Hi Artists Friends,

Art material is our business and passion. For you all also it is very important input in your creative
process. Since art material is ‘MATERIAL’, it has its own properties. If one wants to get best result out
of it, understanding the properties of the material is of vital importance. By understanding the
‘properties’ i.e. ‘possibilities’ and ‘limitations’, the artists would be able to use the ‘proper’ material, on
the ‘proper’ surface, in the ‘proper’ manner with the help of ‘proper’ tools and mediums to get the best
results. This is the ‘Science of Art’ and it helps the artist to be very sure of the output as well as the
look and life of the painting.

The artists are creative people and driven by visual results and hence they should have the freedom
to explore the same. But it is important for them to understand the nature of the material and methods
employed as well as their impact on the look and life of the painting. The experimentation is fine so
far as it is well informed and artists should be prepared for the outcome and own it, rather than
showing shock and putting blame on the quality of ingredients.

Since art material is a very wide category and there are a huge lot of things in it, like:

 Surface/Substrate  Colours  Tools &

 Drawing material  Mediums  Accessories
Each of the above has many variants and widening the scope even further; colours have large
number of shades. Each one made with different ingredients, some organic and other inorganic,
some natural and some from chemical industry, and hence behave differently. This complexity of
possibilities and limitations, demands a thorough understanding of the material on the part of the
users.

We have been receiving a large number of questions about the properties, peculiarity and impact of
the material from the artists and art students on our website and during the personal interactions. We
found them very useful generally speaking, and decided to collect all these questions and answers for
the benefit of art fraternity. We are sure you would find many questions, which were in your mind too,
and the answers would satisfy the quest. Do send us your feedback and additional questions on
info@kokuyocamlin.com we would love them.
1. Art materials fascinate me. I’m sure it’s history also would be exciting. Can you share
some details?
A. It would be a pleasure indeed. Art material is very important for the creative expression
and journey of art itself. From the early cave painter, man wanted to record the
observations, experiences and thoughts, and resorted to draw and paint them as the
language and script were still centuries away. They sourced material from the
surroundings like, a piece of coal from last night’s bon fire or a lump or limestone or red
earth. First it was only drawing and then used water to dilute the colours available and
used palms, fingers and twigs as tools. They had also tried ‘Spray Painting’ with the
mouth spray, wonderful, isn’t it?

With time many more shades were added to the palette as new pigments coming
from mineral, vegetable and chemistry were discovered and perfected. Those early
artists also experimented with gums and resins sourced from trees & animals to add life
and luster to their works. Many exotic pigments were discovered and used like Ink gland
from Cuttle Fish, Egyptian Mummy, Emerald & Lapis Lazuli, extract of roots & beetles
and even cows’ urine. Many toxic and harmful chemicals like Vermillion & Strychnine
were also used as permanent & vibrant pigments. Though dyes were avoided due to
their limited light fastness, some of them had to be converted into pigments after
absorbing in white pigments in case no pigments was available for such shades and the
need was there.

Oil Colours were discovered in 10th century and the first known user were Buddhist
monks in Bamiyan valley. They concocted it to paint on cave walls and the world got a
wonderful gift. Since oil colours offered water proof film of colours with very long life, it
caught the fancy of the art world became popular across Europe and Asia. It was first
used on planks of wood (Russian icons) and later canvas, which is still very hot. Oil
Colours were the mainstay of the Renaissance period and grew popular during the time,
however the first European artist to use oil as a medium was Jan Van Eyck.

However during early days colours were not very easy to acquire like they are today.
The artists used to purchase the pigments, resins and other raw material from specific
shops and get them blended, ground, and prepared by apprentices in their own
workshops. Anyone wanted to become an artist used to join such ‘schools’ and started
with task of preparing colours and canvases for years and then only one would get a
chance to draw and paint.

In 18th century a French pigment supplier was requested by an arthritic customer to

prepare colour for him and he obliged to earn some extra money. And it caught-up.
Thus Lefranc Bourgeois became the first commercial art material manufactures of the
world. Soon others like Winsor & Newton, joined in different parts of Europe. The
colours were initially used to be supplied in skin bladders, which gave way to syringes
and collapsible tubes with industrial development. The mediums and tools also
developed along the way as people experimented with different vegetable and mineral
oils and animal hairs.
 In 1950s an artist experimented with acrylic resins and created a colour which was
water soluble but became waterproof like oil colours on drying and dried much faster.
Acrylic colour soon became popular worldwide and became a rage. Due to its versatility
and faster turnaround time it has become the most popular art material of today’s
generation.

Asian contribution is also sizable in the development of art material. Chinese and
Japanese gave a vast range of papers, inks and brushes. They are unique and very
popular for water colour painting and calligraphy. Indian subcontinent, with its long
history of creative art had a huge understanding of art materials used in miniature and
rock paintings. Many of which like Indian yellow and Indigo Blue became global
favourite and also innovative use of precious metals and stones in painting. Though
many companies experimented with artists’ materials, Camlin became the first industrial
enterprise to successfully manufacture a wide range of art material in early 1960s for
artists, schools and the hobbyists.

Hope this is in line with your query and as exciting as your quest.

2. I have been using Camel Colours ever since I can remember and have enjoyed them a
lot. I am interested in learning more about the history of Camel colours. Can you help?
A. Camel began the journey in 1931 as Dandekar & Co. by manufacturing writing ink,
when a young chemistry graduate, Mr. Digambar Dandekar, decided to work for himself
rather than anyone else. He made slow and sure progress and with the help of his elder
brother Mr. Govind Dandekar, who was an engineer with BMC. Soon the brand name
Camel was discovered by the founder while having tea in an iconic Irani Café. A poster
of Camel cigarette proclaiming, “I can walk miles with a Camel” gave him an idea of this
useful animal with high endurance, long range, adaptability and ability to take hardship
in a stride. Since Camel is easy to pronounce in all Indian languages, it was chosen as
a brand name. Later ‘Camel’ and ‘Ink’ together became the reason behind company’s
name, “CAMLIN”.

By mid 1950s the company has established a nationwide presence and was leading
brand in most of the products it manufactured. Founder’s son Mr. Subhash Dandekar,
who later became Chairman and Chairman Emeritus of the company, has started
visiting Camlin regularly to help his father & uncle. He wanted to do something
enterprising rather than continuing with the established business. Considering the
consumer feedback and company’s strength in inks, he decided to experiment with
Coloured Drawing Inks. They became instantly popular amongst the cartoonists &
designers and gave a boost to the quest of making colours.

Art material or the colours for art and craft, were being imported to the tune of 100% till
then and the entire country was dependent upon foreign products. There were a few
manufacturers around but the product quality was nothing close to expectations of the
small art community. Hence Camlin decided to enter into this field and ensure import
substitution in the field of art and education.
 But making colours being highly technology intensive, Mr. Subhash Dandekar set sails
to Glasgow to further his education in colour chemistry. After coming back he set up a
laboratory and started the work on formulating colours for Indian market. After relentless
work for months on go, he was ready with Oil Colours, Oil Pastels, Poster Colours,
Crylin etc. which were introduced in the market in 1962. In 1964 company formally
created a division called Art Material Division.

The response initially was not very warm as in most of schools there was no credible art
experience, whereas premium residential schools and professional artists were happy
with their imported stuff. Government of India had especially sanctioned the apex body
of art, Lalit Kala Academy to import art material without paying duty & make them
available to the artists at cost. Selling colours was proving to be more difficult than
making them. Apart from exhaustive visits to consumer and ensuring communicating
the benefits of products, various other mode of publicity, including demonstration,
exhibitions & sales etc. were used ensure that people start using the products.

In 1967 exhibitions were held in Delhi and Mumbai, where leading artists of the time
were given all the material to create paintings, which were showcased to public and
offered for sales. This convinced the artists to shift from imported stuff to Camel colours.
The change in policy of importing art material for domestic consumption by Lalit Kala
Academy also gave a support to the shift to indigenous art material. The introduction of
art contest for schools students drawn attention of the educators and parents towards
importance of art in the development of child and was instrumental in inclusion of art in
curricula.

Artists’ Acrylic Colours, which was invented in 1950s in US, were introduced in Indian
market in 1970s on the recommendation and demand of artists like M. F. Husain and
Satish Gujaral. This new age medium soon became rage among the artists and has
become the most popular and largest selling artists colour in India. In fact Camlin
Artists’ Acrylic colours are unique in many ways; its high tacking power and ability to
instantly dissolve in water makes it one of its kind.

We are proud that our consumer friends have bestowed their faith and confidence in the
brand and products always. This has made Camel and Camlin most powerful brands in
the field of art material and stationery. Whether it is a professional product like Oil
Colours or Poster Colours or school art material like crayons or pastels, each one of
them has been appreciated and adopted by consumers whole heartedly. The same has
been the response to our promotions like the Camel Art Contest, which is the largest art
contest of the world and holds a Guinness world record, or Camel Art Foundation’s
annual art exhibitions.

3. Recently I visited Bhimbetka caves and wonder what kind of colours those early artists
might have used 10000 years ago?
 A. Those early masters were very candid and spontaneous with their art. They used their
art to chronicle their day-to-day lives and important events taking place around. They
first started drawing with pieces of coal (from wood fire), lime-stone or chalk and lumps
of red-earth. With time they started mixing these basic pigments with water and use the
paste with finger or twigs to paint. You can compare these with today’s Camel soft
pastels and Camel premium poster colours, though the range of shade was very
restricted.

4. I have recently visited Ajanta caves and was mesmerized by the paintings. What kind of
colours has been used to paint them?
A. You are right, they are absolutely stunning and that that is the reason, aficionados from
across the world visit these cave. The colours used in Ajanta, Elora, during Buddhist era
(2nd century BC), are made from the pigments used with gum Arabic for better life.
Pigments were sourced from minerals and vegetable sources and had a very good
permanency (do we need to say this after such a long time!). These colours are closest
to Camel Poster Colours in look, life and composition too. However most pigments now
are from chemical sources.

5. I love the tribal art of India. What is the medium used by the tribal artists like Varli, Gond
and Madhubani?
A. The tribal art is the purest form of expression and is very close to nature. They also
used to source the material from their immediate surroundings like cave or rock art.
However with time and commercial pressure they have innovated and started using
commercially produced art material. Since the surface is mostly absorbent and
permanency and being wash proof is the need of the consumer, they are mostly using
Acrylic Colours. The Gond and Varli art is mostly executed with Camel Artists Acrylic
Colours whereas Madhbani most goes on fabric and hence Camel Fabrica Colours are
used. The artists engaged in Pat Chitra etc. are still happy with the Camel Premium
Poster Colours. We are proud to be a part of such great traditions.

6. What are the precautions one must take while executing an Oil Painting?
A. Oil Painting is the most popular form of painting from 15th century till now. However it is
most technical one too, and hence if you use all right inputs in right manner and
proportions, your painting would look excellent and would last long, really long. Let’s try
to understand the inputs and how they should be used;
 Surface or substrate:
a) Please use Camel Stretched Canvas of the size of your choice.
b) If the subject demands an infinite and robust look, or square shape or you
wish to avoid framing, Camel Deep-Edge Canvas would be a better
choice.
c) If you have an uncommon size or shape in mind, get a wedge-joint frame
made out of beveled strips of good quality light weight, yet strong wood
and get the Camel Cotton Canvas stretched on it.
d) The canvas generally tend to loosen after application of colours, it would
perform better if you would stretch it further by inserting the wooden chips
 in the slots in the corners of canvas stretchers and tap them lightly with a
wooden or plastic hammer.
e) The canvas might have become a bit slippery and might not
accept the colours properly. Please use the finest sand paper to
rub the surface lightly and clean the dust before starting work.
 Drawing:
a) Drawing is optional as some artists prefer to start with paint right from the
beginning. However if you must, please use the Camel Natural Charcoal
for drawing. It will help you in painting but the charcoal would neither
tarnish the colours nor would the drawing be visible under the painting.
 Painting process:
a) For a painting which you want to look good and last long always use
Camel Artists’ Oil Colours, as their superior ingredients, rich formulations,
and better processing gives better results and longer life,
b) While selecting the shades always refer to the transparency and
permanency indicated on the shade labels,
c) Paint in classic Fat over Lean technique and keep increasing the quantity
of medium (linseed Oil) in every subsequent coat for better drying and
finish,
d) While mixing shades please keep their individual composition in mind as
some pigments do not go well with others.
e) Do keep the drying speed and vehicle absorption nature of the shade in
mind while painting shades over another or side by side,
f) Add sufficient mediums to shades, not less not more
g) Cautiously handle the earth shades which don’t absorb enough mediums
but become transparent or crack if they are not saturated with sufficient
mediums,
h) Unless you are using wet-on-wet technique to blend the shades on the
surface, let the first coat dry properly before applying the next one,
i) Don’t over-brush and give the painting “wooly” look or use stark
outlines to make it “Edgy”
 Mediums:
a) Preparatory:
 If you want to paint on the canvas with any special texture or any
other material as surface, use Camel Gesso in 3 to 4 coats to prime
the surface and make it suitable for oil painting,
 If you need to create any special texture on the surface, use Camel
Texture White,
 The ideal way to use Camel Texture White is in thin layers and
building up the area gradually,
 No need to apply Camel Gesso on already primed canvas,
 The drying time depends upon the thickness of the Camel Texture
White used
  Let the Gesso/ Texture White dry completely before you start
painting,
b) Painting:
 Mix sufficient medium in the colours on the palette with palette
knife before painting as required by the shade concerned and your
individual techniques
 For fluid application Camel Purified Linseed Oil is the appropriate
medium, however if you want faster drying, you can use Camel
Artists’ Drying Oil,
 For thicker application with knife etc. you should blend Camligel
with the colours before applying on the canvas,
 Turpentine should be used to clean brushes or thin the colours in
case of need. However being a volatile material, you need to take
some special precaution. Please refer the relevant question.
c) Preservation:
 It is advisable to varnish the oil paintings after it is fully dried for
better life
 Please ensure that the painting is fully dry before varnishing,
 Please take care of all precautions and process while varnishing
the painting as suggested earlier,
 Use Camel Spray Varnish or Camel Picture Varnish in the manner
suggested,
 Tools:
a) Camel Wash Brushes (SR 58) is the ideal tool for applying gesso or base
coat of oil colours in broad washes,
b) For developing painting you can use Camel White Bristle Long Handle
Flat Brushes if the viscosity is moderate,
c) For Thicker colours, Camel Painting Knives are ideal tools for painting,
d) In case of colours with very thin consistency, Camel Synthetic Flat
Brushes could be used.
e) For details and line work Camel Synthetic Hair round brushes also would
be the right tool,
f) Make sure that the brushes are dipped in solvents like Camel Distilled
Turpentine to avoid residual colours from drying and ruining,
g) A Camel Brush Washer would help retain the shape of the brush and
clean it thoroughly,
h) Clean the brush completely with Camel Distilled Turpentine and wash
them thoroughly with soap and water before storing,
i) Dry the brushes thoroughly and store them in a container with
dehumidifier and Naphthalene balls for better protection
 Accessories:
a) As you know accessories are not compulsory but they do help in
improving the experience and results. Camel has a large range of
accessories for oil painting for you, i.e.
  Camel Oil Painting Palettes,
 Camel Double Dippers,
 Camel Studio / Table / Sketch Easels,
 Camel Brush Washers

