Nowadays most brands of oil paints are good quality and are ready to paint straight from the tube. I use Rembrandt of the Dutch brand Talens. And not only because I am Dutch as well. I am very pleased with the excellent quality.
Why use medium? To thin the paint, to lengthen or shorten the drying time, or to change the character: making it more transparent or opaque. But never forget the rule fat over lean. This rule has to do with the varying drying time of oil pigments. The upper layer may not dry quicker that the lower ones.
“Lean” is oil paint mixed with turpentine or white spirit, “fat” is oil paint mixed with linseed oil or stand oil.
Starting my painting I might rub a thin layer of a mixture of 50% Winsor & Newton oil liquin + 50 % stand oil to obtain a nice moist surface to paint on. Later, when the painting progresses, I might add some linseed oil to my medium and in the end for the finishing brush strokes I might add stand oil.
Dude.. I am not much into reading, but somehow I got to read lots of articles on your blog. Its amazing how interesting it is for me to visit you very often.
Thank you for the tips and advice – I have enjoyed watching your videos.
I have a couple of technical questions: Which medium do you use for greater transparency and which for greater opacity? What is stand oil? What is a neutral drying medium?
Please forgive my ignorance – I am new to oil painting, and much of the instruction I have seen assumes knowledge which I have found hard to come by.
Thank you for your time.
Amanda
For greater transparency Winsor & Newton´s Oil Liquin is great. More opacity you cannot achieve with a medium only by adding more paint.
There are a lot of mediums to use. Three types: slow drying, neutral drying and quick drying. It all depends on what you want. The use of the correct medium is always a long and never ending search.
If you are new an advice: Standard canvases always come very poor. Try various layers of gesso or an other primer. Good luck.
Hello,
I came across your website a while back and I bookmarked it so I could get back to you when I was no longer busy. Your website it amazing and I’ve gained much knowledge as I have only been through a few pages.
My question is that I have both oil paints and acrylic paints, and I’m unsure about paintbrushes. Do they really matter? If so, do I use the same ones for different paints or different brushes for different paints and are their specific ones for specific paints?
P.S. I have a series of painting which I would like for you to see and give me some criticism and improvements and how my future paintings can be much better. Thank you!
Hello Ben,
Thank you for your wonderful advice. I’m happy I found you on Youtube! I would like to know what you think of using walnut oil and walnut alkyd as the only medium. I have a bad reaction to Galkyd and Liquin and Grumbacher.
I know some artists who only use walnut oil.
Would love to know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Belinda
Hi Belinda.
I don´t have any experience with walnut oil. I once made it my self out of the real nuts, but for culinary purpose. MAX DOERNER is not really clear about walnut oil. Properties and composition between linseed oil and poppy oil.
More used in Italy than in the North of Europe.
Kind regards.
Ben
Ben: I have noticed that when I use dark earth colors that they dry very dull. I only use linseed oil as a medium. Should I be using something else to keep a luster to the paint?
hello ben,
i have recently bought a bottle of Talens Painting medium quick-drying 084.
i am very confused. untill now i was using 33% linseed oil, 33% turpentine and 33% damar varnish. i was told to use this medium as a first layer with the zinc white, then to wait a week or two and then to start my painting with clean colours ( without medium).
what to you think about it? and should i use this method only for the many layers paintings and my 33% for regular painting? (a bit like alla prima- model during class etc)
please help
thanks for all your advices
or even a regular medium is better?
Yes, quick drying medium can be nasty if you dont have experience.
Hello Guy.
I usually paint the alla prima way. So I hardly use medium in the beginning. have a look here http://www.talens.com/en-gb/information/frequently-asked-questions/oil-colours/
Anyway, when starting don´t use linseed. Remember the rule of thumb: fat over lean.
Best.
Hi , Ben … I’m a beginner from Egypt I wanna ask you if I can start my painting directly by putting my flesh tones without under painting my canvas or not ??
thank U !!
Hi shady. Ofcourse you can start right away without underpainting. The reason for an underpainting is the help that it gives you.
For me the best medium for oils, is linseed oil mixed with some white lead or white zinc powder and put at the sun in a closed glass jar for as many days you want. Not need for turp, dammar or other weird stuff.
Hi Ben
Gorgeous work.
I want to buy your video but can only afford one. Which one would be the most beneficial? I paint both dark and light skinned people.
Thank you
Hi Ben
Gorgeous work.
I want to buy your video but can only afford one. Which one would be the most beneficial? I paint both dark and light skinned people.
Thank you
Hi Veronica.
Both videos follow the same path. So with the “Little Boy” you can start.
Great, thank you. You are doing a great thing.
please can we get the tabs to all the guitar songs that were played in most of your videos.really loved that of the dolphins and would love to play it by myselfo
which is better for a beginner to blend tones; oil or acrylic?
Oil is far more easy to blend, but the technique is more difficult in the beginning.
Hi, Ben,
I’m a beginner and I’m very confused about ‘medium’ even though I’ve been reading a lot about it. Do you frequently use them? Do you rub that thin layer (1/2 oil liquin + 1/2 stand oil) on the whole canvas even before the underpainting? On what ratio do you add the lenseed oil and then the stand oil? Thanks in advance. 🙂
Hi Joe.
Medium has always been confusing. Depending on the brand, medium can be added during the painting process. I use as little as possible, as Rembrandt/talens has a perfect balance of oil. Starting I sometimes apply the mixture liquin/stand oil just before painting, so on top of the underpainting. Ending a painting sometimes pure stamd oil is used for some brushstrokes.
Hi Ben,
I have done oil paintings of landscapes, seascapes and horses. I’ve also done animals in Pit Pastels as well as chalk pastels, but I have only drawn a few portraits. I have yet to paint one. With that said, I would be considered a “beginner to portrait painting” – you state that in order to attend one of your workshops, you must have done portrait work before, but I hate to begin the wrong way only to then come to you and “undo” all that I have been doing incorrectly.
Sooooo, Ben, would you re-consider someone like me? I live in Ireland and would LOVE to enroll in one of your workshops… sorry that I missed the June ones.. when would your next workshop be in France please?
Anxiously awaiting your reply.
Thank you!
Nancy :))