Home Forums Explore Media Oil Painting The Technical Forum What oil medium do you trust the most?

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 264 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #985233
    tbezesky
    Default

        What oil medium do you have the most faith in for permanence? and why?
        (as a medium not best binder)

        Tracy Bezesky
        New Blog:
        http://www.dailyWIP.com/

        #1057150
        WFMartin
        Default

            I voted “linseed”, and of course this includes “Stand Oil”.

            Along with this preference for oils, my preference for solvents is plain ol’ Turpentine. It is quite compatible with Linseed and Stand Oils. :D

            Ol’ Masters techniques, and all that sorta’ stuff, y’know…. :wink2: :D

            Bill

            wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
            https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

            #1057162

            I’m not an authority on the technical aspects of oil paints or mediums. But I guess that I vote for walnut oil because it’s not supposed to yellow as much. I defer to Mr Martin though cause he is one of the people whose opinions I really have learned to respect and value.
            Judy

            Judy
            "Simplify-Look around-observe See in nature the source of art, of
            craftsmanship of truth, of the beautiful"

            #1057130

            1/3 stand oil to 2/3 walnut oil.
            Fluid,eases manipulation,low in yellowing.
            Slower drying,more working time.
            Titanium

            Heat -Bodied Oil is the vehicle of all Hand Mulled Paint . A very little Stand Oil is needed as medium or to oil out .
            Medium is used only in the last coat/s if needed at all.
            In the good company of Old and New Masters.

            #1057251
            danwoodward
            Default

                I make a glazing medium with linseed stand oil, damar varnish, a small amount of turps and cobalt driers.

                #1057183
                dcorc
                Default

                    Personally? – Linseed oil, having the highest proportion of linolenic and linoleic groups within its triglycerides.

                    One thing to note is that the different choices of different participants here may in part be due to differences in climate – so that Titanium, for example is in the tropics, where daytime temps may be 10-15ºC, or more, higher than they are where I am in London UK.

                    Temperature has a significant effect on both drying time, and oil viscosity.

                    Titanium’s concerned to lengthen his “open time” where the paint remains workable – whereas I’m keen to shorten the “open time”.

                    Dave

                    #1057250
                    Oregano
                    Default

                        The temperature issue is an interesting point. I hadn’t actually thought that much about it before but can easily see where this would be a concern…

                        I voted linseed oil, mostly because that’s the only medium I’ve ever used, aside from turpintine. I’ve gotten to where I’m pretty well comfortable with it.

                        I did try either Safflower Oil or Walnut Oil (I *think* – it may have been something else) and it beaded the paint! :eek: NOT good. Needless to say, I immediately went back to my trusted Linseed Oil!

                        Cheers,
                        ~Shane

                        #1057210
                        rroberts
                        Default

                            I do not use safflower or sunflower oils. Each of the others are useful in their own way.

                            linseed : I use it in mediums, and for making my black oil.

                            black oil (linseed heated with litharge) : the lead promotes faster and more even drying; I use it for mulling darker pigments, but not whites.

                            poppy oil : I use a little bit mixed with my mulling oil when preparing whites

                            walnut oil : I use it in preparing my mediums. I also make a mulling oil using Titanium’s ratio of 1 part linseed stand oil and 2 parts walnut oil.

                            -- Robert
                            #1057131

                            Robert,

                            I did a painting with my so-called heat bodied
                            sunflower oilas medium.
                            Dried nicely and retained the gloss for a long
                            long time,before needing to be varnished.

                            Legend has it that in Russia,sunflower oil was
                            used as the binder,but I can’t find a single
                            black and white example.

                            From time to time I test various oils just to
                            see what they can do – Grapeseed and Candlenut
                            [known as Kukui Oil.]for example.

                            As 1″ squares of hand mulled colour they all dried
                            well.

                            The candlenut was especially interesting as it mimics
                            walnut oil very well,in properties.
                            So I grew a candlenut tree[origin-Pacific zone] in my
                            yard just to make sure I could always paint.
                            In the unlikely event a walnut plague destroys all
                            of the trees-chuckle.

                            Now I have to learn to extract the overabundant
                            harvest from this very attractive tree.ha ha ha.

                            Lastly,Robert a tip from the painter who gave
                            the Black Oil information,and who had been
                            using it for years.[Write to me privately if you wish to
                            know more.]
                            Instead of black oil,just add a little lead white to your
                            darks.It won’t affect them[pastelling],but it will enhance
                            the drying.

                            Dave to also add on to your point.
                            Another the reason I use Walnut oil and Stand Oil is
                            to temporarily control the hard and inflexible coat
                            that forms with time when using Zinc Oxide in
                            Titanium White mixes.
                            Zinc is a catalyst,and this is only temporary.
                            I also use a panel because of the zinc oxide.

                            To be frank,the pigments I use are so opaque
                            and thinly applied that they dry as fast as
                            Lead White hand mulled in Linseed oil.

                            The technique I was taught,actually works better
                            with fast drying paint.

                            I would be very careful with poppy oil,it is even
                            after drying a very easily reversed situation,and
                            can become gummy.
                            I think poppy was only meant for Traditional Alla
                            Prima.
                            That’s where there is a ghost to paint over in one
                            layer.
                            Later.
                            Titanium

                            Heat -Bodied Oil is the vehicle of all Hand Mulled Paint . A very little Stand Oil is needed as medium or to oil out .
                            Medium is used only in the last coat/s if needed at all.
                            In the good company of Old and New Masters.

