Liquin Fine Detail ( a medium painters log ) (Dead Layer)

Testing out Liquin Mixtures for Medium (for first layer of dead layer)

As this was my first time trying Liquin Fine Detail (which I found to be very different compared to the Original Liquin) I had to experiment first to learn the best balance of medium needed to suit my painting style. 

This next part is for those interested in the results of my varying experiments...

(Liquin cuts drying time by about half)

(Click here for the mechanics of using the Fat over Lean principle with Liquin... )

note* a thin layer of Liquin Fine Detail was applied to the painting surface first ( like a couch )

1st Attempt

- Used Liquin Fine Detail ALONE

Result: found too much had to be added to get the smooth consistency I wanted. Started to get very tacky too soon and was difficult to blend.


2nd Attempt

- Used Liquin & Turpentine

Result: added the turp to avoid using too much Liquin at this stage and to try making the paints more fluid to work with,... but as turp does, it dried too fast and was hard to blend.                                                                                        

3rd Attempt

- Linseed & Turpentine (1:3)

why? - because I'd already applied a thin layer of Liquin to the paint surface and needed a smoother slower drying medium to work with..

Result: It was leaps much better, not only in the consistency of the paint but stayed wet enough (not tacky) for me to blend properly.

However the paint dried on the surface within an hour ( thats the terre verte (Alkyd) for you ) which didn't suit my slower paced way of painting. I was unable to go back to adjust or blend parts that I'd painted earlier in the painting session for it would have dried too much.


4th Final and Successful Attempt

- Linseed & Turpentine (1:3) + 1 tiny drop of Linseed mixed in with the Terre Verte paint (Alkyd) mixture.

why? I did not want to change the paint to normal oil paint for I wanted to keep the initial paint layers as lean as possible. Nor did I wish to add anymore Linseed in with the medium at this early stage. So to keep the terre verte ( the fastest drying Alkyd ) from drying to fast on the pallet and painted surface, the smallest drop of Linseed was added.

Result: The tiny addition of linseed to the paint helped extend my working time with the paint to about 3- 4 hours. At which point I'd clean off my palette before the paint dried too much and start with a fresh batch. I had to of course be sure to complete what I needed to in the area I began with within those few hours before continuing on to other areas....

Note* this medium was adjusted in subsequent layers (where I actually added the Liquin to the medium) to suit the fat over lean principle, taking in to account the change of oil paints with varying drying times.

Check out the WIP of a painting in which I tested the above mediums for here. Notes on the changes to the medium will be provided at each layer stage.