7. What are the precautions one must take while executing an Acrylic Painting?
A. Acrylic colours were first used in mid twentieth century only but within the short span,
acrylic painting has become very popular and is loved around world by professionals
and hobbyists alike. For the reasons like versatility and faster drying, Acrylic painting
has become a favourite of the current generation. The following precautions are
advisable while executing an Acrylic Painting;
 Surface or substrate:
a) Please use Camel Stretched Canvas of the size of your choice, though
you can use paper or any other surface too for acrylic painting,
b) A thorough cleaning and a coat of Camel Gesso is advisable before
starting painting if you are planning to use a non-paper/non-canvas
surface for Acrylic painting,
c) If the subject demands an infinite and robust look, or squire shape or you
wish to avoid framing, Camel Deep-Edge Canvas would be a better
choice.
d) If you have an uncommon size or shape in mind, get a wedge-joint frame
made out of beveled strips of good quality light weight, yet strong wood
and get the Camel Cotton Canvas stretched on it.
e) The canvas generally tend to loosen after application of colours, it would
perform better if you would stretch it further by inserting the wooden chips
in the slots in the corners of canvas stretchers and tap them lightly with a
wooden or plastic hammer.
f) The canvas might have become a bit slippery and might not
accept the colours properly initially. This is due to the nature of
the canvas. Please use the finest sand paper to rub the surface
lightly and clean the dust before you start painting.
 Drawing:
a) Drawing is optional as some artists prefer to start with paint right from the
beginning. However if you must, please use the Camel Natural Charcoal
for drawing. It will help you in painting but the charcoal would neither
tarnish the colours nor would the drawing be visible under the painting.
 Painting Process:
a) Always use Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours for a painting with great looks
and life as they have superior pigment quality and load and better
processing,
b) While selecting the shades, always refer to the transparency and
permanency indicated on the shade labels,
c) While mixing shades please keep their individual compositions in mind
 d) While using wet-on-wet technique to blend the shades on the surface,
please use Camel Acrylic Retarder to keep the colours wet for longer time
and allow mixing on the canvas
e) Don’t over-brush and give the painting “wooly” look or use stark
outlines to make it “Edgy”
 Mediums:
a) Preparatory:
 If you want to paint on the canvas with any special texture or any
other material as surface, use Camel Gesso in 3 to 4 coats to prime
the surface and make it suitable for Acrylic painting,
 If you need to create any special texture on the surface, use Camel
Texture White,
 The ideal way to use Camel Texture White is in layers and building
up the area gradually,
 No need to apply Camel Gesso on already primed canvas, on
Camel
 The drying time depends upon the thickness of the Camel Texture
White used
 Let the Gesso/ Texture White dry completely before you start
painting,
b) Painting:
 Mix sufficient medium in the colours on the palette before painting
as required by the shade concerned & your technique,
 For fluid application with glossy finish, Camel Acrylic Gloss Medium
is the appropriate one, however if you want matt finish, you can use
Camel Acrylic Matt Medium,
 For thicker application with knife etc. you should blend Camel
Acrylic Gel Medium with the colours before applying on the canvas,
 Use Camel Acrylic Retarder for slowing the drying and facilitating
the wet-in-wet blending of colours
 Water is the vehicle for Acrylic Colours but not the medium and
hence we don’t advise the use of water as a medium. It may cause
issues like fungus and dry/chalky look of the painting,
 However if you are using water make sure to use purified or boiled
water to protect against contamination,
c) Preservation:
 It is advisable to varnish the Acrylic paintings for better life
 Please ensure that the painting is fully dry before varnishing,
 Use Camel Spray Varnish for varnishing Acrylic Paintings,
 You can also use Camel Acrylic Gloss or Matt Mediums as varnish,
 Tools:
a) Camel Wash Brushes (SR 58) is the ideal tool for applying gesso or base
coat of colours in broad washes,
 b) For developing painting you can use Camel White Bristle Long Handle
Flat Brushes for colours in the moderate viscosity,
c) For Thicker colours, Camel Painting Knives are ideal tools for painting,
d) In case of colours with very thin consistency, Camel Synthetic Flat
Brushes could be used.
e) For details and line work Camel Synthetic Hair round brushes also would
be ideal,
f) Make sure that the brushes are dipped in water to avoid residual colours
from drying and rendering them useless,
g) A Camel Brush Washer would help retain the shape of the brush and
clean it thoroughly,
h) Clean the brush completely with and wash them with soap and water
before storing after finishing the work,
i) Dry the brushes thoroughly and store them in a container with
dehumidifier and Naphthalene balls for better protection
 Accessories:
a) As you know accessories are not compulsory but they do help in
improving the experience and results. Camel has a large range of
accessories for oil painting for you, i.e.
 Camel Deep Well or Folding Palette,
 Camel Studio / Table / Sketch Easels,
 Camel Brush Washers

8. What are the precautions one must take while executing a Water Colour Painting?
A. Water Colour Painting is one of the first forms of painting used by humans and still a
very popular form. Every artist’s creative journey starts with water colour painting only
and then one graduate to the other mediums. However this one is also the most difficult
and demanding form of painting;
 Surface or substrate:
a) Paper is the most popular surface for water colour painting,
b) Paper with high rag contents and without acid is ideal,
c) The texture of paper is very important and should be selected keeping the
style and application in mind,
d) A paper with alkali reserve would guard the painting against external acid
attacks too for a long time,
 Drawing:
a) Drawing is optional as some artists prefer to start with paint right from the
beginning.
b) However if you must, you can use Camel Premium Water Colour Pencils
or Camel Premium Colour Pencils for drawing.
c) You can use the relevant shade of the pencils only for drawing so that
after painting the remaining lines, if any, would not look too odd.
 Painting Process:
 a) Always use Camel Artists’ Water Colours for best results as their superior
pigments, higher pigment load and better processing helps,
b) While selecting the shades always refer to the transparency and
permanency indicated on the shade labels,
c) Start Painting from left hand bottom corner a move towards right and top
to avoid accidental touch and disturbance. For lefties the order would be
reverse.
d) While mixing colours please keep their individual compositions in mind
 Mediums:
a) Preparatory:
 There is no preparatory medium required for water colour painting
b) Painting:
 Use of purified water is recommended for maintaining purity and
brilliance of the shades
c) Preservation:
 There is need of preservation medium for Water colour painting,
just glass painting is enough,
 Tools:
a) As colours would be of very thin consistency, Camel Synthetic Flat and
round Brushes could be used.
b) Make sure that the brushes are dipped in water to avoid residual colours
from drying and ruining the brush,
c) Clean the brush completely with Camel and wash them with soap and
water before storing after finishing the work,
d) Dry the brushes thoroughly and keep them in a container with dehumidifier
and Naphthalene balls for better protection
 Accessories:
a) As you know accessories are not compulsory but they do help in
improving the experience and results. Camel has a large range of
accessories for oil painting for you, i.e.
 Camel Deep Well or Folding Palette,
 Camel Sketch Easels,

9. What are the precautions one must take while executing a drawing?
A. Drawing is the oldest form of creative expression for human being. Drawings are done
as a precursor of painting as well as an independent artistic creation. Here we should
be talking about the drawing as an individual creative discipline only so that we can talk
about the whole process.
 Surface:
a) Paper is the ideal substrate for drawing, however the texture would
depend upon the drawing material used and the style of drawing,
b) For colour pencils and drawing pencils etc. smoother paper would be
better whereas for products like pastels and charcoal a paper with bold
texture would be ideal,
 c) What it needs is the right ‘teeth’ to hold the drawing material and ability to
withstand the test of time, hence being acid free (alkali reserve) and high
rag contents are desirable,
d) However canvas also is an excellent surface for drawing. It’s texture and
size flexibility also adds to the excitement,
 Drawing:
a) Drawing material could be divided into two broad segments; with some
binder and without any binder,
b) Oil Pastels and Colour Pencils etc. are the drawing material with binder
and would retain itself without Fixative also,
c) But Soft pastels and Charcoals etc. are without any binder and must be
fixed with the Fixative, or else the drawing would smudge, disintegrate,
and the powder might fall-off,
d) There are some new gen products like water soluble colour pencils and
graphite, which could be used to draw and by applying water could also be
converted into painting,
e) Camel is happy to serve the drawing enthusiasts with a handsome range
of drawing materials, like;
 Camlin Drawing Pencils – 15 degrees, out of which 10 soft drawing
degrees (from B to 6B) and A set of 6 Assorted soft degrees,
 Camlin Charcoal Pencils – Soft & Medium variants and a set of 3
assorted grades (Soft, Medium and Hard)
 Camlin Premium Colour Pencils – Sets of 12 & 24 Assorted shades
 Camlin Water Colour Pencils – Sets of 12 & 24 Assorted shades
 Camel Natural Charcoal
 Camel Compressed Charcoal
 Camel Soft Pastels – Sets of 20 Assorted shades
 Drawing Process:
a) Start drawing from left hand top corner and go towards right bottom so
that there are less chances of accidental damage of the drawing during
the process,
b) Along with the drawing material chosen and tools/eraser the other most
important thing is a clean duster or paper napkins to maintain the surface
neat & clean,
c) Perspiration is very bad and hence try to avoid it,
d) The room should be airy and well ventilated but strong winds & gusts
should be avoided as they might disturb the work,
e) Use Blending Stomps of suitable size to spread and manipulate the
drawing material
f) The unfinished drawings could be and should be protected with Fixative
so as to avoid accidental smudge & damage,
g) While drawing with colour pencils techniques like hatching & cross-
hatching could be used to create effects of mixed shades and gradation,
 Mediums:
 a) Preparatory:
 There is no preparatory medium required for Drawing
b) Painting:
 There is no medium required while creating a drawing
c) Preservation:
 Preservation of drawing is much more necessary as most drawing
materials are without any added binder,
 The Camel Fixative Spray is the best protective medium for
drawing,
 For the drawing material with binder, like oil pastels too fixative is
helpful as it protects the drawing from dirt, soot and friction would
and help maintain the neatness,
 Unlike Varnish, Camel Fixative Spray could be applied on the
drawing immediately after finishing the drawing or even during the
process of drawing
 You can draw further over the dried layer of fixative,
 Never apply Camel Fixative on any painting as fixative is not
removable, which might be needed to restore the painting,
 Tools:
a) For drawing the only tool available is Camel Blending Stomps,
b) Camel Blending Stomps are available in a set of 6 assorted diameter,
c) Both ends of Camel Blending stomps could be used equally
d) Once the points of the stomps get dirty, they could be polished with a fine
sand paper and made usable again,
e) A kneadable eraser would also be a great help in drawing with pencils and
charcoal,

10. What are the precautions one must take while exhibiting the painting in home/gallery?
A. Painting or drawings are either labour of love or acquired at a hefty cost and hence are
very valuable and must be handled and displayed with great care,
B. Paintings/ drawing should be either glass framed or protected with varnish / fixative, as
the case may be, before displaying,
C. Care should be taken to frame the art work properly with acid free mount and back-up
board so as to protect it from damage and deterioration,
D. Select a prominent wall for display, but avoid the walls which are ;
 Damp
 Uneven and weather beaten
 External walls
 Gets direct or bounced sunlight for long time,
 Faces a water body or an open field
E. Painting should be hung at the eye level and its center should be between 150 CMS to
180 CMS from the floor
F. Painting’s back should not flatly be touching the wall and it should be tilted at an angle
of 15° to 30° depending upon the height
 G. The painting should be properly and sufficiently illuminated so that it could be
appreciated,
H. The light should be covering the entire frame evenly
I. No harsh light should fall on the viewer’s face,
J. The painting should be cleaned with a clean and dry duster periodically from all sides to
remove soot and dust,
K. In case of glass frame, the glass could be cleaned with glass cleaners, but no, I repeat
NO liquid, either water of any other chemical should touch the painted / drawn surface,
even if it is protected with varnish or fixative,
L. In case of stretched canvas, the gap between the canvas and the wooden frame should
be cleaned with vacuum cleaner to remove the dirt & dust,
M. The stretched canvas should also be re-stretched or tightened when the canvas
expands and loosened when it shrinks or shrivels,
N. If the room where the painting is displayed, is not getting any sunlight during the day, it
would be good to show the painting to sun from both sides periodically,
O. The room would become exciting and look fresh if the displayed paintings are rotated
periodically,
P. Art is precious. Take pride in your collection and take care of them, they will add value
to your personality.

