Oils and Acrylics

Linseed Oil is derived from flax seeds, and appears on our shelves in many guises: Cold Pressed, Refined, Stand Oil, and as a key ingredient in many mediums. It has been appreciated for its drying properties since the Medieval period, and has become the most popular oil used in painting today due to the strong, flexible and glossy film that it creates.

Stand Oil is paler and more viscous than other Linseed Oils, having been heated and kept at temperature to provoke a molecular change. It is not suitable for grinding colours, but it is a very versatile ingredient that can be thinned with turpentine to create a glazing medium or be included in a varnish. Stand Oil is notable for its ability to smooth out brush strokes to create an enamel-like surface.

Poppy Oil is a slightly later addition to the artist's cabinet than Linseed Oil and Walnut Oil. It is generally used as a binder for pale colours, where the warmth of Linseed Oil is not desired. It provides a matte finish and dries very slowly, so we would not advise using it in conjunction with slow-drying pigments or in underpaintings. A paint film produced by Poppy Oil is weaker and softer than that created by Linseed Oil. This is because it contains a smaller percentage of linolenic acid than Linseed Oil; this substance imparts both strength and yellowness to an oil.  

Although some of these properties can be perceived as drawbacks, paints made with Poppy Oil generally obtain a "short" or buttery texture without the addition of waxes or other additives, which can be an advantage for certain colours that produce poor consistencies in Linseed oil alone. Sometimes, the addition of a small quantity of Poppy Oil when grinding a tricky or "stringy" pigment in Cold Pressed Linseed Oil can introduce some of benefits of Poppy Oil, without transmitting its negative characteristics.

Paints made with Poppy Oil are particularly suited to "alla prima" working methods, where paint is applied spontaneously. When working in successive layers, Poppy Oil would only be appropriate for the final stages of a painting.

Safflower Oil is light-coloured, making it suitable for grinding pale pigments. It is still sometimes used as a binder for commercially available paints, although due to its very slow drying time it is best reserved for the final layers of a painting. Compared to Linseed oil, Safflower Oil will give a matte finish.

The introduction of Walnut Oil as a pigment binder is contemporaneous with the emergence of Linseed Oil. Their drying properties have been appreciated since the Middle Ages, and throughout history there is evidence of both oils being used alongside each other within the same painting. In fact, until the sixteenth century, it is believed that Walnut Oil was the preferred binding medium among Italian artists. It is made from mature walnut kernals, offering a pale colour and brilliant gloss. For this reason, it is sometimes chosen as a binder for light colours, as it provides a stronger paint film than Poppy Oil, and faster drying times. However, a paint film made from Walnut Oil will tend to be brittle, so it is more suited to a rigid support rather than canvas. 

Schmincke Medium L is a jelly-like medium for “soft” painting with oil colours. It improves flow and reduces brush strokes, accelerates drying, increases gloss and transparency. There is no change of the product quality based on the colour change of the raw material alkyd resin. Shake well and stir – if necessary – before use. Close immediately after use.

Contains: alkyd resin, mineral spirit, siccative.

Dosage:10% to 20% maximum.

Thinner: Turpentine substitute

Galkyd "G" Gel is produced by Gamblin. They say:

"Galkyd Gel is a stiffer gel compared to Neo Megilp that holds thicker, sharper brushmarks and dries more quickly. Galkyd Gel increases transparency of oil colours and creates impasto."

Galkyd is an oil painting medium created by Gamblin. They write:

"Galkyd thins oil colours and increases transparency and gloss. When used in greater proportions with oil colour, Galkyd will level brush-strokes, creating an enamel-like surface. Galkyd is our fastest-drying painting medium. Thin layers will be touch-dry in approximately 24 hours."

A safe wax medium for impasto effects. This medium retains palette knife marks and brush strokes, remains thick and doubles paint easily, drying to a matt finish.

Studio Safe products are non-aromatic, non-flammable, and have a pleasant orange smell.

Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel is manufactured by the American company Gamblin. They write:

"Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel is the only solvent-free painting medium that supports a broad range of painting techniques with minimal compromise. Solvent-Free Gel gives colours more flow and transparency, yet holds the shape of your brushmark. Solvent-Free Gel has a moderately fast drying rate and increases gloss. Made from safflower oil and alkyd resin, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel is non-toxic and contains no Gamsol or petroleum distillates. In comparison to other solvent-free mediums, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel supports the broadest range of painting techniques with the least compromise across color, dry time, texture and mark-making. To ensure proper drying of paint layers, Solvent-Free Gel should be used in moderation with oil colors. No more than 25% by volume. To avoid wrinkling, apply mixtures of Solvent-Free Gel and oil colors thinly. To paint solvent-free, we recommend Gamblin Safflower Oil for cleaning brushes while you are working. After your painting session, brushes can be further cleaned using Gamsol and/or soap and water."

