Beginner's Guide to Oil Painting Mediums

1. Introduction: Hello everyone and welcome to my guide to oil painting medium. Painting mediums for one of the most integral cards at your oil painting process can change the gloss of flow, the feel, the drying time of your oil paint. And they can take your oil paintings to the next level. Yeah, I'll be discussing traditional mediums, gel type of mediums, more modern mediums. And also I will be discussing some nontoxic alternatives to sterilize so many mediums out there really hope this video will help you decide which means if you want to choose that suits your particular style and do this video, there will be a little assignment we can do together, which is painting it Apple using a traditional medium. Hope you enjoy this class and let us begin. 2. Linseed Oils - Cold Pressed, Stand, Thickened: The first medium I'm going to talk about is linseed oil. Linseed oil has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years, has been used as a medium for that long. And it is basically the oil that is used as the binder in many, many oil paints out there. And one of the best and most popular types of linseed oil that is used is cold pressed linseed oil. As you can see, it's quite fluid. It is a yellowish liquid and this is really good because it cold press relative because it is pressed directly from the flexing, not the drying time will depend which will pets you use. But generally, I would say it's about three to four days that it takes to dry. So it's not super fast and is not incredibly slow IVD at some slurry drying medium. So this one, The only disadvantage I would say is the possibility of your oil paintings, yellow right now, I've used linseed oil in my paintings for many, many years, and I have never had that experience. But if you are concerned about the gallery because it is a very yellow oil, then you may want to check out in different media. And great thing about this medium is it increases the gloss and the flow of your oil paints. And it's really great for glazing. It's just a really versatile, medium, classic use. And it's also quite cost-effective because she took me to use a ton of it just so this'll bit added with your paints and want to find out additional great thing about cold presidency or is it, is non-toxic. Isolate to keep the air flowing when I'm working on my paintings or keep the windows. Next up we have Standard Oil and stand or is a beautiful oil for glazing, as you can see, it is also in the linseed we're family because it is linseed oil that is within Boyle. And I don't know if you can have a liquid is an absolutely incredibly glossy looking oil. And that's the type of finish that it creates. So when mixed with your paints, you will a nice high gloss finish to your paintings. The only point is that this is so thick that ideally you would want to mix it in with something else. So quite often, artists will use this when they're making their a medium sound mix this with something else to make it less syrupy. Some people like to mix it in with solvent. I would also make sure that you don't have any of the mediums that I discussed, but particularly this type of medium, you don't want to soak your rags and earplugs that you have if you like to work using rags and wouldn't soap any of them with any medium because there is a possibility that the writer can catch fire from that safety precaution. This is a non-toxic medium and what I really liked by the odor of it is very low. I like the one by Gamblin, as you can see, I've used quite a lot of it when you're glazing with this medium because it is one of the best glazing mediums in my opinion, it does reduce your brush strokes. So just another linseed oil. This is either thickened linseed oil or some fucking linseed oil. Now unfortunately, I didn't have some linseed oil, but I have a thickened version which is kind of artificially thickened by Winsor Newton, but something Linseed oil is Lindsay do out that has been exposed to sunlight and that allows it to thicken. And again, it's quite a similar consistency to stand oil. And it creates a lovely gloss when mixed with your paint. Some thickened linseed oil is great for when, again, making very mediums. Just be aware of which had been because of the process and making something Linseed oil, exposing it some sunlight over probably multiple say or maybe more. The price of linseed, something Linseed oil, it has to be quite high. 3. Liquin Original and Fine Detail: Next we're going to move on to probably one of the most famous mediums you would have heard about in modern times, delinquent, original and liquid fire detail. When it's made out of petroleum distillates. And these are the modern alternative to using linseed oil because they do not yellow. I have had some artists say that using liquid does dark in their painting slightly. Just be aware of that it's not happening to me. I find that whenever I use liquid original, that it makes the colors of my world paint is extremely bright. The ingredients, you must keep your windows open and keep a good airflow when you're using these products. They do have a set. I would say pretty strong and it's sort of a varnish she kinda smell, but it's not my personal favorite. However, the actual user experience and how incredible they make my peace and my paintings come out. I sometimes overlook percent. What you could do as an alternative is if you're somebody who likes to paint outside, is only use this when you're painting outside. Original hazard jelly gel cut type consistency when you don't get on your palate, you only need, like with most mediums or small amount on your brush when you're using this and when you're mixing paints, you don't need very much to all. And it gives a semi gloss finish and it reduces the brush mark. Liquid fine detail is much more liquidy as you can see. And this is great for, as the name suggests, mine detail work. Once again, it resists yellowing and it really has a lovely glossy finish. So when mixed in with your paints bit is a stick for glazing. Who advantage of these is the drying time liquid original is so fast, it