approach buries the diagnostic information without addressing what actually went wrong.
This session explains sinking-in as a specific optical event at the surface of the paint, with four distinct causes, and the historical workshop techniques that target each one.
Live Technical Studio Session
Thursday, June 25, 2026 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Session Format
This Technical Studio Session is structured to combine focused teaching with practical problem solving:
- 45 minutes — Core presentation
- 15 minutes — Studio Problem Clinic / Case Studies
- 30 minutes — Open Questions & Answers
Seats are limited to keep the session interactive.
Join live to ask questions and get direct guidance.
Replay available only to Artisan members. Technical Studio Sessions are held live each month.
The pigment did not change. The binder did not change. Only the surface differs.
This Session Includes:
- What sinking-in actually is at the surface of the paint film
- The four distinct causes—and how to tell them apart
- How to choose between oiling out, couching, and retouch varnish
- Practical steps you can apply immediately
Why Paintings Sink In
For most artists, sinking-in is treated as a surface-appearance problem to be covered up.
What’s missing:
- What sinking-in actually is at the level of the paint film
- Why the same appearance can have four different causes
- Why retouch varnish does not address the underlying problem
Common results include:
- Repeated sinking-in across paintings
- Resin layers between every painted passage
- Oiled-out areas that fail later · Lost diagnostic information
These are not random defects. They are predictable outcomes of how the underlying paint film is constructed.
If Your Paintings Look Right Wet But Go Matte and Dead Dry—
This Session Is for You
- Darks lose their depth a few days after painting
- Glazed passages dry chalky, flat, or grey
- Surface gloss disappears unevenly across the painting
- Sinking-in keeps happening, painting after painting
- Retouch varnish makes the painting look right—until the next painting does the same thing
- Oiled-out passages dry inconsistently or refuse to take the next layer
These are not random problems. They come from how the paint film is constructed.
What You Will Learn
This session explains the material science and historical practice behind stable painting.
What Sinking-In Actually Is
Why it is an optical event at the surface • Why surface gloss does roughly twenty times the visual work of anything happening inside the paint film
How to Diagnose the Cause
The four causes—ground, underlayer, pigment, timing • How to read what each one looks like and tell them apart
What to Do in Your Studio
When to oil out, when to couch, and when retouch varnish is and isn't appropriate • How to do it without creating new problems
Studio Problem Clinic
A new feature of the Technical Studio Sessions is the Studio Problem Clinic.
Members may submit studio problems related to the session topic—such as recurring sinking-in, failed oiling out, or retouch-varnish problems. Selected submissions are reviewed during the session.
The goal is not only to answer questions but also to demonstrate the reasoning behind diagnosing painting problems.
This makes each session both a technical presentation and a practical problem-solving discussion.
We focus on real issues such as:
- Darks that keep going matte days after painting
- Oiled-out passages that won’t take the next layer cleanly
- Whole paintings sinking in over a primed canvas
- Sunken-in passages on paintings months or years old
This is not a generic Q&A—it is a structured diagnostic session. Because these cases come from real studios, the discussion often reveals issues that are rarely covered in books or standard instruction.
Why Attend Live
A live Technical Studio Session gives you more than a recorded lecture.
Get direct guidance on how to adjust your materials—not just theory.
You can see the material presented in sequence, hear the reasoning behind recommendations, and ask questions about your own painting methods during the Q&A.
Ask questions during the session
Follow the argument step by step
Learn from the questions other painters ask
Get direct guidance on your materials
- See how sinking-in problems are diagnosed in real cases
Ask questions specific to your work
What Happens During a Technical Studio Session
Each session is structured to allow both focused instruction and discussion. Practical decision-making framework for studio use
45 minutes — Core presentation
A structured explanation of the topic.
15 minutes — Studio Problem Clinic
Selected member submissions are reviewed and discussed.
30 minutes — Open Q&A
Participants may ask questions about their own materials and studio practice.
Technical Studio Sessions Are a Monthly Series for Serious Painters
This session is part of the Technical Studio Sessions series at Painting Best Practices.
Artisan members receive access to live monthly sessions focused on the materials, methods, and long-term behavior of oil painting.
Each session focuses on a specific structural problem and how to correct it in practice.
Live monthly technical sessions
Replay access for members
Growing archive of past sessions
Continuing discussion in the community
Artisan Membership Includes
- Access to this live session
- Replay of this session
- Access to future session replays during active membership
- Ongoing technical education through community discussions
- Priority support
The $1 trial is available only to eligible users and auto-renews unless cancelled.
Start Artisan Membership for $1
14-day trial
Best for artists who want the live session and member replay access.
-
Attend the live session
-
Get the replay afterward
-
Access the Technical Studio Sessions archive
-
Continue with future monthly sessions
Auto-renews to Artisan membership unless cancelled before renewal.
Artisan members may submit studio problems for discussion during the Studio Problem Clinic.
Attend This Session for $10
Best for artists who only want to attend the live event.
Attend the live session
Participate in Q&A
No replay included
Replay is not included with the live-only ticket.
Why This Session Is Also the Gateway to Future Technical Studio Sessions
For many artists, the value is not just one session. It is continuing access to a series focused on real studio problems, historical practice, and materials science.
Members gain access to these sessions as they are released and can participate live each month.
Earth Pigments Masterclass
Caravaggio's Palette
Whites: Lead, Titanium, Zinc
Drying Oils and Mediums Clinic
Topics subject to scheduling, but the series is designed as an ongoing monthly program.
About George O’Hanlon
Technical Studio Session Presenter
George O’Hanlon is the founder of Natural Pigments and Painting Best Practices. His work focuses on artists’ materials, historical painting methods, and the long-term performance of paintings.
This session draws on practical studio knowledge, technical research, and historical evidence to help artists make more durable decisions in their work.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is included in the $1 trial?
The eligible 14-day Artisan trial includes access to the live session and, because replay access is reserved for Artisan, access to the replay during active membership.
2. What does the $10 ticket include?
The $10 ticket includes access to the live session and Q&A only. It does not include the replay.
3. What if I cannot attend live?
The replay is available only to Artisan members. If replay access matters, the Artisan option is the better choice.
4. Are Technical Studio Sessions held regularly?
Yes. Technical Studio Sessions are scheduled live each month as part of the continuing program.
5. Can I cancel the trial?
Yes. The trial auto-renews unless cancelled before renewal.
6. Who is this session for?
Yes. Artisan members may submit questions or images related to the session topic. Selected cases are discussed during the Studio Problem Clinic segment of the session.
Stop Guessing What Your Paint Is Doing
Learn how to control your materials directly—instead of relying on rules that don’t explain the outcome.
Seats are limited to keep the session interactive. Live attendees can ask questions about their own work.