How do you use painting medium?

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Thank you Michele for your thorough answer. I just learned a tough lesson when I put too much paint on my last portrait. It was very hard to blend, what a mess, so I scraped that off after working on it for 2-3 days. So now I'm experimenting with thin layers.

I've read a lot of posts about 'oiling out' and I am wondering why use the linseed oil and the mineral spirits instead of just straight linseed oil?

Of course, when I went to the art supply store to buy linseed oil last week they had cold pressed linseed oil and refined linseed oil! So I came home and found a post by Marvin about what the heck the difference is. After learning what the difference was I am prepared to go buy the cold pressed linseed oil. Should I be mixing it with mineral spirits? Hmm.

Thanks again,

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

You want as little linseed as possible in your paintings, to minimize yellowing. Just enough to have good binding with the pigments.

Oiling out with 50/50 linseed and mineral spirits helps me keep the oil layer thin, as the mineral spirits just evaporate away.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Michele,

Now I get it!

Thank you,

Joan