The medium is not the message

[Marvin Mattelson]

I have recently received several e-mail inquiries concerning my choice of mediums. This can be a touchy subject among otherwise likewise thinking artists, but what is life without a little controversy? We vehemently defend our precious mediums, sometimes bordering on religious fanaticism. I think that this lies in the fact that we have created a mystique about the secrets of the old masters, that somehow they were able to do great paintings due to a mystical alchemy. If only I could find that right medium then perhaps I could be the next ????? There is certainly validity to the advantageous use of a particular medium whose specific characteristics can be harnessed to one's best advantage.

I have a love-hate relationship with painting mediums. Primarily, I use them to keep my paint thin. My perfect medium would keep the paint wet all day and be dry the next. I would be able to easily blend adjoining colors and at the same time lay fresh paint over them immediately, with no disturbance. I would like to mix my medium into my paint piles and have them stay fresh all week. Of course I want it to be nontoxic, archival and to prevent my darks from sinking in.

I have tried many mediums since I switched from acrylics to oils a dozen or so years ago. I played around with Liquin for a long time and tried modifying it with various oils. I was, in particular, attracted to the enhanced flexibility of alkyd mediums. The fear of toxicity, the awful smell and premature yellowing eventually soured me. I tried different oils in combinations, including the infamous 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 combos. I like to work in thin layers; I had trouble with the over saturation of oil that eventually prevented additional paint from adhering to the surface. Yes, I worked fat over lean.

Another thing that worried me was the cracking of so many old master paintings in the museums, particularly in areas of thick paint application. I also don

[Khaimraj Seepersad]

Wow, Marvin Mattelson,

I came onto the Internet about three or so years ago to get enough information to remove resins from my medium, and to simplify the technique back down to a brainless situation.

Thanks to Virgil and much reading, I just use a simple oil medium, a blend of walnut oil and stand oil with no solvent. The studio is practically scentless.

In the tropics, you need a slower drying oil, so my binder is also walnut oil. I spend most of my time on my composition, so the medium was never the answer for me.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Marvin, I did not see this thread when I started mine in the "Cafe", could you copy your great post into that thread? It is a wealth of information.

http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...&threadid=1576

Thanks!