11. What are the precautions one must take while storing a Painting?
A. Paintings and drawings, which are not being displayed, needs to be stored in a safe
manner so that they remain in good condition and don’t deteriorate. Not very difficult
task but very important it is, so let’s get talking about it;

 If the paintings or drawings are unframed, they can be packed in compact

manner and could be preserved better,
a) For the sake of protection a smooth butter paper should place in between
two paintings or drawing,
b) Wrap them in brown paper or old newspaper loosely so that air could
circulate freely,
c) Put the bundle in a polybag with Moisture absorbing crystals and seal it to
block moisture from entering,
d) Also some safe moth balls in a pack to protect from insects
e) The canvases could be rolled with a butter paper on the painted surface,
put in a polybag, and packed in a plastic or paper tube along with the
moisture absorbing crystals and moth balls,
f) Keep the pack at a cool and dark place away from sunlight and dampness
g) Ensure that the pack is not touching the floor, keep it propped up on
wooden planks,
h) Make sure that there is no chance of moisture or dampness near the pack,
i) Dust it regularly from outside check the surroundings for any dampness or
moth, it is better to open and check,
 For framed paintings or drawings and stretched canvases;
a) Clean the painting/drawing thoroughly with duster & or vacuum cleaner,
 b) Ensure that these are absolutely dry and there is no moisture present by
showing them to sun for an hour or two from both sides,
c) Wrap individual frame/stretcher in a brown paper or newspaper
d) Make a convenient bundle of couple of canvases / frames of similar sizes
and wrap them in polybag with dehumidifier crystals,
e) Keep the bundle propped up on a wooden or plastic storage palette or
wooden pegs so as to keep it above ground level to avoid any damage by
accidental damage by flowing water or dampness
f) Don’t prop against a damp wall or one which is external and might get wet
during rains,
g) Expose to sun for short while after reopening the bundle
Hope this way you would be able to protect your artistic treasure and keep it safe

12. Should oil paintings be glass framed? What would be the benefit?
A. Usually people scoff at the idea of glass framing an Oil Painting, thinking that as the
paint film is hard and water proof, what is the need of glass framing? The size of oil
painting is also an issue and hence it is considered just enough to varnish them.
However technically speaking glass framing is good for oil paintings as well after it is
completely dried. It protects the painting better from the pollutants, elements as well as
frictions and at the same time also cuts harmful ultra-violet radiation. The only cautions
is that, the glass should not touch the paint film, the mount and back-up board, if used,
should be acid free and archival quality and the frame should allow “breathing” of the
painting. Glass framing enhances the beauty and life of the oil painting and hence
advisable.

13. I live in Shimla and face a huge fungus problem with my paintings. Please suggest
some precautions?
A. India is a country full of art but also full of adverse conditions for it. We have a long
coastline on two sides with high humidity and on the remaining two, high altitude zones
with colder climes and lush vegetation. This causes conditions conducive for fungus,
which comes very easily with but is very difficult to remove. Cleaning Fungus infected
work is no Do-It-Yourself project, which the artists can take on their own selves, but a
very specialized task to be performed by a qualified restorer. And hence our emphasis
should be on avoiding fungus. Some precaution we can suggest for the same are as
follows;
 Avoid working in rainy season, if possible.
 Try to draw & experiment with Pastels, Pencils or Charcoals.
 If you must, use Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours or Camel Artists’ Water Colours,
 Try to use mediums which help colours to dry faster
 Avoid using tap water for painting rather used purified or boiled water,
 Don’t stack / hang painting on exterior wall or walls with dampness,
 Hang paintings in a manner (tilted), which ensures an air circulation behind them
 Keep your studio and studio practices clean, don’t keep a mess around,
 Expose the paintings to sun periodically whenever it is around
 Don’t hang or store paintings close to vegetation
 Don’t touch the canvases & papers while eating any foodstuff
 Use the dehumidifier crystals to manage humidity,
 Contact a qualified restorer for the fungus infected paintings
14. Which is the best surface for oil painting?
A. A properly primed or coated canvas is the most suitable surface for oil painting as it
does not allow the oil from colour to seep into the fabric, ensuring excellent finish, look
and life. However there is an economic alternative in Oil Sketching Paper, which is a
primed or coated drawing paper used by the entry level students only.

15. Why oil colours cannot be used on any surface but coated paper and canvas?
A. Oil Colours are unique in formulation where the slow drying oils (like Linseed Oil)
perform the role of vehicle and binder both. If used on any uncoated surface, the oil
would be absorbed in it and the colours would become dry and weak. Hence to avoid
such issues oil colours are used on coated surface only, may it be paper, cloth or wood
(icon).

16. Which is a good painting canvas?

A. Canvas is the most preferred and widely used substrate of the artists for Oil, Acrylic and
even Mixed Media works. Canvas or painting canvas is made of three important
components, namely; Support, Fabric and Priming. Let’s see which quality parameter
we should expect from each of them making a good canvas;
 Support (the frame or structure) – Strong, non-warping, long-lasting, adjustable
to accommodate climatic changes, convenient to paint, house, display &
transport, properly constructed.
 Ground (the fabric) – Made of virgin material, starch/acid free, free from weaving
defects, knots and lint, strong, tightly woven & stretchable, having even and
uniform texture.
 Priming (the coating) – Flexible, non-porous, non-flakey, long lasting, free from
pin holes, non-absorbent but with tooth to hold colours & maintains desired
texture

17. How many types of canvas is provided to the artists by Kokuyo Camlin?
A. Kokuyo Camlin has been making artists’ canvas for over four decades now and its
current range includes the following products;
 Camel Cotton Canvas Rolls: Made by coating highest quality acid free / lint &
knot free canvas fabric with flexible and non-cracking / non-flaking priming
material to avoid deterioration, Available in 5 meter rolls having width option of 71
cm (28”), 91 cm (36”), 106 cm (42”), 121 cm (48”), 132 cm (52”), 152 cm (60”),
182 cm (72”) and 213 cm (84”) packed in paper tubes.
 Camel Canvas Boards: Made with superior Camel Cotton Canvas by pasting it
on quality Masonite board, the Camel Canvas Boards offer a non-sagging sturdy
and firm surface for painting, Available in 20 popular rectangular and squire sizes
from 20 cm X 20 cm (8”X8”) to 90 cm X 90 cm (36” X 36”), Camel Canvas
Boards offer a wide range to the oil colour users.
 Camel Pre-Stretched Canvas: Manufactured by mounting the Camel coated
Canvas on the frame made of beveled /slotted strips of seasoned wood making
this non-warping, non-sagging surface. Individually wrapped in Polly-film, the
Camel Pre-Stretched Canvas is available in wide range of 14 sizes ranging from
20 cm X 25 cm (8” X 10”) to 90 cm X 120 cm (36” X 48”).
  Camel Deep Edged Canvas: Camel Cotton Canvas mounted on the frames with
thicker (38mm X 38mm) wooden strips makes Camel Deep Edged Canvas
sturdier and can be displayed without any frame. Available in 18 sizes, both
squire and rectangular ranging from 15 cm X 15 cm (6” X 6”) to 120 cm X 150 cm
(48” X 60”) Camel Deep Edged Canvas offers an infinite world of possibilities.

18. Can we use canvas only for oil painting?

A. Canvas was designed for oil painting only but it can be beautifully used for many more
mediums. The most important use of canvas, apart from Oil painting is Acrylic and
Mixed Media painting, though they could also be executed on a wide variety of surfaces.
Apart from these, canvas is a very good surface for Charcoal, Water Soluble Graphite,
Oil Pastels & Soft Pastel etc. Even colour pencils could also be used on canvas with
beautiful results.

19. Why we should use back stapled canvas and not side stapled ones, which are cheaper?
A. Good question. One of the benefit of using stretched canvas is that if the artist want to
transport a big canvas, one can get the same unstapled, disassemble the frame, pack
the canvas, pack frame strips separately, ship it and reassemble the frame at the
destination and re-stretch the painting on it. This is only possible if the canvas is back
stapled. If the canvas is side stapled, there is no margin to hold the canvas for
stretching. Hence it makes more sense to use a slightly more expensive Back Stapled
Camel Canvas rather than the cheaper side stapled one. Hope you would agree.

20. What is the difference between Camel Stretched Canvas and the unbranded stretched
canvases available in the market?
A. An interesting question really. To answer this we need to understand what all goes into
making a stretched Canvas. A combination of three major components, fabric, priming
and structure makes the canvas and quality aspects are hugely different in all three
which will impact the art and the artists. Let’s study them one by one;

CAMEL STRETCHED CANVAS UNBRANDED FRAMED CANVAS

STRONG FABRIC WITH DENSER CHEAP THIN RECYCLED FABRIC
WEAVE MADE OF VIRGIN COTTON, NO STANDARDISATION, FULL OF
GROUND
STARCH & ACID FREE, WITHOUT DEFECTS, LOOSE WEAVE
IMPURITIES OR KNOTS
CONTINUOUS MULTI-COAT ROLL FRAME PRIMING WITH HAND /
PRIMING WITH MACHINE BRUSH, DOUBTFUL & UNSTABLE
PRIMING NON-FLAKEY & NON-POROUS PRIMING MATERIAL, FLAKY &
SMOOTH, ADEQUATE & UNIFORM POROUS, INSUFFICIENT & UNEVEN
ACRYLIC GESSO PRIMING COATING
STRONG SEASONED WOOD CHEP RECYCLED WOOD
MACHINE SHAPED MANUALLY SHAPED
WOOD
PROPER THICKNESS THIN WEAK STRIPS
BEVELLED INNER SURFACE UN-BEVELLED FLAT STRIP
WEDGE JOINTS, BACK STAPPLED FIXED JOINTS, LOOSE STRETCHING,
FABRICA -
EXPANDABLE WITH STRIPS SIDE STAPPLED/NAILED
TION
PROPERLY STRETCHED IMPROPER PACKING
SHRINK WRAPPED
 Now you know the difference between both but would be thinking how do all these quality
aspects impact you? You are right, any quality aspect or feature is of no consequence if it is
not benefiting the consumer. So here are the benefits of all the features of Camel Stretched
Canvas;

ELEMENTS FEATURES OF CAMEL BENEFITS OF THE FEATURES

STRETCHED CANVAS
STRONG FABRIC WITH DENSER Better fabric ensures that the application
WEAVE MADE OF VIRGIN of colours is smooth, painting has
GROUND
COTTON, STARCH & ACID FREE, required texture and the looks and life of
WITHOUT IMPURITIES OR KNOTS the painting is long lasting.
CONTINUOUS MULTI-COAT ROLL Better priming means smooth
PRIMING WITH MACHINE application, brilliance & lustrous feel; no
NON-FLAKEY & NON-POROUS seepage & pealing of paint film, ensuring
PRIMING
SMOOTH, ADEQUATE & UNIFORM more vibrant & long lasting painting.
ACRYLIC GESSO PRIMING
STRONG SEASONED WOOD This ensures a strong structure which
MACHINE SHAPED facilitates better execution & display of
WOOD
PROPER THICKNESS painting & retains the shape forever. The
BEVELLED INNER SURFACE painting would not sag or warp.
WEDGE JOINTS, BACK This ensures the well-stretched canvas
FABRI- STAPPLED, EXPANDABLE WITH for painting, retaining shape for long. It
CATION STRIPS, PROPERLY STRETCHED facilitates periodic adjustments & re-
SHRINK WRAPPED stretching of the painting.

