Solvents, Mediums and Oils

		Oil paint is made up of pigment and medium (often Linseed Oil). Each brand of paint, and the various colors within the same brand, will have varying degrees of pigment and medium. At times it's necessary to add a small amount of medium to your paint to even out consistencies. The exception is M Graham which uses Walnut Oil.
		Stand Oil Stand Oil is linseed that has been heated without exposing it to oxygen. It is merely heat or sun thickened Linseed Oil. It won't darken over time as does pure linseed oil. It creates a more enamel-like surface than does straight linseed. It does cause oil colors to even out as they dry, leaving minimal brush strokes. It's ideal for glazing (when mixed with a diluent or solvent such as mineral spirits)
		Galkyd An alkyd resin painting medium that increases the fluidity of oil colors and speeds drying time. The viscosity of Galkyd is similar to traditional painting mediums made from linseed stand oil. Galkyd levels brush strokes, creates a strong flexible paint film and leaves an enamel like glossy finish. Can be thinned with orderless mineral spirits.
		Galkyd Lite Formulated to thin oil colors, maintain flexible paint films and has a lower viscosity than regular Galkyd. Because of its lower viscosity, it leaves brush strokes in thicker layers. Glazes made with Galkyd Lite look slightly less glossy than those made with traditional mediums or regular Galkyd. Will thin with orderless mineral spirits.
		Linseed Oil Made from the Flax Plant. Used to make many oil paint brands. It adds gloss and transparency to paints and is available in several forms. It dries very evenly and thoroughly, making it perfect for underpainting and initial layers in a painting. Cold-pressed linseed oil dries slightly faster than refined linseed oil and is considered to be the best quality linseed oil. As linseed oil, however, has a tendency to yellow as it dries, so avoid using it in your whites, lighter colors.
		Sun-thickened Linseed Oil Created by exposing the oil to the sun to create a thick oil, with similar brushing qualities to stand oil. It has less of a tendency to yellow.
		Poppyseed Oil This is a more transparent oil and less likely to yellow than linseed oil. Poppyseed oil does take longer to dry than linseed oil, which makes it suitable for working wet on wet. With its slow drying time be careful using it in lower layers and when painting with thick paint.
		Safflower Oil This oil has the same characteristics as poppyseed oil, but dries a bit faster.
		Walnut Oil A pale yellow-brown oil with a distinctive smell. It is a thin oil, it's used to make oil paint more fluid. It yellows less than linseed oil (but more than safflower oil). It's more expensive than other oils. and must be stored correctly otherwise it goes rancid.