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.