21. What is the advantage of Camel Deep Edge Canvas over Camel Stretched Canvas?
A. Even though all the materials used in manufacturing of the Camel Deep Edge and
Stretched Canvas are same there is difference in the shape and hence the utility. The
profile of wooden strip used for making the Camel Stretched canvas is 38mm X 21mm
till the size of 18cm X 24cm and 44mm X 21mm for the larger sizes, where the strip
used for Deep Edge Canvas is 38mm X 38mm. This extra thickness of the frame gives
extra strength and stability to the deep edge canvas, which ensures that they do not
warp or bend even in large sizes. The artists prefer to use the Deep Edge frame as they
can be exhibited without framing and look more robust and strong. By using the Camel
Deep Edge Canvases the artists saves the cost of framing, and can also paint on the
sides, giving a bold infinite look to their painting. Though we are not sure of the reasons,
the square sizes are more popular in Deep Edge Canvases, probably they just look
better.

22. I want to paint a cluster of small canvases. Should I use Canvas board or stretched
canvas?
A. You can use both or even the Deep Edge ones depending upon the way you want to
finally display them. if you have a cluster-frame or structure in mind, Camel Canvas
Board would be a better idea as it is easier to frame thin boards. In case your idea is to
exhibit them individually framed in random arrangement, Camel Stretched Canvas
would be better. Deep Edge Canvas would be more apt if you want to display them
unframed. Camel Deep Edge Canvas will add one more dimension as the sides of the
 canvas could also be painted to give a unique infinite and 3-D feel. All three of them
would be able to do justice to your visual imagination and add glamour to the walls in
their own unique manner.

23. I have purchased Camel Stretched Canvas and have found 8 wooden strips in the pack.
What for?
A. Good discovery. Yes we put these chips in the pack of Camel Stretched Canvas as they
are integral part of it. We hope you are aware that the canvas expands after absorbing
moisture from atmosphere and colours. When it so happens the canvas becomes loose
on the frame. It looks untidy and it is also difficult to paint on such canvas. If not
attended, such canvas sags on the bottom side where dirt, lint etc. will get accumulated.
This will further absorb moisture and become fertile ground for spreading dampness
and fungus, which would deteriorate the condition of the painting further and lead to
serious damage. We don’t want this to happen with the paintings of our valued patrons
like you and hence fashioned our stretcher in a way that the canvas frame could be
further expanded to accommodate the expansion of canvas. You need to insert 2 chips
in each corner of the canvas frame in a manner that the cut side is facing outward from
the frame and tap lightly with a light plastic or wooden hammer. This would expand the
frame and adjust the canvas eradicating the chance of any further deterioration. Hope
this will help.

24. I have taken off the painted canvas from the frames for transportation. I have noticed
that Camel Canvas frame is tapered but others are not. Why it is so? What is the benefit
of this?
A. Interesting discovery. Have you also checked both the paintings side-by-side? If you do,
you would notice the difference yourself. You would notice that on the Camel Canvas
the painting looks uniform whereas on other canvas the painting would be standing out
more prominently on the wooden strips and little under toned on other area. This is due
to the tapered frame strips that the canvas on Camel stretch canvas does not touch the
frame and the full canvas get painted uniformly. On the contrary the cheap stretch
canvases plan flat strips are used to make the frames, which touch the canvas and
hence the look of painting on the areas where it touches the frame and remaining area
differs. It looks cheap and bad, moreover in such frames canvas gets stuck to the
frames and might get damaged. Please avoid using such canvas in future.

25. I have bought Camel Canvas Roll and got it stretched from my framer. When I started
painting I found that the paint is not adhering properly to the surface? What is wrong
with it and what should I do?
A. What you have is a slippery canvas, which is quite common and there is nothing to
worry. When canvas is primed with acrylic material and heated at a high temperature to
dry, the surface acquires shine and slippery texture. Due to this the colours, especially
thin washes of Acrylics, does not seems to adhere properly on the canvas. Also when
you get the canvas stretched locally, the handlers leave stains of oily hands on the
canvas, which are invisible and might create issue with adhesion of colours. This is a
common issue with canvas but not to worry, the remedy is also very simple. To tackle
 such issues and to ensure better adhesion, the canvas should be rubbed lightly with the
finest of sand paper and the dust be removed. This will open-up the ‘teeth’ and make
the canvas more receptive for colours. Don’t overdo this as it might damage the surface
of the canvas.

26. I have purchased a local made stretched canvas, but am skeptical about the quality. Will
it perform better if I give it a coat of Camel Texture White?
A. In this one question, we see two of them, should texture white be used for priming and
can it improve the cheap canvas. Camel Gesso is rather a better material to prime
canvas than the Texture White, which is designed for creating relief texture on canvas
prior to painting. The cheap canvas comes coated with some material, which would also
be cheap and hence might crack, flake and peel-off within a very short time. By applying
one more coat of Texture White or Gesso, you might feel better and think that now there
would be no problem with canvas. But it is not so. The material already coted would
behave the way it is and the additional layer would not be able to check it. It may not
crack itself but will not be able to help the undercoat from cracking. Hence the right
thing is to use the right thing from beginning; either buy Camel Canvas or buy good
quality starch free raw canvas and prime it with Camel Gesso.

27. I have heard of Fungus Free canvas. What does it mean?

A. It means that the canvas has been treated with a fungus retardant chemical providing
protection to canvas from fungus. However none of this can ensure 100% protection
from fungus and hence the canvas, at the best can be fungus retardant but can never
be ‘Fungus Free.” What it offers is only an added protection against fungus and not an
absolute guarantee. You must still take necessary precautions various factors causing
fungus.

28. What is the difference between Fine grain and Medium grain canvas? What is the logic
of these two types of canvas?
A. Since there are different type of artists and different types of art, there are different type
of canvases available. Both the canvases are woven with cotton thread of same
thickness on the same kind of looms, however the difference is in the surface texture.
As the names suggests, fine grain is finer in texture and favored mainly by portrait
painters and those who want to paint realistic images, whereas medium grain is good
for a vast range of painting styles, may it be landscape, abstract or composition. Apart
from the individual preference and choice, there is not much difference between both.

29. How Cotton Canvas and Poly-cotton Canvas are different? Which one is better?
A. As the name itself suggests, the cloth used for making canvas only makes the
difference. Canvas woven with 100% cotton cloth would make a cotton canvas and that
woven with one thread of polyester would make polly-cotton one. Both are good in their
own ways, the difference is again in individual choices. Polly – cotton gives more
flexibility to canvas and a better fungal protection. Cotton on the other hand has a better
overall life. Hence use whatever you find right for you.
30. The shopkeepers are offering canvases by Ounces, in 7 or 8 or 10. I don’t understand
the difference but they say the thicker the better. Is it true?
A. Ounce is to Pound is like grams to the kilograms. However in case of canvas it refers to
the thickness of the canvas in “X ounces per square foot”. It is similar to the modern
measure of thickness used for paper, called GSM (Grams per Square Meter), which
means weight of a standard measure of paper or canvas. Though this denotes the
thickness of canvas, which does not have any bearing to the ‘quality’ as such. It is a
fallacy that the thicker canvas performs better than a thinner one. It may even be
reverse in some cases. The artists’ concerns are that the canvas should not tear on
applying normal pressure, beyond that thickness is not a desired feature. It may even
make the canvas unnecessarily stiff, robbing it off of the suppleness and flexibility.

31. What is the ideal surface for water colours?

A. Water colour is a very beautiful and delicate medium of art and has its own following.
The ideal surface for water colour painting is paper, having high rag/cotton contents for
strength, optimum sizing for better controlled absorption and desired texture. Ideally the
paper should be acid free so as to avoid yellowing and subsequent damage of the
paper and deterioration of colours. In India the students and beginners use handmade
papers, which is good but being brush – sized, the sizing is uneven and only on the
surface. On the other hand the serious artists use paper made by legendry paper
manufacturers like Canson, Fabriano etc. apart from being acid free, best water colour
papers also boast of an alkali reserve (PH level 6.5) which will fend-for itself against
atmospheric acid damages for a long time. These papers are tub sized for better
results.

32. I am a regular user of handmade paper for water colours, however am frustrated with
the lot I’m suing currently. The colours are slipping at one spot and blotting at another.
Why it is so?
A. It’s a common issue with handmade paper as they are brush sized with hand. As the
process is manual, there are chances of uneven sizing resulting into uneven behavior of
the same sheet of paper. Wherever there are gaps in sizing, the colours would blot or
get absorbed fully, leaving very poor barely noticeable colours. However wherever there
is an extra deposit of sizing material, the colours would slip and would not find tooth to
hold on. Since this is the result of the process and human factor involved, there is no
way to avoid it 100% unless the process of sizing is changed by the manufacturers. The
imported papers are sized with ‘engine’ or ‘tub’ sizing and don’t have such issues.

33. The paper I use for water colour painting is very good in all respect, i.e. composition,
texture and sizing. However I have noticed that wherever I use eraser, the paper starts
absorbing colours. Why?
A. Very interesting observation. As explained earlier handmade papers are brush-sized
and hence the sizing is deposited on the surface only. With actions like erasing, it get
damaged and the spot start absorbing colours. it is normal considering the process.
Since imported papers are tub or engine sized and hence sizing gets penetrated deep
 within the paper. And hence in such paper there is no such issue. Paper will retain the
similar characteristics event after it is scraped, cut and sliced.

34. I recently came across the sketch book of my father, who used to paint with water
colours. I was aghast to note that the papers have turned yellowish and colours are
looking bad. Why it is so?
A. We think you dad had used a sketch book made with acidic paper and hence the same
is deteriorating. Such paper has presence of Chlorine, which start yellowing on reacting
with the moisture. With time it turns brownish and become brittle. Some shades also
react negatively with acids making the painting look worse. Such damage is gradual but
permanent. The only remedy is de-acidification, which is a difficult and expensive
process of restoration. The best way is to avoid such issues is to use acid free paper. If
possible the one with alkali reserve.

35. I have heard about using acid free paper and canvas to avoid damage. What do you
mean by this?
A. Let’s understand the phenomenon as follows;
 Paper is made from old rags or botanical waste like husk, wood etc.
 Hence pulp is of dirty gray/brown colours and so would be the paper if the pulp is
not bleached,
 The common bleaching agent for cleaning/brightening pulp is Chlorine,
 Chlorine get deposited in paper and remain there even after drying,
 It reacts with the moisture in the atmosphere and creates Hydrochloric acid,
which attacks paper and painting from inside,
 Due to acid attack the paper turns pale cream, yellow and brownish with time and
turn brittle,
 As a result the painting changes hue and mood initially and become susceptible
to disintegration with time,
 Some of the shades are also very sensitive to acids and get damaged due to
acids and fade faster,
 This is called internal acid damage and could be easily avoided by using acid
free paper (PH level 7)
 The vehicular and industrial pollution has a presence of toxic gas Sulfur-di-oxide
in it,
 This turns into sulfuric acid and attacks paper & paints from outside,
 This is called external acid damage and could be avoided by using paper with
alkali reserve (PH level 6.2)
 In case of normal paper, there is a possibility of de-acidification before or after
the deterioration set in, but it is a tedious and costly process,
36. What is the difference between all three types of Charcoal products available in your
range?
A. All three variant of Charcoal are interesting mediums, let’s study them closely for better
understanding
 Out of the three variants the natural charcoal sticks ( made from grape vine)
whereas the remaining two are made of the synthetic charcoal,
 The charcoal pencils are available in 3 hardness options (Soft, Neutral and hard)
whereas the rest two are single product, without any variation.
 Since Charcoal pencils could be sharpened, they can be used for fine line work
too but the compressed and natural version would be limited to broad strokes
and masking works.
 Natural charcoal, being absolutely without any binder, can also be used for pre-
painting drawing on canvas whereas the compressed and pencil version would
be more suitable for independent drawings.
 Regardless of the variants, Fixative is must for preserving a charcoal drawing.

37. What is the difference between Charcoal pencils and Drawing Pencils?
A. Charcoal pencils are made from synthetic charcoal and hence the blackness is much
denser, whereas in case of drawing pencils the core or lead is made of a combination of
graphite & clay, giving it a grayish tone. Moreover as drawing pencils are made with a
combination of graphite and clay, it has a possibility of greater range of
hardness/blackness variations, whereas in charcoal pencils it is only charcoal and
hence the options are only in 3 hardness levels.

38. What is the meaning of the alphanumerical code (2B, HB so forth) on drawing pencils?
A. These are called degrees of the drawing pencils and denote the hardness & blackness
quotient of the lead inside, which is made from the combination of Graphite and clay.
The clay brings Hardness ‘H’ and graphite brings ‘B’ blackness. More graphite and less
of clay will result into softer and blacker lead and will move upward on ‘B’ table till 10B,
which is the softest but the darkest black pencils in our range. On the other hand more
of clay and less of graphite would make the lead hard but less of black. And the count
would move upwards on ‘H’ scale. Generally speaking B grades are more preferred by
artists for sketching and drawing whereas the H grades are preferred in technical
drawings like civil, mechanical etc. where the width of the line is important and makes
difference.

