Painting medium
Painting media are binders and other auxiliaries that are used in the processing of oil and acrylic colors. First and foremost, it is understood to mean substances that are added to the colorants and fillers in order to change their workability, consistency and gloss when drying (but not their color ). In a broader sense, the term also covers top and base coats.
Painting media , colorants and fillers together make up the paint .
One distinguishes
- non-drying painting medium for thinning oil paint for the painting process: turpentine , also low-odor
- Painting medium that retards drying: Thinning with painting oils (e.g. linseed oil , poppy seed oil ) extends the drying process
- drying-accelerating painting medium ( siccatives ): Oxidation accelerators and resin components
- Painting medium for thick impasto layers (the colorless, so-called painting butter , which allows thick layers without cracking due to resins). Pure oil paints (binders and pigments without resin components) experience volume shrinkage when drying, so it is recommended to add resins / paint butter or use a resin oil paint (e.g. Mussini oil paints)
- Glaze medium for glossier and more luminous glazes than by thinning with painting oils
- Between the varnish (glossy protective film, dried layers of oil usually strike, ie become irregularly matt, use after the paint has dried, can be removed again with certain solvents, also in the spray can )
- Final varnish (glossy or matt protective film, contains non-yellowing synthetic resins , application after the paint layers have completely dried out after approx. 6 to 12 months, depending on the thickness, also in the spray can)
- Fixative in pastel painting (today often as a spray can)
- Priming of the painting ground (primer, gesso), water-based
Every manufacturer of artist's paints also offers painting materials that are tailored to their products.