M. Graham Walnut Alkyd Medium - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

This topic has 174 replies, 49 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by Striver.

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June 12, 2009 at 12:46 am #987986
icycoldgingerale
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I’ve been reading previous posts about this medium aiding in faster drying and is non-solvent based. I am interested in trying.

Question is: how glossy is it? Is it like Gamblin Galkyd which is also fast drying but super glossy? I prefer something not too glossy.

Also, how is it different from Galkyd?

Thanks.
June 12, 2009 at 1:27 am #1120544
1100ww
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If you use too much of it, it is very glossy–but you don’t need that much. If you use it as a couch (apply a thin layer, wipe it off, and paint into that), the gloss isn’t really an issue. Or you can add a bit to your mixed palette paint. I’d say it’s not overwhelmingly glossy unless you over-use it.

The only issue I see with it is that it tacks up somewhat fast (though not as fast as Liquin). Only a problem when working on a large area.
June 12, 2009 at 1:35 am #1120514
gunzorro
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As 1100ww says, it is glossy, but not as bad as Galkyd. Plus it is very clear. It assists in giving the painting an uniform light gloss if not too much is used. I recommend trying it. It stays open long enough for me, but is surface dry the next morning.
June 12, 2009 at 1:02 pm #1120502
BeeCeeEss
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I am interested in trying it, too. Is there a strong smell to this medium? If it’s no stronger than the smell of the oil paints, themselves, I wouldn’t have any problem with it.

Beverly

I love cooking with wines! Sometimes I even put it in the food! -- Julia Child
June 12, 2009 at 3:47 pm #1120515
gunzorro
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Dana — I don’t know why you wouldn’t varnish over it, if that’s your normal procedure.

Beverly — there is very little odor — less than linseed oil paints.
June 12, 2009 at 7:07 pm #1120607
joevdb
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I just put a very small amount (5%?) into my walnut oil, and everything dries to touch in two or three days. It’s really a help to keep things moving if you do multiple layers, or do not paint wet-into wet.

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][FONT=Georgia]JoeVDB [FONT=Georgia]contemporary urban landscape painting
June 13, 2009 at 7:15 am #1120549
Anonymous
I have several mediums on test panels that are a year old. I didn’t use galkyd but did use liquin and Daler Rowney alkyd. Walnut alkyd looks much glossier than either of those and it dried fast but remained a bit tacky for a good while whereas the two other alkyds were not tacky after only a day or so.
Both of those alkyds have solvents but the walnut doesn’t.

The top patch is white, blue, and medium. The middle patch is white and medium, the bottom patch is just medium alone. I have them slanted so you can see the gloss.
The order of mediums used are, first liquin (left strip), DR alkyd (second), walnut alkyd (third), stand oil/oms (right strip). It also yellowed the most in this group, but these are dried and stored in the dark, I will expose to light soon. I tried it again in more tests and it performed the same, yellowing more than copal with sun thickened linseed, alkyd, or stand oil mediums but a little less than regular linseed will post them later.
June 13, 2009 at 7:04 pm #1120619
chagzuki
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Blimey, all the marketing blurb says that walnut oil yellows less but that’s a ridiculous amount of yellowing.
June 14, 2009 at 2:04 am #1120516
gunzorro
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Sid — That is interesting! Luckily, I haven’t had such yellowing in my use of the Graham product.
June 14, 2009 at 8:26 am #1120550
Anonymous
I am getting ready to post these tests. I have been using walnut alkyd also and no problem but in these tests the yellowing is maximized by drying and storing in complete darkness. It has been a year so I will now expose them to light and show before and after photos. Don’t worry lovers of walnut alkyd I predict a clearing upon exposure to light, it is usually dramatic.
June 14, 2009 at 10:31 am #1120620
Van Mickley
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I’ve been using Graham paint for several years. I love them. I have asthma and they don’t bother me. The solvent sometimes will, if the area isn’t well ventilated. I usually varnish and have had no trouble.
June 14, 2009 at 11:37 am #1120618
tigerpaw
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Very interresting Sid,can’t wait.:thumbsup:

[FONT=Lucida Console]Sometimes I listen .

[FONT=Lucida Console]MIKE
June 14, 2009 at 2:12 pm #1120491
artbabe21
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I have difficulty with odors of many solvents but not at all with M.Graham’s walnut alkyd medium. It’s terrific stuff.

Cathleen~

[FONT=Times New Roman]~Be COURAGEOUS, It's one of the few places left still uncrowded~

[FONT=Times New Roman]~Life is not measured by it's length BUT by it's depth~
June 14, 2009 at 5:53 pm #1120621
icycoldgingerale
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thanks everyone for your comments.

Sid, your experiment is very informative. thanks.

I did buy a bottle of this walnut alkyd and tried it, though not as a couch, but mixed in the paint (small amounts). It’s not “slippery” enough for me, and it is still too glossy for my taste. It is nice though that it dries by the next day.
June 15, 2009 at 12:12 pm #1120503
BeeCeeEss
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That’s very reassuring about the low odor. Thanks to all who replied.

I’ve ordered a bottle from Dick Blick (still gasping at the shipping charges, however!). Can’t wait to give it a try.

Beverly

I love cooking with wines! Sometimes I even put it in the food! -- Julia Child
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