                            #1057389
                            Moosehead
                            Default

                                One thing to note is that the different choices of different participants here may in part be due to differences in climate – so that Titanium, for example is in the tropics, where daytime temps may be 10-15ºC, or more, higher than they are where I am in London UK.

                                Dave-pay your heating bill! :D

                                #1057184
                                dcorc
                                Default

                                    Dave-pay your heating bill!

                                    LOL!!

                                    Dave

                                    #1057175
                                    Tony11214
                                    Default

                                        Hi,

                                        I make a few different kinds of mediums. Each medium is formulated to give my paint a specific handling or optical property I need for a specific task. A glaze medium would be one example of this.

                                        I use leaded walnut oil in all these mediums to reduce drying times.

                                        However, I don’t understand why everyone is so fascinated with Black Oil? The leaded oil I make is not black, and I go out of my way to make sure it doesn’t turn black while cooking it. Black oil is burned oil.

                                        In the middle ages unrefined linseed oil was burned until it turned black so that the glycerin that the unrefined oil contained would be burned off. Once the glycerin was burned off the oil dried faster and it handled better. The product was refined, but burned oil.

                                        Having to paint with a very dark oil (Black Oil) was considered a drawback to this method of preparation. Also, dark oil was considered to be less durable, have less film strength, because it was burned.

                                        To improve the process so as to avoid darkening the oil, it was later common to wash the oil to remove glycerin, and so refine it without burning it.

                                        The final step forward in modern oil painting was to cook the refined oil with dryers to make it dry faster, but this was done with great care to keep the oil from getting dark during the cooking process. They didn’t want oil to burn and turn black.

                                        So, can someone please tell me why now, in this day and age, we are again burning linseed oil?

                                        Tony

                                        #1057132

                                        Tony,

                                        if you can find a copy of,
                                        The Secret Formulas and Techniques of the Masters
                                        by J.Maroger

                                        pages 160 -163

                                        will explain that between 180 to 200 deg.c the oil begins
                                        to smoke and becomes brownish in colour.
                                        Showing that the lead and oil are combining.
                                        This is to make the Black Oil — a drier oil.
                                        Which Maroger says is good for mulling all dry pigments
                                        in,save for White Lead.
                                        White lead should use raw oil to preserve the whiteness.
                                        ———–
                                        The black oil is also the other component to make
                                        Maroger – Black oil +Mastic Tears.pages -165-167
                                        __________________

                                        Problem is that on-going research shows that using
                                        Black Oil and the Maroger is not archival,nor is
                                        there any proof that any Old Master,save possibly
                                        Reynolds and the 19th Century folk used the stuff.

                                        [The debate has shifted to Heat-Bodied oil or
                                        Copal varnish additions to oil.]

                                        The driers found in the darks of the Old Masters
                                        are often copper based.
                                        In fact,when asked if lead was found in the darks
                                        the response from conservation at the National
                                        Gallery [US]was no.

                                        Additionally the limit for lead in a drying oil as
                                        an effective secondary drier is something like
                                        1gm lead to 100 gms of oil.You will get this
                                        with the use of white lead as a paint.
                                        So your probably overloading the situation.

                                        Still the use of black oil and Maroger fascinates many
                                        and the tradition continues.

                                        There is also a reference to Heat Bodied Oil and
                                        Pre-polymerised bodied oil,which uses low heat to
                                        alter the properties of the oil for better drying.
                                        Which research is showing to be present in the Old
                                        Masters.

                                        Today most oils,even cold-pressed are treated in
                                        some form before being sold.

                                        Often skill later replaces the alchemy.
                                        Later.
                                        Titanium

                                        Heat -Bodied Oil is the vehicle of all Hand Mulled Paint . A very little Stand Oil is needed as medium or to oil out .
                                        Medium is used only in the last coat/s if needed at all.
                                        In the good company of Old and New Masters.

                                        #1057176
                                        Tony11214
                                        Default

                                            Hi Titanium,

                                            First of all, thank you so much for responding!

                                            I have a copy of The Secret Formulas and Techniques of the Masters
                                            by J.Maroger, and I have studied it. It’s a very good book, but it is also limited because it mostly presents Maroger’s conclusions only. Of course, in one short volume it surely can’t explore in depth the resource matirial that he bases his conclusions on.

                                            A good complement to the Maroger book would be Methods And Materials of the Great Schools and Masters by Sir. Charles Lock Eastlake. This book, in fact, mostly presents an exploration historical resources on painting, and is generally conservative in putting forth conclusions.

                                            Your point about the high temperatures needed for White Lead and oil to readily combine are well taken, but there were alternatives that kept the oil from burning.

                                            Also, It’s my understanding that thixotropic mediums like Maroger’s Medium can be made with leaded oil that has not been burned.

                                            I don’t recall this subject of black leaded oil versus light leaded oil being discussed here on WC, so I brought it up only to stimulate thought and discussion.

                                            Tony

                                            #1057148
                                            tbezesky
                                            Default

                                                I had voted for walnut oil because linseed oil can cause more yellowing and cracking, but I would like to try I/3 stand oil and 2/3 walnut.

                                                Although I didn’t vote for this, but
                                                Lefranc & Bourgeois says this about their Black Oil –
                                                It is actually Walnut oil. Black Oil does not have a tendency to yellow which makes it a highly reliable mixing oil. When mixed with Black Oil, oil colors develop a more durable, flexible paint film, allowing you to work the next day without disturbing lower paint level.

                                                Tracy Bezesky
                                                New Blog:
                                                http://www.dailyWIP.com/

                                              Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 264 total)
                                              • The topic ‘What oil medium do you trust the most?’ is closed to new replies.