| Oil painting is a wonderful medium all on its own, but | | | | solution. Refined linseed oil can be used to thin oil paint |
| there are modifiers that you can add to the oil paint | | | | and increase brilliance and transparency. |
| that can change its behavior. This article will give you | | | | SUN THICKENED LINSEED OIL |
| an overview of some of the more popular oil painting | | | | Sun thickened linseed oil is a thick bodied medium that |
| mediums available to today's oil painters. The use of oil | | | | is produced using the heat of the sun. An equal |
| painting mediums is really a matter of taste and not a | | | | amount of both linseed oil and water are mixed |
| requirement. Many artists do not use any mediums at | | | | together in a container and left in sunlight for several |
| all other then a bit of oil to make the paint more | | | | weeks or longer. The water and linseed oil eventually |
| workable, as some paints are quite thick straight from | | | | separate resulting in a thicker oil with a honey like |
| the tube. Other artists swear by certain mediums. It | | | | consistency. Sun thickened linseed oil is not used as a |
| should also be noted that artists differ on opinion when | | | | binder in oil paints but as an independent medium that |
| it comes to the effectiveness and quality of oil painting | | | | improves flow and increases gloss. Sun thickened |
| mediums, so you should experiment on your own and | | | | linseed oil has less of a tendency to yellow and |
| form your own opinion. Make sure before using any oil | | | | speeds drying. |
| painting medium that you read all warning labels and | | | | STAND OIL |
| always work in a well ventilated area. It is also | | | | Stand oil is also a thick bodied medium like sun |
| recommended that you work with gloves to protect | | | | thickened linseed oil. Linseed oil is heated at a high |
| your skin. | | | | steady temperature, in an air tight container, which |
| LINSEED OIL | | | | results in a very thick honey like consistency. Stand oil |
| Linseed oil is made from the seed of the flax plant. | | | | is useful as a glazing medium when mixed with |
| During its early history, linseed oil had a different role | | | | turpentine and damar varnish. Stand oil helps improve |
| then it has today. Originally it was used as a final | | | | the flow and has good resistance to yellowing. Stand |
| varnish for paintings that were created using the egg | | | | oil is a slow drying medium that produces a strong |
| tempera medium. Linseed oil is used as binder in | | | | enamel like paint film. |
| today's oil paints. Linseed oil dries thoroughly and forms | | | | POPPY SEED OIL |
| a strong paint film. Because linseed oil dries slowly, the | | | | Because linseed oil has a tendency to yellow as it |
| paint remains in a workable state, enabling the artist to | | | | ages, other oils have come onto the market. Amongst |
| continue working on the painting for some time. When | | | | these oils are poppy seed and safflower oil. Poppy |
| linseed oil ages, it does tend to yellow unfortunately. | | | | seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the opium |
| Many painters avoid using linseed oil with lighter colors | | | | poppy. Poppy seed oil is a pale slower drying oil and is |
| like whites and yellows. Below are a few varieties of | | | | less likely to yellow when compared with linseed oil. It is |
| linseed oils that are available to today's oil painters. | | | | often used with whites, blues and pale colors. |
| COLD PRESSED LINSEED OIL | | | | SAFFLOWER OIL |
| Cold pressed linseed oil is made by extracting the oils | | | | Safflower oil is similar to poppy seed oil in that they |
| from the raw flaxseed. The oil is extracted by using | | | | both are suitable for whites and light colors. It has less |
| pressure and not heat, thereby creating a linseed oil in | | | | of a tendency to yellow when compared to linseed oil. |
| its purist form. Cold pressed linseed oil can be used as | | | | WALNUT OIL |
| a binder in oil paints, but can also be used as a medium | | | | Walnut oil is a pale oil that helps make paint more fluid |
| to thin oil paints, heighten gloss and transparency, and | | | | and has good drying power. It has less of a tendency |
| reduce the visibility of brush strokes. Many painters and | | | | to yellow when compared with linseed oil. Walnut oil |
| manufacturers alike feel cold pressed linseed oil is | | | | has to be stored properly or it can spoil. |
| superior in quality to other linseed oils because there is | | | | LIQUIN |
| no refinement made to the oil. Cold pressed linseed oil | | | | Liquin is a popular oil painting medium. Many artists |
| results in a low yield, so this oil does carry a heftier | | | | swear by it and it is definitely worth a try if you have |
| price tag. | | | | never worked with it before. Liquin improves the flow |
| STEAM PRESSED OR REFINED LINSEED OIL | | | | of oil and alkyd colors and helps in subtle blending and |
| When the flaxseed is steam heated and then pressed | | | | fine detail. It speeds drying and serves as a good |
| it yields more oil, thereby making refined linseed oil a | | | | medium for glazing. |
| more affordable medium for artists and for use as a | | | | I hope this article has served as a good overview on |
| binder in oil paints. The process of steam heating the | | | | oil painting mediums. Remember that working with oil |
| flax seeds produces more waste, so this waste has | | | | painting mediums is not a requirement. If you are feeling |
| to be removed through a refinement process. The oil is | | | | adventurous then choose one medium at a time, |
| treated with an acid which removes the waste | | | | experiment and have fun. Happy Painting! |
| materials. The acid is then neutralized with an alkali | | | | |