Oil Paint mediums allow you to gain maximum control over the many characteristics of oil colour and enable you as an artist to get the effects you desire from your paint. Here is a rough guide to the most popular.
OILS
Refined Linseed Oil
The most common ingredient in oil painting mediums. Increases gloss,reduces consistency and slows drying time. Clean brushes with white spirit. Often mixed with turpentine or Zest It to create a versatile medium that is not too glutinous.
Safflower Oil
Is less likley to yellow than Linseed oil, and for this reason is particularly useful for paler hues. It is slower drying than Linseed oil.
MEDIUMS
Jackson's Fast Drying Oil Painting Medium
Medium for Alkyd and Oil colours. Speeds drying time and improves flow and consistency. Also smooths brush work.
Jackson's Glaze Medium
The ideal proportions of damar, stand oil and turpentine to achieve lustrous thin glazes, fine detail and smooth brush work. Mix with with oil colour to increase translucency and flow.
Spectragel - Thixotropic Oil Painting Medium
Fast drying, for glazing and extending oil colour while retaining viscosity of paint.
Spectraflow
Fast drying, non-yellowing medium, used to thin oil paint.
Liquin Original
This reliable favourite is a general purpose semi gloss medium which speeds drying, improves flow and reduces brush stroke retention.
Liquin Impasto
A quick drying, semi-gloss medium which thickens slowly & extends tube colour retaining crisp textures & brush marks without any visible leveling.
Liquin Fine Detail
The most fluid of the Liquin family of products, this quick drying, gloss medium is ideal for fine details, glazing & blending or to produce a smooth surface picture.
Liquin Light Gel Medium
This quick drying gloss medium offers a slight gel that brushes out smoothly and is ideal for artists looking for a non-drip effect when mixed with colour.
Liquin Oleopasto Medium
A semi matt, quick drying, non-yellowing impasto medium which adds body and levels slightly. Thickens rapidly and extends tube colour.
Winsor & Newton Blending and Glazing Medium
This new medium slows drying & improves flow. Ideal for blending, glazing, stroke work, antiquing and staining.
Zest It Clear Painting Medium
The Zest-it Clear Painting Medium is designed to facilitate the flow of oil paint, level out the brush strokes and as a glaze. The Clear Painting Medium can be of assistance to both the traditional oil painter and the wet-on-wet artist. It can also be helpful to Oil pastel artists. It is a mix of Zest-it and Linseed Stand Oil, it also makes the paint it is used with dry faster.
Beeswax
Beeswax is a popular medium among artists who like to paint more gesturally or with impasto colour. It is a mixture of linseed stand oil and bleached beeswax paste. It thickens oil colour and dries with a semi-matte sheen. Beeswax is particularly effective when mixed with semi-opaque and opaque colours.
Roberson Oil Painting Medium
Double thick mastic varnish. Pale drying linseed oil/synthetic copal varnish. Gives flowing quality when mixed with oils in ratio 2:1. After 8-10 hours drying, gives rich brilliant effect without extra gloss.