39. I love drawing and have been gifted with a set of Camlin Water Colour Pencils recently.
Please advise me on how to use it?
A. Camel Premium Water Colour pencil is a wonderful product and we are sure you would
love it as it will give you a great drawing experience and also initiate you in the world of
painting. These pencils encase a core or lead made with finest quality pigments, binder
and other essentials. This gives you vibrant and solid strokes. And just with a touch of
wet brush, the colour pencil strokes would turn into vibrant water colour wash. Draw as
you please with Camel Water Colour pencil and just run a wet brush in the direction of
the stroke to convert the drawing into a water colour painting. If you want a more fluid
 and spreading effect, just wet the paper and start drawing, you will find wonderful
exuberance of colours on the paper. However please don’t ever dip the pencils in water
as it will make the core soggy and render the pencils useless.

40. I love to paint with oil colours. I like to draw before painting with pencils, but the
drawing remains visible under the layers of paints and disturbs the painting. Any
solution?
A. Good question indeed. Hard pencils leave marks on the canvas, which are visible even
after a number of coats of paint. The soft pencils get mixed with the paint and tarnish it.
If you use the Camel Natural Charcoal Sticks, both these problem would easily be
solved in one go. The drawing made with Camel Natural charcoal sticks would flake off
the canvas in the process of painting, it would neither be visible under painting nor
would it mix with & tarnish the colours.

41. What is the difference between soft pastel and oil pastels?
A. Both are pigment based opaque drawing mediums of highly soft consistency producing
smooth painting like effects. However the Oil pastels are made by mixing pigments with
waxes and non-drying oils as binder whereas the soft pastels either doesn’t have any
binder or have a little binder, which is not enough to hold it on paper after application.
Hence oil pastels do adhere to any surface and the layers of it hold themselves on their
own, while soft pastels can’t stick to any surface and the powdery discharge can’t hold
itself without support of fixative. Therefore fixative may be optional for oil pastels but for
soft pastels fixative is must.

42. How soft pastels are different from Dry pastels? Is there some difference or we are just
being confused?
A. There is no great difference between both. Soft Pastels are soft and smooth pastels
without any internal binder. Dry pastels are also similar product, with the hardness on
the higher side. In fact globally there are soft pastels for painting like works and crayons
or Conte for line work and sketches. Some manufacturers have introduced an in
between product which can be used for line work and painting both and called it Dry
Pastels. It is noteworthy that it is supposed to perform both the tasks but being in
between, it can’t do either of them perfectly.
44. What are the colours for art made of?
A. Pigments are the main ingredient used for manufacturing colours for art. Apart from
pigments, other ingredients like, vehicle, binder, plasticizer and preservatives are also
used while making the colours to ensure the required flow, adhesion, binding and shelf
life (preserving it from fungus etc.).

45. What are the pigments?

A. Pigments are coloured particles which are opaque and have good light fastness but
don’t dissolve well in medium and have low colouring power. Pigments come from
various sources like minerals, earths, vegetable and chemical etc.

46. Why Pigments? Why not Dyes?

A. Though pigments don’t dissolve in any medium, have low transparency and tinctorial
value in comparison with dyes, they have very high permanency and hence they are
preferred over dyes, at least for art colours.

47. Does it mean dyes are not at all used in art materials?
A. No, but they have very limited role in artists’ material. Transparent Photo Colours,
solvent and water based Glass Colours and Coloured Drawing Inks, except White and
Black shades, are made with dyes. Also some shades, for which there are no pigments
available in nature or chemistry, are also made by absorbing the dyes in transparent
white pigments.

48. On the labels of colours we find signs like A, B, or C as well as series number. Do they
mean anything to us; should we pay attention to them?
A. These marks/signs are ways to convey very important information about the product,
i.e. the shade. The A, B or C denotes the permanency of the colours and series
numbers point at the cost bracket of the pigments used. The information about
permanency of particular shade is very important for a user like you, however the series
numbers are just related with prices and hence have no practical application, apart from
at the time of purchase.

A means absolutely permanent, B means permanent and C means fairly permanent.

This information will help the artists to purchase and apply shades, which are more
suitable for the purpose, and if they are not as per the artists’ need, the artist can
manage them accordingly, either by adding any specific medium or by applying in
particular manner.

49. Can you explain the permanency further for better understanding?
A. To understand permanency we will first have to understand the tones, the way in which
colours are used by the artist, i.e.
 Mass Tone: Colours are used directly from the jar or tube without mixing
anything.
 Glaze Tone: Colours are mixed with medium or linseed oil & used
 Wash Tone: Colours are mixed with water or turpentine & used
 Reduced Tone: Colours are mixed with white and used
 Now let’s understand permanency from this perspective;

LEGEND MEANING DETAILS

A Absolutely
Permanent
B Permanent
C Fairly Permanent
The shades would be permanent in any tone; however
in reduced tone a slight fading might be noticed.
Permanent in Mass tone, Glaze tone and Wash tone
but fades in reduced tone.
Permanent in Mass Tone only, in all other tones
gradual fading could be observed.

50. I love painting flowers and do a lot of it. Most shades used in painting flowers are of ‘B’
or ‘C’ permanency rating? Could my paintings have a decent life?
A. They certainly can have, don’t worry. The whole idea of marking permanency rating on
the pack is to inform the users about the nature of the pigment used so that they can
take caution while using it and get the best out of it. It is possible to get a decent life
even from shades with lower permanency rating. Once you know that the shade you
must use is a shade with ‘C’ permanency rating, which is permanent in Mass tone but
fades in all other tone, you can get a better permanency by;
 Using the particular shade in mass tone (without dilution)
 If it needs a lighter shade, use thin wash of transparent white on top for it instead
of adding white,
 If thinning is must use linseed oil or medium and not water \ turpentine
Thus you would be able to get the best out of the shades with low permanency rating.

51. Are there some more factors responsible for the life of paintings?
A. It is important to understand here that the life of painting, though mainly depend upon
the shade, also depends upon many other factors like;
 Action of the surface/substrate used – acidic deterioration, absorption of colours
& medium in canvas, flaking, pealing etc.
 Interaction of various pigments used – mixed with or one top of other etc.
 Action of vehicle and mediums used while painting
 Action of framing/mounting of the art work (mount, back-up board etc.)
 Action of light – Direct, indirect and bounced.
 Action of Moisture – humidity
 Action of temperature – fluctuations rather than the harshness of it is harmful
 Actions of pollutants like sulfur-die-oxide etc.
 Accidents, mishandling, human negligence and bad storage

52. On the labels of colours you have some squares looking blank, filled and half filled.
What do they mean? Should we consider them while buying or using colours?
A. As a serious manufacturer of art material, we prefer to keep our valuable patrons like
you aware of the vital information about products. For artists’ colours apart from
permanency the most important information is transparency of the shade. We use these
boxes to convey the transparency of the shade to our users. The meaning of the boxes
are as follows;
 - Transparent Shades
- Opaque Shades
- Semi Transparent Shades

These icons help you understand the transparency of the shades regardless of
your understanding of any language. You can consider them while purchasing the
colours as well as while using them. This will empower you in buying and using
shades with greater understanding and confidence.

53. When we buy Cadmium Red or Burnt Sienna we find too much liquid in it and Flake
white is very thick. Why? How should we handle it?
A. As you know different shades are made from pigments coming from different sources
and hence have different properties. Apart from permanency and transparency the main
properties of shades are vehicle absorption, film elasticity and drying speed. The
difference in consistency of the shades in tubes/jars is due to the different level of
vehicle absorption among shades. The shades with higher vehicle absorption would
‘swell’ and become tighter, whereas the ones with lower vehicle absorption would
‘shrink’ and become thin and runny. In low vehicle absorbing shades, one may find
chunks of coagulated medium on mouth or crimp of the tubes. There is no need to
worry as it doesn’t impact the quality of the colours in any manner.
Care & Caution:

 Saturate the high vehicle absorbing shades by adding sufficient medium while painting,
 While using low vehicle absorbing shades, don’t add liquid medium like purified linseed
oil as it will make the colours thinner, transparent and runny.
 Instead add thick mediums like Camligel, which will add body and strength to the
colours,
 Using low vehicle absorbing shade on high vehicle absorbing shade might cause the
shade on top to become dry and crack.

54. Some shades have ‘Hue’ as a suffix to the shade name. What does it mean?
A. Due to the reason of toxicity or the prohibitive cost of the pigments, some classic
pigments have to be replaced with some reasonable alternative, like Vermillion Hue or
Cobalt Blue Hue. The genuine Vermillion pigment is highly toxic whereas the
Ultramarine Blue’s original pigment is a semi-precious stone called Lapis Lazuli, which
cost more than gold, weight by weight. Hence genuine pigments are replaced with
alternative pigments giving the similar visual impact. However for the sake of
maintaining the transparency and clarity in communication, we denote such shades by
adding ‘HUE’ to the name.

55. I have purchased a tube of Crimson oil colours. I found that the name of the shade on
the tube is ‘Crimson Lake’. What does it mean?
A. The process of creating pigments from dyes is called ‘laking’ and the shades made from
such pigments are identified as ‘lakes’. It is interesting to note that even after such an
advancement of technology, for some of the shades there are no pigment available.
Hence dyes are absorbed in transparent white pigments and such pigment is used to
make colours, this process is called ‘laking’. These shades generally have lesser light
fastness and hiding power and hence the suffix LAKE is used to inform the users about
the same. Please use with caution as some ‘Lake’ shades also tends to bleed.
 56. What is the difference between Artist quality colours and Student / Studio quality
colours?
A. In art material industry the colours are basically divided in two categories, i.e. Artists’ or
Extra Fine quality and students/ studio or Fine quality. The difference between the both
is as follows;

PARAMETER ARTISTS’/ EXTRA FINE STUDENT/STUDIO/FINE

QUALITY QUALITY
PIGMENT The original classical pigments Low cost substitute pigments are
QUALITY are used while making colours, used
PIGMENT Higher pigmentation (pigments in Normal pigmentation with higher
CONCENTRATION higher proportion in colours) ratio of extenders
Different series with different Single price band (some brands
IDENTIFICATION prices charge more for special shades)*
* Metallic, Iridescent, Fluorescents etc.
Benefits of using artists’ quality/ Extra Fine colours over using student/studio or Fine quality;
 Greater coverage due to greater pigmentation
 Superior finish and beauty due to superior pigments and processing, and
 Greater post painting life (permanency) due to superior pigments

57. What do you mean by ‘Fat over Lean’? Please explain?

A. This is a classical principal to create a sound oil painting, which simply means that each
subsequent coat of paint should have more oil in comparison to the earlier one.
According to this principle the artist should use colours with very little or no oil in the first
coat and keep adding more and more of oil to the subsequent coats. This will also
ensure better finish and longer life of the painting. And don’t forget there is no role of
Turpentine in this formula.

58. Why it is must to paint in Fat – over – Lean principal? What would happen if someone
does otherwise?
A. Please note that Linseed oil, or for that any oil dries due to polymerization, unlike water,
which dries due to evaporation. The process of polymerization required oxygen drawn
from the air. Hence the lower (lean) layer of paint with less oil will dry faster than the
(fatty) upper layer with more oil. This will not only give a better finish to the painting but
would also ensure better life. If this principal is violated the lower layer would dry after
the upper one and cause cracks in it. However since water dries by evaporation, no
such precaution is needed while painting with Acrylic on canvas.

