Q: My instructor for an upcoming workshop is requesting we
use English Distilled Turpentine. How does this differ from regular
turpentine? His painting medium is a mixture of English turpentine,
linseed oil, and dammar varnish.
A: English Distilled
Turpentine is very refined oil that is used to dilute oil colors and to
clean brushes. It has greater wetting properties than Artists’ White
Spirit and needs to be stored in the dark because exposure to air and
light cause it to thicken. It is transparent, flammable, and has a
characteristic odor.
--by Camille LaPointe-Lyons