can dry sometimes within 24 hours when I'm working on it, working with it on my oil paintings, which is an amazing advantage for anyone who likes to work really, really quickly and get their painting some really fast. 4. Solvent Free Fluid and Walnut Alkyd Medium: So I'm going to talk about two non-toxic mediums have become really popular gaming a lot of bands among oil painters who liked to buy at a non toxic environment. First there is the solvent free fluid by Gamblin and the Walmart alkyd by M Grand. Pale mediums say not likely to yellow, you're paintings over time. And I would say that the drying time for the sovereign free fluid is a little bit longer. I would say it's about two days. You're looking at two to three days drying time. And What's really nice about it is a very nicely glossy medium, has a very beautiful finish. It is actually made from safflower oil. Safflower oil can also be used as a binder in paints. There are some paints out there that are major safflower oil should be sent to the solvent free fluid at all, quite as slight varnish but very pleasant sense. So if you're somebody that likes to work in a non toxic environment, this would certainly be a medium that you'd want to look into. One thing that you have to be aware of with this product is to not use too much of it. Like with most mediums, I would say I use a small amount and the website actually advisors to any use 25% of the medium in comparison to your pays, 25% black walnut alkyd video is made by the company and Graham. And they create non-toxic paints that have a binder, which is walnut oil. And so obviously then videos contain raw oil. And I really like their meetings. I've used this a lot. This is actually my second Mazel because they dry super fast. So you're looking at one to two days drying time, which is great for the fast we'll pains f. What's also nice is I think that it has a really lovely finish to the oil paints when you add just to. It gives us sort of glossy, almost ethereal that could you build up layers is a very unique type of products. And again, you don't want to add too much to your paint because it can actually cause beating on the surface of the oil painting. So as always, are careful with this medium, it is a very interesting one and it gives a very beautiful finish. The only points to consider is that this does have a set, will that alkene has a scent, but if you use just plain walnut well, with oil paints, I don't feel like it has this much percent, but this does. And I personally find it very strong. I like to keep my windows opened when they use it. It is a montage medium, but it is something that you have to consider because the smell is not going to be everyone. Just one additional point and that is don't soak any rags with this media like all the meetings that I discussed because that is a possibility of a caching via so if you are disposing of any writes that have kind of may have medium on them. Just wrap the rag in a metal container, put it in a container and then specify it. 5. Gel Mediums - Galkyd, Oleogel and Solvent Free Gel: You may wish to consider using a gel medium. What's great about using gel mediums? Is there sort of a no fast, no ves type of medium alternative to using liquid mediums because you don't have to get a separate container to pool your medium in. This can just go directly on your palette and then be cleaned up at this Galerkin to gel is a fast drying medium. So I would say the drying time is between one to two days, but whenever I've used it, it tends to drive within 48 hours, which is pretty incredible. What's nice about it EVs an imbecile media with so it retains brushstrokes. One thing to note, this is not a toxic free medium. This does contain petroleum distillate, so you do want to keep the airflow when using mediums like this. Another popular medium is Gamblin solvent free gel, and this is a gel version of their fluid, the software free fluid. And what's really nice about this song regional, is that it has a really lovely brightness, adds up really nothing brightness to your oil colors. And it is a very glossy medium. I in time on this, this whole bit longer than the alcohol gel. So you're looking more at two to three days. But this is a nice alternative if you want a product that is solvent free and doesn't have that toxicity lead that is earlier gel by the brand rubella if this is a very popular gel medium, and Ruben have is a company that specializes in selling historical type of products. So he's more historical pigments, oil paints, and looking at more historical mediums. For somebody who wants to emulate the techniques of the old masters, then you might want to look into this company. And what's nice about product is it comes in gel form, but it's gel form of linseed oil. So the gel is made of linseed oil. So it is a non-toxic media which is great. And it has some similar properties when you mix it into your paint as linseed or thus a fixer tropic medium, which means that when you put it on your palate, it is a gel when you mix secure painted tags into a flipped and it's a really nice medium, doesn't have much of an odor, but it has a similar feel and look to linseed oil, but it's much more convenient to use a gel. Sodium increases the gloss and it's also a little bit faster dry. I think that linseed oil in liquid form. 6. Other Drying Oils - Walnut, Safflower, PoppyOil: As you can try out as an alternative to using linseed oil, safflower oil, walnut oil, poppy oil, these are drying, we'll so they're non-toxic. In terms of safflower oil is a great wheel to use. If you want your colors to come out really, really bright, mix your whites really bright and it's not proved to yellowing. The only thing to take note is it is quite a slow drying medium, so it can take about a week to dry. So some artists prefer other mediums because of the slow drying time. But I do know some artists use it for cleaning their brushes and in conjunction with using the gambling alkyd medium quitting, we have as well one of my favorite oils to use, I like it because it's really great for using to create fine detail AND rule that