59. I have been painting with oil colours for long. Recently I have received Camel Artists’
Acrylic Colours as gift. I want to try it out, please tell me followings about it;
A. On what surface it could be used?
 Acrylic is a multipurpose medium and can be used on any surface including
coated and uncoated canvas, paper, board, ply, wood, stone, metal and
practically everything including human skin. However Camel Canvas, in any of its
4 avatars, would be the best substrate for Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours.
 B. What are the properties of Acrylic colours?
 Acrylic colours are fast drying colours which are water soluble colours, which
become water proof and permanent on drying.
C. What kind of visual effect it gives?
 Acrylics can mimic the visual effects of water colours, oil colours and poster
colours also apart from the unique acrylic style.
D. Can it be used along with oil colours?
 Using along with or after oil colours would not be possible as water based
colours can’t merge with or work on top of oil colours. However it is possible to
use oil colours on top of the acrylic colours. In fact it gives an unique advantage
to the artists as the under layers of the painting gets developed rapidly with
acrylic colours and the top layer with oil colours would give it all the glamour of oil
painting.
E. What are the mediums to be used with it?
 Acrylic is water soluble but water is of course not the medium for it. There are
various mediums for acrylic painting in Camel range like Camel Acrylic Gloss
Medium (impart Oil like gloss), Camel Acrylic Matt Medium (imparts smooth yet
sober matt finish), Camel Acrylic Gel Medium (for thicker application with painting
knife and last but not the least, Camel Acrylic Retarder (to reduce the drying
speed and give more time to work).
F. Should I varnish the painting? How & when?
 It is good to varnish Acrylic paintings. As in case of oil paintings, these also
should be varnished once the painting is completely dried and there is no
moisture in the colours. For this purpose you can either use the Camel Spray
Varnish or Camel Acrylic Gloss or Matt Mediums.
G. What is the life of the paintings made with acrylic colours?
 Since the acrylic colours were invented in 1955 only, it has a history going back
to 60 year only, however the chemists have vouched after extensive research
that the Artists Acrylic Colours also have quite good permanency as both the light
& weather fastness is very good,

60. I am finding fungus in my Acrylic Jars. What shall I do?

A. Fungus in Acrylic is a real issue and it is very difficult to drive out fungus after it appears
in colour Jar or on the painting. In jar you can remove the colour affected with fungus
and use the remaining colours, without any reservation. However it is important to know
why it appears in the first place. Though we have acrylic colours in tubes (40ml and
120ml) and Jars (500ml and 1000ml), the fungal problem is noticed in jars only and
never in tubes. On studying the issue in our lab we’ve learnt that fungal infection takes
place due to the use of un-treated water from unreliable sources and unhygienic studio
practices. To avoid fungal problem you must always use purified or boiled water from
reliable sources, scoop the colours from jars with a clean spatula or spoon in a palette
or dish. Don’t put anything in Acrylic Colour jars, keep them tightly capped and store in
a cool and dry place. Also try to keep your studio as well as tools & accessories clean. It
will also help to keep food-stuff and greenery away from the studio.
61. Some of my friends use fabric acrylic colours for painting. Camel too has Fabrica
Acrylic colours. I am confused, should I continue to use Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours
or start using these economical options?
A. Good observation. Yes they are acrylic colours and chemically close to CAAC, as far as
the binder is concern, but there is a huge difference too. Both Fabrica and fabric are
acrylic colours designed for fabric painting and are closer to Student quality colours.
Apart from the normal difference you find between the artists’ quality and student quality
colours, which has been explained earlier (refer Q. No. ) these re made for fabrics and
hence their shades are more suitable and attuned to fashion rather than art. Therefore it
always better to use the Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours for creating a piece of art and
Camel Fabrica colours should be used for adding glamour to your garments and
furnishings.
However if you wish to and are planning to paint a work, where you don’t have any life
requirement and the shade intensity ix not of your priority list, you may as well use
Fabrica. It can be used on canvas also along with a host of other substrates, but it will
not be as light-fast and pigment rich as the Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours. At the best
Fabrica would give you results comparable to the Students quality colours. Hence
please take an informed decision.

62. I paint religious works and want to use metallic shades like gold, silver etc. but hesitate
as they may tarnish. Do you have any way out?
A. We have got a long tradition of use of metallic colours in paintings, may it be Mughal
miniature or Royal commissions. Tarnishing of metallic shades was a big issue in past
as these were made with metallic powders. However not these shades are made with
special synthetic pigments, which look and shine like metal but don’t have any metallic
ingredients whatsoever. As a result these new metallic shades keep shining and remain
fresh for long time like any other shade. You don’t need to take any special precaution
or use special varnish etc. to maintain their looks & life. Just use the metallic and
iridescent shades of Camel Artists’ Oil and Acrylic Colours any other shade and give a
special glow to your painting.

63. Oil colours have been there for more than 800 years and hence we know about its
permanency. What is the life of Acrylic colours? How can we be sure when it is only 70
to 80 years old?
A. Very intelligent. There is no doubt that oil colours are time tested and there is no doubt
about the durability of an oil painting. This is also true that Acrylic colours have been
around for not more than 60-70 years and thus cannot be compared to the oil colours.
However we have machines in the laboratory which can simulate the effect of exposure
to sun light, humidity and ultra violet radiation called Florida Test. This test creates
impact of long term exposure and hence it is possible to predict the long term impact of
exposure to the elements in short time only. The claim of the long life of artists’ acrylic
colours is based on the results of tests performed in these machines, which are very
reliable.
64. I use thick oil colors with knife and create textural works. I would love to use acrylic to
save on time, but they are too thin to support my kind of application. Can you suggest
some remedy?
A. Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colors have a general purpose acrylic structure and work best in
washes and glazes. Like you, there are a number of artists working with thick colors to
derive textural beauty on the canvas, and they have been sharing this thought with us.
Since we always believe that a consumer is king, we have been working on the
feedback in our laboratory.
We are very happy to inform you that on 3rd January 2017, we have launched a new
variant of artists’ acrylic colors, called Camel Artists’ Heavy Body Acrylic Colors. Apart
from being thicker, these colors have many unique qualities like;
 High Performance pigments ensuring long life on canvas
 Heavy pigment concentration giving rich brilliance and coverage
 Revolutionary new resin facilitating the artist with more working time as it
does not dry as fast as traditional Camel Artists’ Acrylic range on canvas

Camel Artists’ Heavy Body Acrylic Colors are currently launched in sets of 6 and 12
assorted shades in 40 ml tubes and would be expanded shortly with more individual
shades and pack sizes.

Hope you enjoy working with these colors.

65. What is the use of Art Powder colours? How to prepare them for application?
A. Art Powder Colours are poster colours in dry form and can be used almost in all the
applications where poster colours could be used, however since the powder colours are
processed finally by the end user in field situation, the finish is not as smooth as Poster
Colours. Posters, banners, child art, rangoli or Kollam & large format art works etc. are
some of the applications apt for the product. However currently this product is mostly
used in school situation to allow the students to play with fluid colours at a lower cost.
Since Art Powder colours are combination of pigments, binders & other ingredients
except the vehicle, water, which we need to add and make the usable colour. The
process is simple but needs to be followed properly;
 take required amount of powder in a dish or bowl,
 add few drops of water and mix, keep adding little water gradually till it acquires
the consistency of paste,
 add almost equal volume of water and let the colour ‘wet’ till it ‘swells’ by
absorbing water,
 mix well with brush and smoothen the paste
 add required amount of water and start painting!
 if you want the colours to be wash proof to an extent, use Camel Crylin Medium
in place of water

66. What are the uses of the Coloured Drawing Ink?

A. Camel Coloured Drawing Ink is a wonderful and vibrant medium. Designed to colour
maps and charts, this dye based (except black and white shades which are pigment
 based) transparent colours of fluid consistency are absolutely transparent (except black
and white) and water proof due to added resins. They are used extensively for
cartography, marbling and painting on paper. Good for masking and application with
brush, this medium is very popular with designers as well. Used on glossy paper, Camel
Coloured Drawing Inks produce unique 3 dimensional effects.

67. What is the application of Camel Fount Drawing Ink No. 100?
A. Oh! This is a unique and wonderful product. Formulated with carbon for absolute
blackness, opacity and density of line, Camel Fount Drawing Ink No, 100 has been
specially formulated to be used in a fountain pen. This Jet Black, water proof ink can be
used in a broad-tip fountain pen and is ideal for architects, designers, calligraphers and
anyone who loves to write with pen and love solid jet black writing. Anything which
needs reproduction should be and could be executed with Camel Fount Drawing Ink.
Caution: please clean the nib assembly with running water before refilling every time.

68. What is the application of Transparent Photo colours?

A. Originally designed to colour the black & white photographs, transparencies and cinema
slides, Camel Transparent Photo Colours are used as transparent water colours on
paper, where brilliance and density are of greater value than the light fastness. It is
majorly used by commercial artists and design students.

69. Who uses Special drawing Ink No. 99 and what for?
A. The Camel Special Drawing Ink No. 99 is a very popular name among draftsman
draftsmen and textile designers. Made from high quality carbon and resins, this dense
black ink is excellent for line-work. Camel Ink No. 99 is used with crow quill, nib, bow
pen etc. It has a very good opacity, permanency, rub-resistance and adhesion, doesn’t
reflect light and is water proof also.

70. I have bought Camel Coloured Drawing Ink set recently and found water on top and
colour settled in the bottom of some of the bottles. I tried to shake the bottles to mix it
but no result. What to do?
A. What an observation. Congratulations. Please note that though Camel Coloured
Drawing ink is a dye based product, some shades are made with pigments. Pigments
by nature don’t dissolve in any medium and has to be mixed, and start settling down as
soon as it is still. The shaking would be effective only if bottle has been still for a short
while but if it is lying still for long, pigments don’t get dislodged from the bottom by mere
shaking and need greater stimulus. Please try to stir the ink with a brush or handle and
you will find it mixing well and the ink would be ready to use soon.

71. If both the water colours and poster colours are pigment based, how water colours are
transparent and poster colours are opaque?
A. Very intelligent observation Indeed. Both the statements are true. Both these products
are made from pigments only and hence should have good opacity. However we
achieve the transparency required for water colours by adding special transparent
extenders in water colour formulation. Thus we are able to get water colours with good
 permanency and transparency. However for a normal person both looks similar in look
and application too. If water colour would be used a little thicker, if would look like poster
colours and if poster colours would be used very thin, a decent transparency could be
achieved.

72. I have bought a couple of bottles of Camel Premium Poster Colours and found a honey
like substance hovering on the top of colours. what is it and how to handle it?
A. Good discovery. The yellow honey like substance on the top of colours in poster colour
bottle is the medium, i.e. a mixture of vehicle (water) and binder (gum). Poster colours
being pigment based tend to sediment when the bottle is left undisturbed. When this
happen the medium surfaces on top. This is a natural physical action and there is
nothing unusual about it. Since the liquid contain vehicle and binder, which are very
important for the desired performance of Poster Colours, we would advise you to mix it
thoroughly in the colours before use. Later it may surface again, but don’t bother with it
and mix it before using. It will enhance the smoothness and adhesion of colours and
improve its performance. Don’t ever discard it though many people may suggest it.

73. Why there is no White shade in large (20ml) sets of Artist’s Water colour tubes?
A. What a beautiful question. Let’s begin at the beginning, water colour is a transparent
painting medium, and there is nothing like a transparent white. Though there is opaque
white in the range of water colours, it is not used generally as using white would make
that part of the painting opaque, which is not considered proper and not at all
appreciated. Hence the artists painting in water colour don’t use white shade in their
painting and rather use white of the paper itself as white shade by leaving it blank or for
reducing the tone of any shade. For this very reason the white shade is not added to the
20ml sets as it is supposed to be a professional set, unlike the other smaller sets, which
are for students, who would like to use white till they master the art of using water
colours without white.

74. How Transparent Photo Colours and Camel Coloured Drawing Ink are different from
each other? Are they used for different purpose?
A. Both are primarily fluid and transparent Dye based colours (Except Black and White of
shades of Coloured Drawing Ink) however it is the resin used in the ink, which
differentiate both. Coloured Drawing Inks is water proof and designed for colouring
maps & chart whereas the Transparent Photo colours were formulated to colour B&W
photographs, transparencies and slides. Presently both are extensively used by
designers for various paper based applications. Due to resin the ink doesn’t flow freely
and are also used for marbling on papers.

75. I love Indian miniature painting and would like to learn to paint like that. What kind of
colours is used in miniature painting?
A. What a beautiful question? We have got a long and vast tradition of miniature paintings
in India. From Pahadi & Kangda in North to Tanjaur in South and from Kalighat and
Company in East to Rajput in West, and not to forget Mughal miniatures in center, it is a
very huge heritage, which we should be proud of. From around 17th century, when the
 miniature painting took root in India after coming from middle east with Mughals and
other invaders, to the time commercially produced colours became popular in later part
of 20th century, the artists used to make their own colours.
 The pigments used to come from nature, either in form of minerals, like earth of
various hues, precious and semi-precious stones like emerald and lapis lazuli,
plants like haritaki, fauna like kermes beetles and a few chemicals like Vermillion
or Strychnine. For metallic hues, the miniature artists used the foils of real silver
and gold. Artists and their family members used to process these pigments
manually along with resin (Gond) of Acacia tree and use them with brushes
fashioned out of squirrel hairs. There were some very exotic pigments used by
these artists like Indian Yellow (derived from the urine of the cow fed exclusively
on mango leaves) and indigo blue etc.
 However with advent and easy availability of commercially produced colours,
especially Camel Poster Colours, the trend changed. Slowly the artists started
trying the Camel Poster Colours and soon the entire industry shifted on it. You
may find some miniature artists displaying exotic pigments in the showroom, but
that is just for effects. In the workshop you would find only poster colours being
used. In our interaction with master artists we have found that they do use
handmade colours for restoration of old paintings, but for new work, they use
Camel Poster Colours only. The quality is absolutely perfect for miniature
painting.

