Oil Mediums

Art Spectrum® Oil painting mediums are based on sound painting principles. Today’s advanced testing indicates that the use of turpentine alone as a dilutent for oil paints is to be avoided, as it is too easy to destroy the binder and benefits of carefully milled paint. Sound painting principles involve painting from ‘lean’ mixtures to ‘fat’ mixtures of paint – essential when paintings are completed over a period of time. This ‘fat over lean’ technique prevents cracking in the paint film whilst drying.

Painting with oil paint should be no more involved than working with a water-based paint. For instance, Art Spectrum mediums are used to thin oil paint just as water or binding mediums are used with acrylics. Wax or fillers are added to oil paints just as impasto mediums are added to acrylics. Pure soap and water are used for cleaning brushes with both types of paint.

The ‘lean to fat’ rule

When one layer of oil paint contains an equal amount of oil as the next layer, the top layer will dry while the bottom layer will be deprived of oxygen and remain wet. This will cause wrinkling and eventually cracking. To prevent this problem, use Artists’ Oil Painting Medium No. 1 first and then Artists’ Oil Painting Medium No. 2 for subsequent layers. This will give an even tension throughout the painting. This method is known as ‘lean to fat’.

Painting Medium No. 3 is viscous and ‘fatter’ for those who like a heavier medium. It should be used over the leaner mediums.

(NB: ‘Lean’ and ‘fat’ should not be confused with ‘thick’ and ‘thin’. A lean paint can be very stiff and go on thickly while a fat paint may have so much oil in it that it goes on thinly.)

Mediums Description 100ml 500ml 1lt 4lt 40ml 150ml
 

Painting Medium No.1

 

M11

 

M15

 

M1L

 

M14

 

Painting Medium No.2

 

M21

 

M25

 

M21L

 

M24

 

Painting Medium No.3

 

M31

 

M35

 

M31L

 

M34

 

Liquol Medium (formerly Painting Medium No.4)

 

M41

 

M45

 

M41L

 

M44

 

Refined Linseed Oil

 

L1

 

L5

 

L1L

 

L14

 

Stand Linseed Oil

 

S1

 

S5

 

S1L

 

S4

 

Lean Medium (Reduced Odour)

 

LM1

 

LM5

 

LM1L

 

LM4

 

Fat Medium (Reduced Odour)

 

FM1

 

FM5

 

Wax Medium

 

WM1

 

WM5

 

WM1L

 

Glazing Gel

 

GG5

 

GG4

 

GG1

 

Spectrum Clear Oil Paint

 

C5

 

C4

 

C1

Oil Solvents & Cleaners Description 100ml 500ml 1lt 4lt 150ml or 250ml
 

Pure Gum Turpentine

 

GT1

 

GT5

 

GT1L

 

GT4

 

Artists’ Turpentine

 

AT1

 

AT5

 

AT1L

 

AT4

 

Odourless Solvent

 

ODS1

 

ODS5

 

ODS1L

 

ODS4

 

Art Clean

 

AC5

 

AC1

 

AC4

 

Citrus Turpentine

 

CT1

 

CT5

 

CT1L

 

CT4

 

Hand & Brush Cleaner

 

 

 

HBC5

 

HBC1

(150ml)

 

Hand Sanitiser

   

HS2

(250ml)

Varnishes Description 100ml
500ml  1lt
4lt 250ml 500ml
 

Damar Varnish

 

D1

 

D5

 

D1L

 

D4

 

Gloss Varnish

 

 

PV1

 

PV5

 

PV1L

 

 

 

Retouch Varnish

 

RV1

 

RV5

 

RV1L

 

Matt Wax Varnish

 

MW2

 

MW5