How do you use painting medium?

[Michele Rushworth]

William, who are you addressing when you refer to "you" in your question. If you mean me, I don't use Maroger for the reasons you mention. I use linseed mixed with OMS.

[Linda Brandon]

William, Maroger use is heatedly debated on other on-line Forums, notably the Studio Products "Cennini Forum". You can find many arguments along these lines at www.studioproducts.com.

[William Forward]

Michele and Linda,
I was actually trying to reply to an old post of Linda's where she spoke of using Maroger. After reading much of what has been posted here and on the studioproducts.com site (a much less civil site than this one), I confess that I'm more confused than ever. In addition, now I'm growing wary of using alkyd materials! As with too many issues today, the false and unsubstantiated info seems to get equal time with the well-researched and tested, and pretty soon nothing is clear, you don't know what to trust, and people are just arguing with each other. Help!

[Brenda Ellis]

In my day job, there are MSDS's (Material Safety Data Sheets) available on every chemical (even some wood) we use. I'm sure that you can find the same info on any medium for painting. If it isn't readily available, one could probably contact the maker and request one. I think it is law that they have to have this info available. Of course, this info does not tell you what will happen to the product a hundred years from now. However, as much as I love painting, I value my own longevity over the longevity of anything I produce.

As far as what will last, what will yellow, what will darken, what will crack, I am taking the safe route and using the "less is more" approach to mediums. If I were really concerned about getting the most accurate information I could about this, I suppose I would go talk to a Preservationist or Painting Restorer working for a Museum. Short of doing that, I've been watching and listening around here and I've chosen who to listen to and whose opinions to trust.

I had never heard of "oiling out" until I found this forum. I'm going to try it, ala the Michele Rushworth method. (I don't like to be bothered with mixing my paint with medium, anyway.)

[Michele Rushworth]

If I were really concerned about getting the most accurate information I could about this, I suppose I would go talk to a Preservationist or Painting Restorer working for a Museum.

Or you could talk to the people who talk to those people. I use Gamblin products because the people at that company work closely with the conservators at the National Gallery/Smithsonian. That's good enough for me.

[Brenda Ellis]

And I do trust your knowledge and opinions, Michele.