Q: I want to use a medium when I paint with oil, but I don’t
know how much I should put on my brush. Also, do I put some on the
brush then dip the brush into the paint, or should I mix them together
with a palette knife first?
A: There is a vast array of oil paint mediums that
speed up or slow down the drying process. Some change the paint’s
chemistry so it will dry with a very glossy, matte, or satin finish.
There are also mediums that change the consistency of the paint to thin
it to a glaze, give it a creamier body, or create a heavy impasto,
which is thick like cake frosting.
All mediums should be placed somewhere on your paint palette. Using
your palette knife, scoop up some medium and mix it with your paints.
The proportions will vary depending on the desired results. For
instance, the more medium you add, the more diluted the paint will be.
Thus, a glaze will have more medium than paint while an impasto will
probably have equal amounts paint and medium. Mixing mediums is much
like cooking—you have to experiment to find what works best for you. Be
sure to read all labels before making your purchase, however. Most art
stores will have charts or literature about the mediums.
--by Camille LaPointe-Lyons