76. Which of Camel Colour are suitable for body painting?

A. Face or body painting is exciting but not so popular in India as a hobby, except during
events and cricket matches, and hence neither Kokuyo Camlin nor any other
manufacturer have introduced specialized colours for face or body painting, though
some imported products are there. However out of our range many products like Poster
Colours, Fabrica Colours, Fabrica Cone Liners, Fabrica Glitters and Artists’ Acrylic
colours could be used for body / face painting. The Poster colours are matt, bright and
easy to use on any surface and wash off, however they crack with skin movement and
contraction. All others are flexible and glossy and also longer lasting, being acrylic
based, but would need some extra effort in removal though they are not permanent on
human skin. You can use any of these depending upon the need, i.e. Fabrica Cone
Liners and Glitters are ideal for mehandi, tattoo and biindi art on skin. Have fun.

77. What is the difference between water based and solvent based glass colours?
A. Both these products are very beautiful and exciting, however due to the different base
used they have different properties and hence suitable for a different kind of audience.
Camel Solvent Based Glass Colours dries faster and the film formed on the surface is
very tough, glossy and thin, have high rub resistance and is water proof, permanent on
the surface once dried. But the solvent used in manufacturing them is volatile and
evaporate at the room temperature and hence may irritate the eyes, nose, mouth and
throat during the application and also might cause nauseating feelings. Not advisable
for minors and hence suggested for professional or adult hobbyists who can take proper
precautions while using. The Camel Water Based Glass Colours on the contrary dries
 slowly, the film is thick, matt, not very tough and absorb water even after drying and
comes off the surface if immersed in water for a long time. But the big advantage is that
it is absolutely safe in all respects and hence ideal for children and beginners. Both
have their own target audience clearly demarcated

78. Why we need to wash and iron the cloth before painting with Fabrica range of colours?
A. People generally select a new fabric or garment to paint, which comes with starch or
any other type of chemical sizing coting each fiber of weave and weft with a shiny
slippery film to give cloth a body, surface and shine. If the cloth would be painted
without removing the sizing, the paint might remain only on the film of sizing and may
wash-off with it right in the first wash, taking all your labour down the drain literally.
Similarly while painting on old garment, it is necessary to remove all dirt and grime
before painting for better fixation. Hence we advise to give a thorough wash to the cloth
before painting, not as a ritual but with an intention to remove the sizing. Hence a soak
in hot water with mild detergent followed by light rubbing is advisable. However it is
important to check and make sure that the cloth is free of all kinds of sizing and is
absolutely supple and soft. Iron it to remove wrinkles and any non-water soluble
chemical sizing before commencement of painting. This process will help proper
adhesion of Fabrica range on the garments and furnishing giving them a long and
beautiful life, making you proud of it.

79. Why the cloth should be ironed after 24-72 hours of painting?
A. Fabrica colours as well as Fabric Cone Liners and Glitters are the mediums used for
painting on cloth, all are acrylic colours, which by nature is water soluble till wet but
turns water proof once fully dried. Though the colours seems to be dried soon after
complete surface drying of acrylic may take 24 to 72 hours depending upon the quality
of cloth, thickness of application and off course the weather. However there might be
some colours deep within the weave and weft of cloth, which still might have some
moisture trapped as after the colour on the surface dries, it forms a plastic film,
hindering the flow of air, which dries the colours. Hence by ironing with a hot iron we
can ensure that the last molecule of the moisture has dried out of the fabric and colours
are absolutely fixed. This will ensure long life of the garment or furnishing lovingly
painted by you, bringing a smile on your lips for years and decades to come. Lovely isn’t
it?

80. I want to paint with Fabrica on an earthen plate. How should I go about it?
A. What a beautiful idea. Fabrica would work very well on terracotta and look great.
However you need to take certain precaution while doing so. First select the plate or
any other terracotta article you wish to paint and smoothen it with a very fine sand
paper. The second step is to further finish the surface and control it’s absorption power
by applying a primer. If you want to mask the natural look and want to paint the whole
thing in colour of your choice, you should use couple of coats of Camel Gesso. In case
you want to retain the natural beauty of terracotta and wish to enhance it with painting,
you should use Camel Fabrica Medium No. 1. Though the medium looks milky white, on
drying it will become absolutely transparent, enhancing natural beauty of earthenware
 and at the same time controlling the absorption of colours. You can start painting in the
medium and shades of your choice and use embellishments, which you find suitable for
work. Let it dry completely and it is ready to flaunt. You can also use hair dryer or room
heaters to accelerate drying, if you need. Give a further shot to the protection, shine and
life of the masterpiece with coat of Camel Spray Varnish or Fixative, though you can
also use the same Medium No. 1 also with brush for the same. it is your creative master
piece, flaunt it with pride and a smile.

81. I had framed the glass painting properly and hung in our drawing room. I am now
observing small droplets of water inside the frame on the glass. What might cause it?
What can I do now?
A. It seems to us that the glass colours you used were the water based glass colours,
which take long time in drying. We presume you got the painting framed before it was
100% dried and hence this issue. Please note that the water based glass colours take
longer time in drying. Adding to complication the colours are touch dry soon but the
complete drying takes very long time. We think you have framed the painting before it
dried fully and the framer has not left any place for the trapped moisture to release and
hence it is condensing in the frame itself. Please get the frame opened, let the painting
dry 100% and get it framed again. And this time make sure that there are some
ventilating holes in the frame to release the moisture, in case of need.

82. I have seen some old glass painting in my grandfather’s village home, which look
different from the contemporary glass painting. Why is the difference?
A. Good discovery. Those old glass paintings were executed with opaque oil paints and
were called reverse painting, requiring special skills. While executing reverse paintings,
the artists were supposed to work in reverse order and paint the features first and finish
with back ground. Since the opaque colours were used, this process used to fetch
interesting results. These paintings look different as the material and method both are
different in comparison to today’s glass painting, which is rather closer to stained glass
works. To execute a reverse painting today you have many options like, Camel Artists’
and Students’ Oil Colours, Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours, Camel Fabrica Colours, and
Camel Solvent and Water Based Glass Colours (after adding opaque white shade to
every shade), and also there is a huge possibility of glass sizes also.

83. My favorite printed skirt is faded but I love it too much to discard. Can you help me in
reviving it?
A. We can appreciate. It’s funny and people may find it frivolous, but it is important for you
and that’s what matters. Though fading is a natural process which is bound to take
place, we can help you in reviving it in a unique manner. You can take the Fabrica Cone
Liners of the matching shades and draw with it on the outlines of the design. Cover all
important lines with Fabrica Cone Liners and allow the skirt to dry in shade for close to
72 hours. Once drying is over iron the skirt from the reverse side to ensure 100% drying
and adhesion of the Fabrica Cone Liners. Now what are you waiting for, flaunt your
rejuvenated favourite skirt and enjoy the adulations and envious glances.
84. I paint with Camel Artist’ Acrylic Colours and would like to use some linier texture in my
paintings? Could you guide me?
A. It is a nice idea. We can recommend the use of our product Camel Fabrica Cone Liners,
which is a thick acrylic based colour packed in a plastic squeezable bottle with a find
nozzle. Since it comes in a range of shades, including regular, metallic, pearls
(iridescent) and glitters and are acrylic based, could be safely used to add textures and
dimension to the acrylic painting. However being formulated for fabric, there might be
issue with the range and matching of shades. In such cases we would recommend the
use of Artists’ Acrylic colours in the empty bottles of cone liners. Enjoy the wonderful
world of colours.

85. I’ve seen a glass painting, where the shades were in neat partition but the lines of the
liner were not visible. How it would have been achieved?
A. Glass paintings are usually executed with liners of various colours to mimic the brass
wire frame of stained glass paintings, keeping all the shades neatly separate from each
other. In order to give our patrons a wide choice, we have introduced Camel Glass Liner
in various shades like Gold, Bronze, Black and a very unique Transparent, which help
you create barrier between shades and give a neat glass painting look, while no line
would be visible. This will help you in achieving the look referred by you.

86. I am a regular user of Camel Poster Colour. What is the honey like liquid settled on the
top, when you buy a new bottle? I am confused on what to do with it? Please guide.
A. Poster colours are made with pigments, water and other ingredients like vehicle, binder
(Gum Arabic), plasticizer and preservative etc. When the colour remain static in the
bottle of jar for long, the colour becomes thick like curd and the medium separates and
surfaces. This is a natural happening and doesn’t have any relation with the quality or
performance of the product. Since the separated liquid is medium containing very
important ingredients, we would recommend that it be mixed with the colour before
using it. This will add brilliance and life to colour and keep them fresh for long.
87. I’ve been creating pre-painting textures with POP so far and am happy with it. How
Texture White would add value?
A. There are three issues with the pre-painting texture created with POP or any such
material. First, the surface is not suitable for painting, second it’s adhesion to the
canvas has issues and third, its life, which is shorter and doesn’t commensurate with
that of the painting. As a result the finish of the painting gets affected to begin with and
the life of the painting is also compromised as the surface texture may chip-off the
canvas and disintegrate. When you use Camel Texture White, being chemically similar
to the canvas priming material, it becomes a part of canvas itself on drying and behaves
in similar fashion. So the finish remains similar across, the life remain similar and there
is no issue regarding adhesion.

88. What is the difference between Texture White and Gesso? Do they have the same
purpose?
A. Texture White and Gesso both are chemically from the same family, but there is a
difference in consistency and the purpose both. Gesso has a runny consistency and is
designed to coat various surfaces, seal the pores and making them suitable for
Oil/Acrylic painting. Whereas Texture White is a thick paste and used to create 3
dimensional textures or reliefs on the surface of canvas before painting. Though both
are pre painting mediums, Gesso is used to prime the surface, may it be canvas, wood,
board, metal or anything else and prepare them for painting. Texture White is always
used on a primed surface to create relief. We are sure this would help you in
understanding both and empower you to use the one you need in the particular
condition. Are we clear?

89. I paint with oil colours and use linseed oil bought from hardware store as it works out
cheaper. Am I likely to face any problem?
A. Linseed Oil is the most important of the medium for oil painting, since it is vehicle and
binder both rolled into one. Naturally linseed oil has two impurities, soluble waxes and
fatty acids. The linseed oil available at hardware stores is treated to remove the soluble
waxes, but not the fatty acids. The fatty Acids give a strong coloration to linseed oil and
might cause acid damage to the paint film later. Hence it is advisable to use alkali
refined Camel Purified Linseed Oil for the best results from the Camel Artists Oil
Colours.

90. I regularly paint with oil colours and use Purified Linseed Oil as a medium but the
painting takes a lot of time in drying. Please suggest some solution?
A. Purified Linseed Oil is the best and most popular oil painting medium; however it is slow
drying in nature. Some artists do shorten the time by adding Turpentine while painting. It
does accelerate the drying process but also rob the painting of its luster and life. The
painting looks dry and chalky and also becomes prone to cracks.
 The best solution to reduce the drying time of an oil painting without
compromising the look and life is to use Camel Artists’ Drying Oil as a medium in
place of Purified Linseed Oil. Since Camel Artists’ Drying Oil is made by treating
 the Purified Linseed Oil with synthetic dryers, it is absolutely safe for the painting.
However Camel Artists’ Drying Oil has a yellowish tint and hence care should be
taken while using it with whites and other lighter hues.

91. I have heard about damage due to fatty acids present in the linseed oil. Can you tell me
what do you mean by this and what harm it does?
A. Let’s understand it as follows;
 Linseed oil, like any other oil has two impurities, soluble waxes and fatty acids.
 The soluble waxes are easily isolated through process of double-boiling
 However fatty acids could only be removed by a complex process of alkali
refining, which is not very common,
 Therefore the cheap linseed oils comes with fatty acids present in it,
 Some shades like Ultramarine Blue, which is absolutely permanent otherwise,
may fade with touch of even a very weak acid,
 Use of linseed oil with fatty acid may harm such shades,
 Hence Acid Free Linseed Oil like the Camel Purified Linseed Oil should only be
used

92. I have seen artists using Turpentine liberally as a medium while using oil colours. Is it
OK?
A. No it is not a good practice. Turpentine, being a solvent, is an excellent breaker of bond
between molecules of pigments in oil colours. Distilled Turpentine is colour-less and a
volatile liquid with strong odor. The roles of a solvent is to clean the brushes, tools and
hands while using oil colours, and also used to increase the flow of the oil colours,
however excessive use may cause loss of luster and flexibility of the dried paint film and
lead to cracks. Use of Turpentine, as a medium should be done in moderation and with
full responsibility and understanding of the results thereof.

