Oil Painting Mediums



Gamblin Galkyd Painting Mediums thin oil colors for painting and glazing and speed drying time of oil colors. Galkyds are made with alkyd resins. First manufactured in the early 1930's, alkyd resins are the polymerized oil of the 20th century. (Stand Oil was the polymerized oil of the 19th century). Alkyds have been formulated for use in artists' materials, most successfully as an oil painting medium.

Galkyd painting mediums are made with odorless mineral spirits, which can also be used to thin Galkyds and for brush and studio clean up. By using Galkyd, painters can remove turpentine from their painting process. Turpentine is the only solvent commonly available to painters that can be absorbed through healthy, unbroken skin.

Gamblin painting mediums can be mixed together. Suggested solvent: Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits

Try the Gamblin Interactive Painting Mediums Guide for suggestions on how to create a painting medium that suits your specific needs.


GALKYD PAINTING MEDIUM
Galkyd is an alkyd resin painting medium that increases the fluidity of oil colors and speeds their drying time. Thin layers of oil colors are dry in 24 hours. The viscosity of Galkyd is similar to traditional painting mediums made from linseed stand oil. Galkyd levels brush strokes, creates a strong flexible paint film and leaves an enamel like glossy finish. Galkyd is ready to use. Thins with odorless mineral spirits. Painters can add up to 50% by volume odorless mineral spirits to change the viscosity of Galkyd for glazing. Galkyds are excellent glazing mediums.
MSDS

Galkyd is available in the following sizes: 2 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz, 32 oz.


GALKYD LITE (Low Viscosity)
Galkyd Lite is different from Galkyd because it is formulated to have a lower viscosity. The viscosity of Galkyd Lite is very similar to that of a traditional damar/refined linseed oil/turpentine painting medium. Galkyd Lite is also ready to use. Because of its lower viscosity, Galkyd Lite will leave brush strokes in thicker layers. Glazes made with Galkyd Lite look slightly less glossy than those made with traditional mediums or Galkyd. Like Galkyd, Galkyd Lite is formulated to thin oil colors and maintain strong flexible paint films. Besides painters who prefer a lighter painting medium, landscape painters and others who enjoy painting outdoors will appreciate the longer working time of Galkyd Lite (approximately three hours). Thin layers will be ready to paint over within 24 hours. Thins with odorless mineral spirits.
MSDS

Galkyd Lite is available in the following sizes: 2 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz, 32 oz.


GALKYD SLOW DRY
Galkyd Slow Dry is formulated to have strength and flexibility and to keep the surface of oil paintings open for approximately three days. This is a good choice for painters who blend or work wet into wet. Use 1 part Galkyd Slow Dry and 1 part oil colors to paint wet into wet for at least a day. DO NOT DILUTE.
MSDS

Galkyd Slow Dry is available in the following sizes: 2 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz.

To slow down the drying time of Galkyd and Galkyd Lite, add about 10% by volume Alkali Refined Linseed Oil or Poppy Oil. The Galkyds can be thinned by adding OMS. Robert Gamblin recommends diluting Galkyd by no more than 50% Galkyd and 50% OMS.

To make the Galkyds more matte, dissolve one teaspoon of Gamblin Cold Wax in enough OMS to dissolve the wax completely. This solution is the matting agent. Add 1/4 matting agent to 3/4 Galkyd to make a more matte finish.


GALKYD GEL "G-GEL"
G-Gel is a gelled alkyd resin painting medium, which Robert formulated for painters who want to create transparent impasto. Thixotropic G-Gel holds marks and brush strokes. G-Gel makes impasto of approximately 1/4" thick. You can apply multiple layers. To maintain its clarity, G-Gel is not loaded with driers so it does not dry as fast as most gel mediums. Adding driers causes oil paintings to darken and become brittle over time. G-Gel contains a very small amount of silica so it is very transparent and lightweight.
MSDS

G-Gel is available in the following size: 150 ml.

SOLVENT-FREE GEL
Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel is the only solvent-free painting medium that supports a broad range of painting techniques with minimal compromise.

Solvent-Free Gel gives colors more flow and transparency, yet holds the shape of your brushmark. Solvent-Free Gel has a moderately fast drying rate and increases gloss. Made from safflower oil and alkyd
resin, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel is non-toxic and contains no Gamsol or petroleum distillates.

In comparison to other solvent-free mediums, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel supports the broadest range of painting techniques with the least compromise across color, dry time, texture and mark-making. To ensure proper drying of paint layers, Solvent-Free Gel should be used in moderation with oil colors – no more than 25% by volume. To avoid wrinkling, apply mixtures of Solvent-Free Gel and oil colors thinly.

Like linseed oil and walnut oil, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel can effectively clean brushes during your painting session. For clean-up after painting, we recommend Gamsol and/or soap and water.
MSDS

Solvent-Free Gel is available in the following size: 150 ml.


NEO MEGILP
NEO MEGILP Oil Painting Medium is a soft, silky gel. Neo Megilp maintains the body of the paint, and produces a luminous Turner-like atmosphere, while suspending and supporting paint in a soft gel. And it is made from contemporary materials so it will not turn yellow or dark as it did in the 17th and 18th centuries. Neo Megilp can also replace Maroger Medium for artists who love the working properties but are now concerned about Maroger's poor aging qualities.
MSDS

Neo Megilp is available in the following sizes: 2 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz.


COLD WAX MEDIUM
Cold Wax can be used to make oil colors thicker and more matte. A soft paste formulated to knife consistency, Gamblin Cold Wax medium is made from naturally white unbleached beeswax, alkyd resin and odorless mineral spirits (OMS). Gamblin Cold Wax Medium can be thinned to brush consistency by dissolving in a small amount of OMS. The surface of paintings made with beeswax mediums will become only as hard as a beeswax candle. Adding Galkyd to cold wax painting medium/oil colors mix will increase the sheen and flexibility of the paint film. Use a small amount to make Galkyds more matte. Gamblin Cold Wax Medium contains no oil so it can be applied as a wax varnish over a dry oil painting.
MSDS

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