How to Make Your Own Glazing Medium for Oil Painting
Buy linseed stand oil and turpentine from an art store., Pour stand oil into a mixing jar., Add two parts turpentine for one part of the oil you're using., Stir the glazing medium., Explore different oil and turpentine combinations.The small...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Buy linseed stand oil and turpentine from an art store.
If you don't have ingredients handy yet, everything you need may be purchased at a local art store.
Turpentine and linseed stand oil may be used for a standard oil glaze.
Two parts turpentine should be used for each part of stand oil you use.
Although linseed and flaxseed oil come from the same plant and are similar, linseed stand oil might have additives to improve its paint-cleaning abilities.Because glaze is used in relatively small amounts, you should use the smallest containers available, so long as you're able to get the proportions right.
Empty and cleaned baby food jars (about 2 to 4 ounces) are a good size to use.
Poppy seed oil, walnut oil and other types of linseed oil will work as well.
However, these alternatives result in slightly yellowing your painting.
Mineral spirits may be used in lieu of turpentine if you don't have turpentine available. -
Step 2: Pour stand oil into a mixing jar.
Most artists will only need a small amount of glazing medium, so you'll want to create about 2 to 4 ounces of glazing medium.
To make this amount, start by pouring about 1 ounce of your linseed stand oil into a resealable airtight jar.
Be sure to use a jar that has a screw-top lid so that you can simply screw it on and save unused oil for future use.Use caution when handling the linseed oil, since it is highly flammable.
If you use any rags to wipe up linseed oil, avoid simply throwing them in the trash since they can spontaneously combust.
Instead, soak any linseed oil rags in jar filled with water and take them to a local hazardous waste site for disposal.The jar used for mixing should be cleaned out and dried prior to mixing anything.
Choose a small jar so that your glazing medium isn't exposed to too much air which could cause it to dry out more quickly. , Add twice as much turpentine to the jar as the stand oil you added.
So, if you've placed 1 ounce of stand oil in your jar, add 2 ounces of turpentine.
These two ingredients combined will give you a basic glaze to work with in your paintings.Linseed oil is quite thick so you'll need less oil in comparison to the amount of turpentine needed. , Take a wooden stick (like a craft stick) or use the end of an old paint brush and stir the turpentine and oil.
The mixture will need a lot of stirring to combine it.
As soon as you've combined the glaze, you can begin to use it (especially because it will begin to separate).
You can use the medium directly out of the jar, or pour a small amount into a saucer to use.Avoid shaking the glaze.
Vigorous shaking will introduce air bubbles into your glaze which could be transferred to your paint.
Air bubbles will cause your paint to dry poorly. , While linseed oil is typically seen as the go-to oil to use in homemade glazes, many other oils can be used as well.
If you want to experiment, you may find certain glazes achieve a different end than others.
If you're interested in working with different glaze combinations, you should make multiple batches at the same time.
You'll be able to compare them directly with one another this way.
Glazes will also respond differently based on the makeup of the paint you are using. -
Step 3: Add two parts turpentine for one part of the oil you're using.
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Step 4: Stir the glazing medium.
-
Step 5: Explore different oil and turpentine combinations.The small differences in ingredient proportions will result in slightly different finishes.
Detailed Guide
If you don't have ingredients handy yet, everything you need may be purchased at a local art store.
Turpentine and linseed stand oil may be used for a standard oil glaze.
Two parts turpentine should be used for each part of stand oil you use.
Although linseed and flaxseed oil come from the same plant and are similar, linseed stand oil might have additives to improve its paint-cleaning abilities.Because glaze is used in relatively small amounts, you should use the smallest containers available, so long as you're able to get the proportions right.
Empty and cleaned baby food jars (about 2 to 4 ounces) are a good size to use.
Poppy seed oil, walnut oil and other types of linseed oil will work as well.
However, these alternatives result in slightly yellowing your painting.
Mineral spirits may be used in lieu of turpentine if you don't have turpentine available.
Most artists will only need a small amount of glazing medium, so you'll want to create about 2 to 4 ounces of glazing medium.
To make this amount, start by pouring about 1 ounce of your linseed stand oil into a resealable airtight jar.
Be sure to use a jar that has a screw-top lid so that you can simply screw it on and save unused oil for future use.Use caution when handling the linseed oil, since it is highly flammable.
If you use any rags to wipe up linseed oil, avoid simply throwing them in the trash since they can spontaneously combust.
Instead, soak any linseed oil rags in jar filled with water and take them to a local hazardous waste site for disposal.The jar used for mixing should be cleaned out and dried prior to mixing anything.
Choose a small jar so that your glazing medium isn't exposed to too much air which could cause it to dry out more quickly. , Add twice as much turpentine to the jar as the stand oil you added.
So, if you've placed 1 ounce of stand oil in your jar, add 2 ounces of turpentine.
These two ingredients combined will give you a basic glaze to work with in your paintings.Linseed oil is quite thick so you'll need less oil in comparison to the amount of turpentine needed. , Take a wooden stick (like a craft stick) or use the end of an old paint brush and stir the turpentine and oil.
The mixture will need a lot of stirring to combine it.
As soon as you've combined the glaze, you can begin to use it (especially because it will begin to separate).
You can use the medium directly out of the jar, or pour a small amount into a saucer to use.Avoid shaking the glaze.
Vigorous shaking will introduce air bubbles into your glaze which could be transferred to your paint.
Air bubbles will cause your paint to dry poorly. , While linseed oil is typically seen as the go-to oil to use in homemade glazes, many other oils can be used as well.
If you want to experiment, you may find certain glazes achieve a different end than others.
If you're interested in working with different glaze combinations, you should make multiple batches at the same time.
You'll be able to compare them directly with one another this way.
Glazes will also respond differently based on the makeup of the paint you are using.
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Jeffrey Adams
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