oil has been around for so long, hundreds and hundreds of years. And so if you like a more traditional look to your paintings were old master type look, then you might be interested in trying out the walnut oil and also the walnut alkyd. This one is a slow dry media. Will is made from Walmart, and it is a slave or a medium. You don't want to use too much of it with your paint. So just a little bit in ratio in your paint, like all the other mediums like to sell some toxicity. This doesn't really have much of a cent. And all I would say in terms of studio cleanup is just be careful. Two. So Kenny rags in any type of join oils because they can catch fire. Then we have OP, well, and this is a very nice light oil. And what's interesting about poppy oil is when you mix it with your paints, it leans down your paint so much, it makes your painter flow extremely smoothly. If you like your paints to be thins down a lot, then the poppy oil is a possible non-toxic medium to take a look at. The only thing is, is that one thing to consider about it is that he doesn't have a stronger film format as something like linseed oil, because poppy oil is a lighter colored oil, it will have less chances of yellowing. I hope you have this run-through of oil painting mediums that I owe. Now of course, there are even more mediums on the market, but I hope I've touched in some very popular, very famous ones that will be helpful for you. Some mediums that I haven't touched upon that contain black oil, lead, for example, purely because I like to work in a more non toxic environment, are more interested in a more traditional type of mediums and you want to look into black oil type mediums, then this brand rube left does carry and they do self. Now, I hope you will join me for our little assignment where we basically paint an apple together using a traditional medium, which in this case is linseed oil. So please come and join me. 7. Assignment - Painting an apple with Linseed oil: I'm just decanting the linseed oil into a glass jar. And today we'll be painting on a Jesu unprimed wood panel. And I will list the oil colors that I'm using on the right. And what is really great about linseed oil, especially when it comes to painting at a prima, is you just did the tiniest amount and he just add it to your paint and immediately increases the flow of your oil paint. The only problem with acid, of course, is you don't want to go overboard. It's okay if you're watching in layers, then you can be a little bit more generous with the amount of linseed oil that you add. But because this is a painting in one sitting, ideally what you want to do is to just add just a tiny amount on your brush every time you feel that your paint is a little bit too dry. So the essential key secret to using mediums is to just add enough to increase the flow of your paints. Your paint flows really nicely and smoothly. And as amazing the painted painting, the apple, I can feel the media really has a really nice smooth texture to my paint. Gamblin paints, which is the paint I'm using here is quite, quite dry. And so if you're using a dryer paint, then we'll painting mediums like linseed oil, a really amazing to use because it will really increase the flow beautifully. It makes your paints spread a lot better. And it wasn't makes them go further as well. Now, of course, it's different if you're using a very runny paint or paint that has a lot of oil in it already, then you may not even feel like you need to use a medium. But many paints when they're manufactured and gambling is one of them, popular ones, but it's not the only one out. Holland is another example. They tend to have quite a high pigment load and therefore a medium is really great to use with the in conjunction with them because it makes them flow much better. Just behind where I'm painting, I've kept a paper towel. You can see me from time to time wiping my brush. And this is really important because each time you put the linseed oil on your brush, you may feel that you have a little bit too much. And so you want to just wipe off the excess onto the paper towel. Again, if you use rags or paper towels, Just be careful about disposing off them because I'm only using any tiny amount of linseed oil each time the paper towel or a rag will never be. So HIG with medium by select to be extra careful when disposing of any type of paper towel or brag that has any medium on it. And what you can also do as well is contact your local recycling center and just find out how they recommend you dispose of any type of oil painting medium. As you can see, the painting is coming out really nice and bright and luminous. And this is a great advantage of using linseed oil as medium. And what's really nice as well, this is not coming out yellow. I think many people are worried about is linseed oil because it is such a yellow looking oil, particularly cold press linseed oil. And some artists prefer to use refined linseed oil because in the bozo, refined linseed oil looks much less yellow. However, they actually tend to have very similar results on Canvas. As you can see, I'm using gloves in this painting session. This isn't because any of the products in this video are toxic, because in fact, gamblers oil paints are non-toxic and the linseed oil is non-toxic as well. I just prefer to use gloves because I get less paint on my hands. Say that's the only reason. However, if you are going to use any of these items in your painting session, you won't have a problem with toxicity and you don't have to wear gloves. In the shadowy areas of this painting, I used a lot more burnt umber and mixed it with a little bit of the red, red. And in the darker parts of the apple, music, magenta and that forward mixed together. And in the lightest area, I used Indian yellow. I really like Indian yellow as a light color to use as a yellow. And here we have the finished painting and Apple made with linseed oil and oil paints. I do hope you enjoyed this video and I really hope that you found it informative and helpful. And thank you so much for joining me in discussing. We'll painting mediums, Take care.