|
?? I've never heard of Georgian, but that's not too surprising.
I preach to anyone who cares to listen to avoid paints that use anything other than linseed oil as the vehicle. It's easily proven that linseed oil produces the strongest films, and of course, it's "time tested" . . . for over 500 years now. The best value for the money is to buy the very best paint. Unfortunately, some of the "big names" dominating the popular market in craft shops and discount art stores do not supply the highest quality oil paint. "Boutique" makers like Robert Doak, Cennini, Vasari, Williamsburg, Michael Harding and Old Holland, to name just a few, represent "colourmen" who truly know their craft, and are committed to high quality above corporate profit.
As it is an alkyd material, Liquin is subject to the advantages and limitations of that synthetic resin. Until well into the 20th century, all paints, whether used on automobiles, houses, ships, equipment, or any other "utility" purposes, had more in common with the paints and mediums traditionally used at the easel than is the case today. Paints, varnishes and solvents were universally based on natural, "vegetable" resins, solvents and oils. These coatings have a finite life-span exposed to full-weather and extreme conditions, so by the mid 1930's, a new generation of more durable synthetic materials were becoming available through advances in chemistry, alkyd paints among them. The resin synthesized by combining an alcohol with an acid (originally al-cid) required "hotter", more chemically active solvents derived from petroleum distillates.
The nature of alkyd coatings is to produce tough, insoluble films which require sanding between coats if multiple layers are applied, because once the surface of the paint is touch-dry, it is impervious to solvent transfer and chemical bonding between fresh coats of paint. Sanding the surface provides a mechanical "key" for a subsequent application to cling to. Otherwise, coatings can peel away from underlayers. No problem on a house or a boat, sanding the dry surface of a painting may or may not be feasible when a "work of art" is in progress.
So long as one sands between applications when Liquin or other alkyd materials have been added to the paint, all is well. Alkyds are also no problem, so long as the painting is completed in one sitting, entirely wet-in-wet.
Since the "pharmacopaeia" of oil painting materials with its wide variety of oils, resins and solvents was perfected long before the advent of petrochemicals and synthetic resins, it seems unnecessary (and counter-intuitive) to look outside the range of natural resins and oils for painting mediums. A number of superior "glazing" mediums can be easily and inexpensively made up in one's own studio with a minimal supply of traditional materials. Enter the controversy between those who (quite rightly) advocate using nothing more than high quality raw linseed oil, and those who find advantage in using mediums compounded with natural resin varnishes.
|