Mediums and Siccatives

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.

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Studio Safe Liquid Medium is a mix of Studio Safe Solvent and natural artists' oils. It is used to thin paint and increase gloss. This product is non-aromatic, non-flammable and has an orange scent. Learn More

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."

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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."

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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."

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Gamsol is an odourless mineral spirit created by the American company Gamblin. They describe it as "the safest solvent that allows oil painters to utilize all traditional painting techniques without compromise."

Please see below for Gamsol's primary applications.

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Mix with tube oil colours or pigment to improve flow and translucency. For thin glazes, fine details and smooth brushwork. Learn More

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.

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A high quality painting medium which will produce a deep glow, made from Canada Balsam and Turpentine. Especially effective with transparent oil colours, it is recommended as the medium of choice in the final stages of an oil painting. Learn More

Roberson's Matt Medium creates a dead-flat finish when mixed with oil colour. It aids the flow and increases the artist's control of oil paint, allowing for smooth application flat brush marks with low edges. It can be mixed with oil paint in any ratio. Learn More

Roberson Maroger Medium can be mixed in equal parts with oil colours to give a lasting brilliance and workable consistency to paints. It prevents sinking when using a wet-in-wet techniques.

Contains: Damar Resin, Gum Arabic, Linseed Oil

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This is a traditional, high-oil "fat" painting medium, made using the highest quality materials. It will retain colour strength, is resistant to bleeding, has good flow release, is ideal for blending, and can be mixed with oil colours in any ratio. When dry, it creates an enamel-like surface.

Contains: Stand oil, Cold-pressed Linseed oil, Canada Balsam, Rectified Spirit of Turpentine, Beeswax, Driers.

Clean tools in white spirit. Do not use as a varnish, always mix with oil colour.

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Mix with tube oil colours or pigment to improve flow and translucency. For thin glazes, fine details and smooth brushwork.

Contains: Turpentine, Damar Resin, Stand Oil, Cobalt Dryers.

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Mix with tube oils or pigment to improve flow and translucency, resulting in a satin finish. Contains silica driers. May darken if cap is left off bottle; if this happens, replace the lid and leave overnight to restore the colour with no lasting ill effects.

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Roberson Impasto medium is a crack-resistant medium for impasto effects. It retains palette knife and brush strokes, giving the paint sharp, defined edges. It remains thick and doubles paint easily, drying to a matte finish. To retain colour strength, mix one part medium to one part oil colour.

Contains: Stand Oil, Damar Resin, Turpentine, Bleached Beeswax.

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When Roberson Florentine Medium is mixed with oil colour, it is possible to paint freely on textile fabrics, which will stand up to subsequent hand-washing with soap and water. It may also be used when painting with oils on unprepared paper. Learn More

A cobalt drier in white spirit, to be added sparingly to oil colours to accelerate drying. Learn More

LeFranc Bourgeois are a paint manufacturer with a long history of supplying to artists since their beginnings in 1720.

From their website: The slow-drying J.G. Vibert painting medium holds brush marks, creates a painterly satin film and prevents any sinking. It creates a uniform top film and enables artists to rework old colours for long periods of time.

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Lefranc Bourgeois are a paint manufacturer with a long history of supplying to artists since their beginnings in 1720.

From their website: The Flemish glazing medium enables artists to create glossy amber finishes in the style of the Flemish masters. It creates a transparent look. It also greatly enhances the brilliance of the oil. After half a day’s work, the colours can be layered over each other.

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Lefranc Bourgeois are a paint manufacturer with a long history of supplying to artists since their beginnings in 1720.

From their website: The Harlem Duroziez drying medium increases the brilliance and transparency of glazes. It enables the build-up of layers over the course of half a day thanks to the rapid drying effect of thin layers. It is completely dry within three days.

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From the Cranfield website:

This is a thixotropic alkyd medium designed to mix with oil colours, retaining the body of the paint.

Spectragel is a gloss medium and is quick drying. It is a clear medium based on a synthetic resin that improves the weather resistance of oil colours; ideal for glazing and extending colours while retaining gloss and structure of paint.

Matt Spectragel is a quick drying, clear, weather-resistant medium based on synthetic resin. Ideal for extending colours, Matt Spectragel Medium will retain structure and dry to a matt finish.

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From the Cranfield website:

This free flowing, slightly thixotropic medium is alkyd based and will not increase gloss when added to oil colours. It is quick drying.

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From the Cranfield website:

An almost transparent painting medium based on refined linseed oil and alumina. It is similar in consistency to Studio Oil Colours in tubes. It does not promote quick drying and may be used to extend oil colours. It can be used in large ratios where the desired effect is to increase yellowing and darkening of pale colours. It will not increase gloss.

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From the Winsor & Newton website: A slow drying, gloss medium which is ideal for fine detail work, glazing and smoothly blended areas with no brush marks. Reduces consistency and improves flow. Suitable for oiling out and enriching dull patches. Resistant to yellowing. 

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