Galkyd lite surprise!

Erika Nelson · 10-22-2003, 03:09 AM

I've always used my own recipe for medium but I attended a couple art demos and both artists (on seperate occasions) endorsed Galkyd lite, especially over Liquin which I also use when I'm in a hurry.

I am using Galkyd lite for the first time and I really don't mind the "thinness" so much but when I attempted to add another layer to enhance the cheeks on a portrait I'm painting, the whole first layer wiped off with the brush like a magic eraser since there wasn't a trace of the paint on the brush! What is this phenomenon? My painting has naked cheeks now, right as I was thinking I was almost done!

Any Galkyd user out there with an antidote?

~Erika~

Stanka Kordic · 10-23-2003, 06:46 AM

Thats truly awful! I don't have an antidote, but just my own bad luck with all the Gamblin mediums except for GamVar. I did notice a type of drag to them that I really disliked. I'm sticking with my tried and true Liquin. I never had a problem with it in all my painting years.

Good Luck, I hope someone can help.

Marvin Mattelson · 10-23-2003, 10:00 AM

Liquin yellows with age. All Alkyd mediums ruin brushes. They are fraught with problems. It has to do with the way they dry. Alkyd is another modern invention that falls way short of the promise.

To shorten drying times use flake white and cold pressed linseed oil. Just like Rembrandt, Ruebens and Van Dyke did. Sargent used stand oil. Their paintings turned out pretty well.

Just remember, the medium doesn't paint or draw, the artist does.

Tom Edgerton · 10-23-2003, 01:31 PM

Marvin--

I use a pretty traditional mix of OMS and stand oil, in a 2 to 1 mix (2 parts OMS), in my paint mix when I want a little more fluidity or when color matching wet to dry.

I also use it in what little occasional glazing I do, but am concerned about yellowing even in this instance. What's the skinny on this? I've heard reports both ways on stand oil yellowing. (The potential is there because it's linseed in a thickened form.)

Hope everything's going your way.

Best as always--TE

Erika Nelson · 10-23-2003, 02:29 PM

Thank you all for your kind input. I've just been letting it dry for now, mainly because I am trying to meet a deadline for another piece. I also wanted to see if I get the magic answer in case I am doing something wrong.

My regular recipe is the combo linseed/damar/turp which I should just go back to since I know how to control it and I haven't had any problems with it. Just trying out lesser offensive materials to work with, you know? But I know in the final analysis, odorless or not, they are all offensive, oh well!

I'm just relieved this happened before my next project which is a commission for a triple copy based on a photo of 2 kids. The horror!

Thanks again!

10-23-2003, 02:40 PM

I use Turpenoid Natural and find it totally non-offensive. It's non-toxic, and non-flammable so I can wash my rags in the washing machine.

For medium I use only Turpenoid Natural and linseed oil, and that's only on the underpainting. Works so far. The underpainting will dry in 5 days or less, depending on the pigment and the weather.

Marvin Mattelson · 10-23-2003, 03:04 PM

Tom,

Stand oil is much less yellowing than cold pressed linseed oil. The yellowing in linseed oils is a temporary condition which can be resolved by exposure to daylight.

Most yellowing in paintings is caused by using resins as an ingrediant in your medium or as a final varnish, such as damar. This yellowing, however, is not reversable, although the final varnish can be removed.

Gamvar is a great substitute as a final varnish. I add two teaspoons of Gamblin wax medium to the contents to make it a little less glossy.

Although I use a little Gamsol (thinner) with my medium (stand+cp linseed oil) I've been using M Grahm & Co. cold pressed walnut oil to clean my brushes and I'm happy to report my brushes have never been happier.

I like having as little solvent present in my studio as possible.

Erika Nelson · 10-26-2003, 07:29 PM

Thanks again to everyone who was kind enough to chime in on my post! Thankfully it was a matter of letting the layer set a bit which concerns me about this medium since I like to work fast. Attached is the painting. This is 12"x16" oil on canvas. Sorry about the awful glare. Lighting outdoors isn't any better in Southern California with all the unfortunate multiple fires we've been having for days.

Linda Fried · 10-27-2003, 11:38 PM

Marvin,

I've heard good things about you from my dear friend (Beth) whom shall remain (Beth Schott) nameless. Loved your play on words! I needed a smile tonight!

I'm hesitant to even ask this, but do you- or anyone- know anything about Weber's Resingel?

Linda

Marvin Mattelson · 10-28-2003, 12:12 AM

Linda,

Don't believe everything you hear.

Glad I made you chuckle.

I thought Weber's made barbeque grills (another joke!). I don't have any experience with that particular medium or any other Weber paint products.

Linseed oil rules!