About SOMA
SOMA Artist Organics is revolutionizing the art supply industry for the benefit of artists and the planet!
SOMA is the only brand producing premium handmade painting mediums from 100% certified organic sources,
and the first brand to reintroduce hemp seed oils back into the toolkit of artists.
On a quest to create the perfect oils, SOMA organic painting mediums are produced by lifelong artists who exclusively utilize these mediums in their original artwork as well as in their classroom. Inspired by old painting manuals and a decade of research and experimentation, a series of ideal painting mediums became quite clear. Our traditional painting mediums provide top-quality, environmentally sound alternatives to the status quo of conventional store-bought mediums.
Pairing sophisticated products with ecological commitments to empower and inspire artists of all levels, it’s time to share SOMA with the world!
SOMA is produced and bottled in Paonia, Colorado.
Hemp Seed Oil for Painting
We’re honored to introduce SOMA organic hemp seed oil painting mediums.
For the first time in generations, artists can experience the silky brilliance of this traditional painting oil. Though hemp was nearly written out of history, its time has come to return this unique medium to the artist’s toolkit.
SOMA currently produces 3 unique hemp seed oil painting mediums.
As clear and bright as walnut and poppy oil, our Liquid Gold Hemp Seed Oil is a thin, non-yellowing oil with long open time, ideal for direct painting and for making handmade oil paint.
Sun Thickened Hemp Seed Oil vastly speeds up drying time, becoming indispensable for layered techniques and luminous glazing mediums, while giving life and personality to alla prima painting approaches through its unique glide and elegant fusion of brushstrokes.
The third variety in this trio of SOMA hemp seed oils is our Traditional Hemp Seed Stand Oil Medium. This medium contains 3 revolutions in a single bottle. First, it’s hemp, Second, it’s certified organic. And last, but definitely not least, its a blend of our Liquid Gold and a 5-year aged traditional hemp seed stand oil. All other modern store bought “stand oils” are not actually stand oils at all. The term used to mean that the oil had been exposed to oxygen for long periods of time, which makes a thick and fast drying oil, unlike the modern store bought stand oil which is thickened by boiling in absence of oxygen, meaning it takes a very long time to dry.
These oils have never been commercially available in our lifetimes, and their working properties have been all but forgotten. It’s time to reconnect with our artistic roots, and learn what hemp seed oils can do for our paintings!
Purchase SOMA Hemp Seed Oil from the Source
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Liquid Gold Hemp Seed Oil?
A clear, thin & slow drying oil that feels and behaves like walnut or poppy oil.
What is Sun Thickened Hemp Seed Oil?
One of our favorite oils of all time, it is a fast-drying, all purpose oil suitable for direct or layered painting techniques, with a silky glide under the brush. It’s like no other oil we’ve ever used! This oil is hand-refined and sun thickened which imparts clarity and speeds drying time, while adding viscosity for more gloss and density.
What is Hemp Seed Stand Oil Medium?
Our most revolutionary medium to date, combining our Liquid Gold Hemp Seed Oil with a 5 year aged Traditional Hemp Seed Stand Oil, which is nothing like commercial stand oils (that have been heated in absence of air, and are thus very slow drying). Our traditional stand oil is naturally very thick and fast drying. In this medium it is blended with our Liquid Gold Hemp Seed Oil for enhanced flow under the brush, heightened gloss and rapid drying properties. With 3 revolutions in a single bottle (organic, hemp & traditional stand oil), this small artisan batch will definitely not be available for long.
What are the benefits of thickened oils?
Sun thickened oils are pre-oxidized and pre-polymerized, meaning that they have already begun the drying process before being bottled. They add gloss and speed drying times of paint layers, so this makes them excellent as a basis for glazing mediums and layered techniques. Thickened oils have amazing blending properties which also facilitate direct, or alla prima, painting approaches.
Which oils will be best for me?
This ultimately depends on your goals.
Learn more about the different uses of oils on our Mediums & Formulas page, or consider ordering a sample pack to try out all our oils.
How is SOMA™ different from other brands of oils & mediums?
We use only certified organic oils that are gently hand-refined in small batches. By combining traditional principles with revolutionary advances, we’re producing a range of mediums that have never been commercially available in our lifetimes and beyond.
Why hasn’t hemp seed oil been used for generations?
The short answer is that industry and politics have had a large influence, with linseed, walnut and poppy oils being taught as the only viable oils for painting. Perhaps many producers were intimidated by the dark green color of raw oil, which we have overcome through our refining process. Perhaps a century of prohibition of hemp in its many forms had a negative impact. Regardless of the past, the time has now come for hemp to return to the lexicon of oil painting!
Where can I buy SOMA™?
You can place an order here on the website. Additionally, please feel free to make a request to your local art supply store to carry our oils.
Do you offer wholesale oils to art supply stores & schools?
YES! Please contact us for details.
Can SOMA™ be shipped internationally?
No, unfortunately not at this time. We’re working on widening our distribution networks, so stay tuned.
Quality is Our Priority
Whether it’s certified organic oils, a gentle hand-refining process or customer relations, we give our very best to each occasion.
We treat our oil like royalty
from start to finish.
Our Team
Lifelong traditional oil painters & international educators developed SOMA for use in their original paintings and for the benefit of their students.
David Heskin
Co-Founder
Dreaming of oil viscosities while waking and sleeping, David relies on SOMA as the foundation for a number of different approaches to oil painting, from smooth to textured effects, in both alla prima and extensively layered work. Whether applied directly to colors on the palette or used in mixed mediums, the working properties of SOMA allow for a wide range of applications to a variety of painting styles.
Aloria Weaver
Co-founder
A meticulous researcher with a honed sense of precision and possibility, Aloria exclusively utilizes SOMA in her oil paintings and when teaching classical portraiture. Working with thickened oils as the basis for a system of fast-drying mediums for painting and glazing, SOMA provides a great deal of versatility in her layered techniques, resulting in seamless blending and luminous flesh tones.
Join Our Mailing List
Enter your email address to receive discounts & special offers.