93. Is Turpentine a volatile material? What care should I take while using it?
A. Yes, Turpentine is a volatile liquid and hence it evaporates at the room temperature.
You, therefore, should take a note of the following facts about it and take due care;
 Distilled Turpentine evaporates & thickens in the bottle in presence of light and
air, which increases when the level of turpentine reduces with usage. Use of
such thickened turpentine might cause sticky patches in the painting. Hence
Turpentine should always be stored in a FULL Glass/PET bottle in a cool and
dark place. Keep transferring turpentine to smaller bottles or be a little creative
and use pebbles or marbles to maintain the level. Wouldn’t it look wonderful? I
bet.
 Excessive use of Distilled Turpentine may make the paint film dry, matt, chalky
and prone to cracks, especially with earth and other weaker shades. Do control
your urge to dry the painting faster and restrain the use of Turpentine while
painting. Use in moderation, with proper understanding of its impact on different
pigments, as nothing can reverse the harm.
  Turpentine may cause respiratory issues, if used in a closed environment for an
extended period. The ingestion through inhalation, oral consumption or skin
absorption may also harm all vital organs. It is better to keep your studio well
ventilated and of course, restrained use.
 Being a solvent, turpentine removes the natural moisture from the skin, when the
artist handles it. If this happens too often, the skin stops producing moisturizer
and becomes dry, perched and crack-prone. This condition is called Dermatitis
and is very difficult to cure, hence please avoid over exposure to Turpentine.
 Since the oil painter will have to handle turpentine, even if one doesn’t like it, it is
better to learn how we can do it without harming the skin. At your nearest
pharmacy you may purchase any good barrier cream and apply thoroughly on
the exposed areas of body. Once done, you can handle any solvent without its
penetration in your skin. This will assure you 100% safety of your skin and of no
use.

94. I love knife painting but can’t practice it as the many shades of Camel Artists’ Oil
colours are not thick enough. What can I do?
A. Camel Artist oil colours are thick enough in general and can be used very well with
knife, however there are some shades, which by nature are low vehicle absorbing, and
hence “shrink” in the tube after packing and become thin in consistency. Since this is
the nature of the particular pigments, nothing much could be done about it, however we
have a specific medium to address this issue. You can mix these shades with Camligel,
which is a thick jell medium, on palette with knife. Camligel would help you get the
required consistency of the colours, without reducing the tone. Camligel could also help
you manage high vehicle absorbing shades, which becomes dry and chalky without
medium, expensive shades which are too costly to be used thick and slow drying
shades, which may take eternity to dry without medium. And the best thing about
Camligel is that it doesn’t change the tone of the shade being mixed.

95. How much turpentine should be added to oil colours while painting? Any formula?
A. Difficult question in fact. As per classical text and practices, turpentine is a solvent for oil
colours and advised for cleaning brushes and other tools as well as for thinning of the
colours. However artists have been using turpentine for thinning the oil colours and for
deriving flowing/cracking effects. We have seen it being used for accelerating the
draying of the painting too. Please note that Turpentine would reduce the gloss and
bond of the oil colours, if used in excessively. The extent would depend upon the shade
used as well as the amount of Turpentine added. This is very risky to answer your
question as there is no sure shot answer to it. You should, in our opinion, control using
turpentine as a medium as far as possible, and if you must, please use in moderation,
use only with the shades which are strong enough and with full awareness of risk
involved. There are some more issues with Turpentine, for which please refer the
answer to question number 35 & 36.-

96. What are the applications and benefits of Camligel?

 A. Camligel is a thixotropic oil painting medium for oil painting. It is a wonderful medium
which comes handy for artists in many situations, like;
 Some shades have a low vehicle absorption level and hence comes very thin in
the tube. If you add oils they further become transparent and thin. By mixing with
Camligel, these shades will gain body and would look solid.
 Some shades, esp. Flake White, have high vehicle absorption and turn chalky
even after adding Linseed oil, impacting the look and life of other colours too.
Flake white is also known to suck oils from other shades around and make them
dry as well. This makes part of the painting very MATT leaving the remaining
portion looking Glossy. By using Camligel such shades would also get gloss and
shine.
 Shades, from SR-4, i.e. cadmium and cobalt range are very expensive and it
pains to apply them thick with knife. By adding Camligel, the volume of such
shades could be increase without reducing the tone of the colours.
 Some shades are slow drying and may take very long in drying, especially when
applied thick. Camligel would ensure better and uniform drying in such cases

97. I am a portrait painter and have been using oil colours so far. I have been experimenting
with acrylic colours off late but find it unsuitable as it dries too fast. Can’t I use Acrylic
colours?
A. You are right but you jolly well can. Acrylic Colours are popular for being rapid drying
but this very quality is a big impediment for painters like you. For your kind of work, wet-
in-wet blending is very important and to facilitate it, colours must remain wet for long on
canvas. However we have a way out in form of a special medium called Camel Acrylic
Retarder. As the name suggests, Camel Acrylic Retarder, retards the drying speed of
acrylic colours giving the artists more time to work making wet-in-wet blending possible.
We are sure by using the Camel Acrylic Retarder in the manner suggested, you would
be able to overcome the issue and enjoy portrait painting with this new age medium.

98. I have been using acrylic colours and use water as medium as advised by my friends. I
find them a little dull. What should I do?
A. As mentioned above Acrylic colours are water soluble but water is not the medium. By
using water as a medium we end-up making the colours dull and chalky. This can also
aggravate the fungus problem in the jars as well as paintings. Hence we recommend
the use of Camel Acrylic Gloss Medium or Camel Acrylic Matt Medium. As the names
suggest CAGM would impart gloss to the painting and if you don’t appreciate it, you
may opt for CAMM which will give sober silky matt finish to the painting. Both these
mediums could also be used as varnishes after the painting is complete for getting a
uniform finish and protection from elements too.

99. I have been using Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours with Camel Acrylic Gloss medium but
find the gloss a little too loud. What can you suggest me?
A. We appreciate what you mean. We had realized this and hence, included a medium
imparting sober matt effect to acrylic paintings, called Acrylic Matt Medium. Why don’t
you experiment with it? We are sure you would like it.
100. I have been using Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colours with knife but find issues with
the drying as it dries from the top but the under layers remain wet for long. What can I
do?
A. We appreciate. We had thought of it and hence we had created a specific medium to
address such issues, called the Camel Acrylic Gel Medium. Used along with Camel
Artists’ Acrylic Colours, the Camel Acrylic Gel Medium ensures uniform drying and
better finish. We are sure you would like the results.

101. I want to varnish my oil panting? When and how should I do it?
A. Varnishing an oil painting is very important as it gives a protective coating to the
painting against pollution and elements and at the same time gives it a uniform finish.
But when and how are big and very important questions. First thing first,
 Painting should be varnished only after it has completely dried.
 It may need six months or more for an oil painting to dry fully, for acrylic also it
may take a couple of months for 100% drying.
 The time taken for the painting to dry 100% may depend upon quality of canvas,
thickness of colours applied, mediums used and the atmosphere
 Even after the suggested drying period, carry out the following test on oil
paintings to establish that the painting is fully dry and ready for varnishing;
a) Soak a white cotton cloth in turpentine & dab it lightly all over the painting
b) If you find trace of any colour on the cloth, it means the paintings needs
some more time to dry,
c) If not, run it all over the painting to remove dirt & dust from the surface and
prepare the painting for varnishing
 Select a bright sunny day for varnishing without any clouds in the sky,
 Expose the painting to sun from both sides to remove any residual moisture,
 Apply varnish with dry brush or spray in easy swipes from reasonable distance,
 Repeat if you feel the need or want a better finish
 Moisture at any point in varnishing may make the painting foggy

102. Which varnish is better for oil painting? Can I use spray varnish?
A. Varnishing is very important and must be applied on all the paintings as it is the first
protection for painting. Both, Camel Picture Varnish and Camel Spray Varnish are good,
it depends on you. If you want to apply with brush, go for the Camel Picture Varnish,
and if you want a modern and no-nonsense solution, pick the can of Camel Spray
Varnish. One added advantage of the Camel Spray Varnish is that it could be used on
the acrylic paintings as well. However spray varnish is better as the application is easier
and more uniform. Picture varnish is used with brush, which might leave brush mark,
patches and drip marks and may be a few hairs embedded in the dried varnish. Please
note that the life of varnish is approximately 20 years after which it starts darkening and
needs to be removed and revarnished.

103. I have made a charcoal drawing on canvas. Should I use varnish or fixative to
protect it?
 A. Good question. We would recommend Camel Fixative Spray as being a dry medium,
charcoal drawing would need the protection of Fixative. Don’t bother about the surface,
it may be on paper or canvas, we should consider the medium for such decision. Hope
you would find it helpful.

104. On the varnish label, it shown to be ‘Removable’. What does it mean?

A. Very good observation, we must appreciate. Yes the varnishes are generally
removable, but it doesn’t mean that you or any artist may remove it at will. Please note
that in order to restore any painting, the varnish needs to be removed first. Hence both
Camel Picture Varnish and Camel Spray Varnish are made removable to facilitate the
restoration work of varnished paintings, if and when the need arise. It has no relevance
to an artist apart from a reassurance that if and when there would be a need to restore
their works, the varnish would not become an issue, the restorer would be able to
remove the varnish with standard procedure and work on the restoration, and hence
they can use either of them without any hesitation. Hope you like the idea.

105. What is the difference between Fixative and Varnish Spray?

A. A good one. Both of them are protective mediums, the Camel Varnish Spray is for the
paintings whereas the Camel Fixative Spray is for drawings. Camel Spray is always
used on the oil & acrylic paintings and is removable, if & when it is required. On the
other hand Fixative could be used on all dry mediums like Charcoal, Drawing pencils,
graphite, pastels, crayons, pencils etc. and is not removable. Fixative could be applied
on fresh drawings as well as unfinished drawings also and could be worked upon again,
whereas Varnish could be applied on painting only when they are 100% dried.

106. What is the process of applying Fixative?

A. Fixative should be applied from a distance of almost one foot in uniform and straight
swipes with equal pressure on the nozzle. It is advisable to test the pressure and spread
of the fixative spray before applying on the drawing. Please apply additional coat after
the first one dries if you feel the need. It is worth to know that the fixative could be
applied immediately after finishing the drawing and also on unfinished drawings. Since it
is possible to draw upon the fixative film, you will be able to protect the unfinished
drawings and complete them later. Hope it will help you get the best out of Camel
Fixative Spray.

107. Should we varnish the Acrylic painting too? What should be used for it?
A. Acrylic paintings also need to be varnished like oil paintings and for the same reasons,
i.e. protection from pollutants, elements & frictions as well as to give them uniform
finish. Here too complete drying is must but for this you wouldn’t need 6 months as
acrylic colours dry faster. After a month or two, depending upon the weather and
thickness of paint applied, you can apply varnish. Camel Spray Varnish is an ideal
product for varnishing acrylic paintings. However you can also use the Camel Acrylic
Gloss and Matt Mediums for varnishing as well if you wish.
109. What is the difference between long handle and short handle brushes?
A. There is a difference in application and style of usage. Short handle brushes are used
while working on paintings where the surface is laid flat, parallel to the ground, whereas
long handle brushes are used when the substrate is placed standing at an angle
convenient to and facing the artist. To put it differently generally for water soluble
colours except acrylic on canvas, artists use short handle brushes and for oil and acrylic
on canvas they prefer long handle ones. The logic is that while working on canvas they
want to stand at a viewing distance (app. 1 meter) while painting so that they can see it
the way it will be seen by the viewers and paint accordingly. Long handle brushes helps
the artists paint it from the audience’s point of view.

110. What is the difference between White Bristle and Synthetic Hair brushes?
A. As the name suggests White Bristle brushes are made of white, hard natural or
synthetic bristles whereas synthetic brushes are mail of soft synthetic hairs. This is
about the ingredients; however it is more important for us to talk about the application.
Bristle being hard, they don’t hold liquid at all and hence is used only to paint with thick
colours, almost in paste consistency, especially the oil and acrylic colours. Whereas
Synthetic hairs, though don’t hold water too well, can hold liquid colours and can be
used to paint with any fluid colours, including oils and acrylic. Hence we can summarize
that White bristle brushes could only be used to paint with thick oil or acrylic colours, but
synthetic hairs could be used to paint with almost all the colours. What more Camel
Synthetic Hair brushes could even withstand solvents like turpentine and hence are also
suitable for pail painting, provided the artists want to use thin glazes or washes.

111. What is the application of wash brushes?

A. As the name suggests, wash brushes are for applying broad washes of colours. The
artists can use wash brushes to cover large areas or surface with colours and develop
the back ground. Wash brush could also be used to give washes to applied paint and
create special effects. This brush comes with a flat short handle to facilitate the special
grip.

112. How to select a good brush? What are the quality parameters of brushes?
A. A real tough one. Brushes are made of three main components, i.e. hairs/bristles,
ferrule and handle, so let’s study the qualities in the same perspective.
 Handle: smooth, well-polished, well-balanced
 Ferrule: strong enough to hold hairs, properly attached to handle and able to
withstand the force applied by the artist while painting
 Hairs: good point or blade, excellent spring-back or elasticity, good bonding,
good colour holding capacity and minimal capillary action,
 Bristles: strength, good bonding, minimal capillary action

113. How to use blending stomps and why?

A. Blending stomps for drawing are like brushes to painting. Blending Stomps are used by
artists to draw, spread, blend and maneuver the drawing material, especially those
without any internal binding. For artists drawing with charcoal, charcoal pencils, drawing
pencils and soft pencils etc. Blending Stomps provide a much needed maneuvering tool
to be able to translate their creative ideas on paper or canvas. Camel Blending Stomps
come in a set of six stomps of different diameters with both the end sharpened ready for
use. It is also possible to reshape the soiled and blunt stomps for reuse. A very
important tool for those who love drawing.