Galkyd Light is produced by Gamblin. They write:

"Galkyd Lite thins oil colours and increases transparency and gloss. When used in moderation with oil colours, Galkyd Lite will retain brushstrokes. Galkyd Lite is more fluid and less glossy compared to Galkyd. Thin layers will be touch-dry in 24 to 30 hours."

Gamblin Solvent-Free Fluid is an oil painting medium created by the American company Gamblin. They write:

"Gamblin Solvent-Free Fluid painting medium gives oil colours more flow and transparency. It has a moderately fast drying rate and increases gloss. Made from safflower oil and alkyd resin, Gamblin Solvent-Free Fluid is non-toxic and contains no Gamsol or petroleum distillates. To ensure proper drying and prevent beading-up of paint layers, Solvent-Free Fluid should be used in moderation with oil colours – no more than 25% by volume. To avoid wrinkling, apply mixtures of Solvent-Free Fluid and oil colors thinly. For underpainting, we recommend adding Gamsol to Solvent-Free Fluid."

* Only available online.* Cold Wax medium is made by Gamblin. They say:

"Cold Wax medium is made from naturally white, pure beeswax. Formulated to knife consistency, Cold Wax Medium makes oil colours thicker and more matte. Cold Wax Medium can be used to make Gamblin mediums and Gamvar more matte. It can also be applied alone as a matte varnish."

Please see below for more information.

Neo-Megilp Medium is produced by Gamblin. They say:

"Neo Megilp is a contemporary version of Maroger. This soft gel medium maintains the body of oil colours, increases transparency and flow, and imparts a smooth, silky feel. Neo Megilp dries at a moderate rate and remains workable for hours. Neo Megilp gives colours a satin gloss."

From the Winsor & Newton website: This new medium slows drying & improves flow. Ideal for blending, glazing, stroke work, antiquing and staining. Improves transparency and depth. Dries to a durable gloss finish.

A slow-drying medium that allows for extending the working period, wet-in-wet painting and blending techniques.

From the Schmincke website:

Medium for oil colours rich in oil. Retards drying; allows wet-in-wet painting; its high content of oil and resin improves the gloss and develops a smooth, elastic film. Dosage: 10% to 20% maximum.

ontains: sunflower oil, stand oil, mineral spirit, aldehyde resin

From the Schmincke website:

Low-fat (“lean”) painting and thinning medium for oil colours. Recommended for thin grounds and to create transparent layers over gouache, tempera and acrylic paintings; thins without hardly affecting the drying time and gloss. Dosage: 10% to max. 20%

Contains: Safflower oil, natural and synthetic resins, mineral spirit.

From the Schmincke website:

Jelly-like medium for accelerating the drying of oil colours. Preserves consistency and degree of gloss. Dosage: 10% to 30% maximum. Contains: Siccative, stand oil, resin solution, mineral spirit.

Highly siccative painting medium. Dries on the palette with 40 minutes. Use sparingly to prevent gloss.

From the Schmincke website:

Medium for oil colours rich in resin (“lean”). Accelerates drying; increases gloss and depth; makes the colour layers more resistant. Close immediately after use. Dosage: 10% to 20%.

Contains: aldehyde resin, mineral spirit, siccative, stand oil.

A gel medium that increases the buttery character of oil colours and decreases their drying time. Useful for impasto techniques and knife application. Add to oils in a maximum ratio of 1:4. Contains alkyd resin.

This product does not contain turpentine, and can therefore be suitable for artists with allergies.

From the Schmincke website:

A neutral, nearly non-yellowing, painting and thinning medium for oil colours. Suitable for all painting techniques except for early layers on absorbent undergrounds (not lean enough); has a low impact on drying time. For dilution, use terpin (max. 30%). Dosage: 10 to max. 20%. Contains: alkyd and acrylic resin, mineral spirit.

From the Winsor & Newton website: A quick drying, semi-gloss medium which thickens slowly and extends tube colour retaining crisp textures brush marks without any visible levelling. Speeds drying (touch dry in 1-6 days depending on colour and film thickness). Resists yellowing. Not suitable as a varnish or final coat.

From the Winsor & Newton website: The most fluid of the Liquin family of products, this quick drying, gloss medium is ideal for fine details, glazing and blending, or to produce a smooth surface picture. Speeds drying (touch dry in 1-6 days depending on colour and film thickness).Resists yellowing. Not suitable as a varnish or final coat.