Blick Presents: Winsor & Newton Liquin Mediums

In the following video demonstration, the folks over at Dick Blick Art Materials discuss the popular oil painting medium from Winsor & Newton called “Liquin”.

Liquin is an alkyd based medium that has been formulated for use with oil paints. The Liquin alkyd mediums are made by treating a natural oil like Linseed Oil with alcohol and acid, hence the name “alkyd”. Alkyds speed up the drying time of conventional oil paints by about 50%.  So an oil paint that usually takes 2-12 days to dry to the touch, will now take 1-6 days to dry to the touch.

Apart from speeding up the drying time of oil paints, Liquin mediums also have other uses that are described in the video below.

Liquin mediums are available in a variety of different consistencies depending on the effect you are after.

Liquin Original

This was the first Liquin medium.  This is a low gloss medium that will improve flow and transparency. This is especially useful for paints that are very stiff out of the tube.

Liquin Fine Detail

Liquin Fine Detail medium is the most fluid of all the Liquin mediums.  It is made specifically for those artists that do very fine detailed work and do not want any brush marks to show.

Liquin Light Gel

Liquin Light Gel medium is a thixotropic gel medium. Thixotropic mediums have a thick viscous consistency in their normal state but will become thinner and flow easier as you begin to work with them. Great medium for glazing and will dry to a gloss film with an increased resistance to yellowing.

Liquin Impasto

This medium has a really thick consistency which is why it is available in tubes. Its a quick drying, non yellowing medium with a semi-gloss finish. It is an impasto medium which means it is ideal for those artist who like to lay their paint on thickly and like to retain those crisp brush strokes.

Liquin Oleopasto

This medium like the impasto also comes in a tube and looks very similar only there are some differences. Unlike the impasto medium, oleopasto will dry to a semi matte finish. It will dry quicker, thicken more rapidly and the brush strokes will level out as opposed to the high peaks that you get with the impasto.

Blick Presents: Winsor & Newton Liquin Mediums

Liquin Original
This reliable favorite (formerly known simply as "Liquin") is a general-purpose low gloss medium that improves flow and transparency. It mixes easily with the brush or knife, smoothes brushwork, and is also suitable for textured oil techniques. Liquin Original approximately halves the drying time of oil colors, resulting in a drying time of anywhere from one to five days, depending on climate, colors used, and film weight. It is not recommended as a varnish or final coat.

    

Liquin Fine Detail
The most fluid of the Liquin family of products, this gloss medium is ideal for fine detailed work, for producing a smooth surface picture, or in smoothly blended areas where brushmarks are not desired. The modern alternative to traditional copal mediums that were based on natural resins and offered fast-drying properties to artists, Fine Detail approximately halves the drying time of oil color, depending on the proportions added. It is touch-dry in one to five days, depending on the climate, colors used, and film weight. It is not recommended for use as a varnish or final coat.

    

Liquin Light Gel
This Liquin formulation is a slight gel that breaks down on brushing (thixotropic) and flows out to give a non-drip effect when mixed with color. It is ideal for glazing, and dries to a gloss film that has an increased resistance to yellowing. Liquin Light Gel offers all the handling properties traditionally seen with the historic Meglip mediums but without the tendencies to crack and yellow that are normally associated with mastic mediums. It is not recommended for use as a varnish or final coat.

    

Liquin Impasto
This is a semi-gloss, quick-drying, non-yellowing impasto medium that retains crisp textures and brush strokes without any visible leveling. It also extends tube color, provides bulk, and allows more blending time. When dry, it forms a flexible, tough film that can be varnished in the normal way. Use it for heavier brush work or palette knives. It is not recommended for use as a varnish or final coat.

    

Liquin Oleopasto
A semi-matte , quick-drying medium, Winsor & Newton Liquin Oleopasto has a soft gel consistency with some brush drag, ideal for leveling crisp brushmarks and providing bulk in impasto and texture work. When added to paint, Liquin Oleopasto extends tube color. When dry, it retains knife and brushstrokes and won't level out. It dries to a crack-resistant , virtually non-yellowing film.