Mediums

Your Guide To Oil Painting Mediums From Spotlight

Mediums are commonly used in oil painting. Of course, beginners might find it difficult to determine how medium works and which mediums to choose for their paintings. So, if you need more information about oil painting mediums and how they work, be sure to read our additional info below.

What Is The Importance Of Mediums In Oil Paintings?

Oil paint can be difficult to work with, especially without the use of mediums. However, when you use mediums, you can adjust some of the characteristics of your oil paints, this includes its consistency, drying time, and even how your paint looks on the canvas overall.

Most mediums are mixed directly with paint to obtain the desired effect. That being said, some artists have their own style, which involves dipping their paintbrush into their chosen medium before they add the paint to the brush. If you are just starting out with oil painting, it can be a good idea to try out the different methods to determine which one suits you best.

What Should I Remember When Mixing My Medium With My Paint?

When you work with oil painting mediums, you must always consider that most oil painting mediums have a distinct colour. Mediums tend to be slightly yellow, and this can be transferred to the paint in question. So, when you start mixing your paints, always incorporate how much the yellow of the medium will influence your colour.

What Are Some Of The Popular Mediums Used For Oil Paintings?

Since there are different kinds of mediums you can use for oil painting, it can be a little confusing to find the right choice in a full range of different mediums. So, to help you on your way, we have described the most commonly used mediums in the overview below.

Turpentine - Solvents such as turpentine can be used as a medium, so this is the first choice in our overview. The benefit of using turpentine is that it can dilute the paint and subsequently speed up its drying time. Since oil paint can often take days to dry, this could be beneficial for many people who are just starting out with oil painting. Of course, it is also advantageous for those who are more experienced, as they have already developed their technique and do not need to manipulate the oil paint as much.

For artists who like to work in various layers of oil paint, we must recommend that turpentine should always be the first thing to apply to the canvas. You can also mix the turpentine with the paint and apply it on the canvas.

Refined linseed oil - Another popular medium is refined linseed oil. Contrary to the previously mentioned medium, the linseed oil increases the drying time of the paint. So, this type of medium is not applied as a first layer but mixed with paint that will be used for each additional layer.

Nowadays, there are various types of linseed oil you can use. Different types of linseed oil can also provide additional benefits. For example, some linseed oils provide a gloss finish, while others are a bit more transparent in nature.

Liquin - If you prefer a medium that speeds up your drying time, but do not like working with turpentine, then Liquin is another option for you. Opposed to turpentine, this kind of medium does not have any colour either, this means that the medium will not influence the colours on your palate.

When you work with Liquin, do not forget that the medium can influence the overall consistency of your paint. Once you add Liquin, your paint becomes much silkier in nature. Of course, if this works with your technique, then this should not be any problem.

Stand oil - This type of oil is quite similar to linseed oil, with the only difference that its consistency is a lot thicker. The oil is also obtained from linseed, but it is left for a considerable amount of time before it is bottled and sold as a medium.

Choose Your Mediums From Spotlight

At Spotlight, customers can find a tremendous range of mediums for oil paints. We provide pouring mediums as well as gel mediums, so be sure to check out our entire catalogue today.