Linseed oil, which is also referred to as flax seed oil or flax oil (when it is in an edible form) is an oil that is clear to yellowish in color. It comes from dried, ripened flax seeds which are pressed to extract the oil.
This oil is often used by artists who work with oil-based paints. It gives these paints a smooth, hard finish. The only downside to using it for paintings is that it also extends the drying time, which is long enough with oil paints. On the upside, linseed oil will help to prevent your paintings from cracking over time.
Linseed oil can be combined with other products, including turpentine to create a paint medium that can be used with all oil-based paints.
Today we are going to take a look at what linseed oil is and how to use it. Let’s get started.
What is Linseed Oil?
As I already mentioned, linseed oil is made from flax seed and is also known as flax oil or flax seed oil. There are several ways that linseed oil can be processed, including making it edible.
In fact, edible forms of this flax oil are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. However, I digress. Let’s get back to the topic at hand.
Artists use linseed oil with their oil-based paints, and it also has many other applications. These include using linseed oil as a finish for wood items, creating linoleum, and even using it as a hardener for some types of putties.
For this post, we will be talking about how linseed oil is used in painting.
Why Should You Use Linseed Oil For Oil Painting?
There are a couple of reasons why artists use linseed oil for oil painting. First, when you mix linseed oil with paint it will help to thin the paint texture, which makes it easier to apply smooth coats of paint.
Linseed oil will also help to extend the drying time of paint. Yes, oil paint dries slowly to begin with, but there may be times when you want to make the drying time even longer, especially if you are working with color blending.
Linseed oil is one of the most popular mediums for artists who use oil paints. You don’t need to use much to achieve the effects you want, and it makes the paints more transparent, which is great when you are working in layers.
Can You Use Turpentine Instead of Linseed Oil?
Some artists like to use turpentine instead of linseed oil as a paint thinner. While both can be used for this purpose, they each have different effects on oil-based paints.
Linseed oil is a retardant. This means it will cause your paint to dry more slowly. Turpentine, on the other hand, is a solvent, and it will cause oil-based paint to dry faster.
What I suggest is using linseed oil and turpentine together. Use turpentine on the first few layers of a painting to speed up the drying process.
Then you can use the linseed oil on the remaining layers once the original layers have dried completely. When asked about this, I always tell people to always have both linseed oil and turpentine on-hand at all times.
Which Linseed Oil Should You Use?
Since there are different types of linseed oil, you may be wondering which type you should use for oil painting. Only use linseed oil that is specifically for artists. I always buy mine from art supply stores to make sure that I get exactly what I need.
Two types of linseed oil are used by artists, refined linseed oil and cold-pressed linseed oil. Refined linseed oil is my preference because it doesn’t tend to turn yellow over time.
Some artists do prefer to use cold-pressed linseed oil. This is because it doesn’t have as many added chemicals and is thought to be more stable.
How Does Linseed Oil Affect Oil Paint?
There are several ways that linseed oil can affect oil paint. First, it will give your paint a smooth, buttery texture that is easy to apply and spread onto a canvas. This texture also makes it easier to mix colors.
Not all oil paint is smooth when it comes out of the tube. Some oil paint can be quite hard, and linseed oil will make the paint more workable and smooth.
Linseed oil will also help to increase the transparency of paint. It does this by separating the particles of the paint pigments.
Paints with linseed oil added to improve transparency are often used in layering to add interesting effects to colors in oil paintings.
I mentioned earlier that linseed oil will increase the drying time of oil-based paints. It can add up to an extra week of drying time, depending on how thick the last few layers of paint are.
It is a good idea to use the “fat over lean” rule when you are working with linseed oil, which is the fat. So, use thinner layers in the beginning and finish the painting with fatter layers that are mixed with linseed oil.
One more thing that linseed oil is used for is to make oil paintings even more durable than they already are, to begin with. Paints mixed with linseed oil dry very hard, which means that your paintings won’t be as likely to crack if the linseed oil is used in the top layers of paint.
You will also notice that the paints are glossier, so your artwork will have a shiny finish. If you prefer a matte finish, you may want to use turpentine instead of linseed oil.
How To Mix Linseed Oil With Oil Paint
There are a few ways that you can mix linseed oil with oil-based paints. The most common method is to mix the linseed oil with the paint right on your palette.
You can use your palette knife for this purpose. Some artists like to dip their brushes into linseed oil and then add it to the paints.
Another way you can mix linseed oil is to combine it with turpentine before adding it to your paint. Try using a ratio of one part linseed oil and two parts turpentine.
Mix the linseed oil and the turpentine in a glass jar, and seal it with a tight lid. Then, you will need to wait for a few days because it will take this long for the two to mix, as linseed oil is resistant to turpentine. After a few days, the two will be combined well enough to use.
This mixture will give you the best of both worlds. You will have the benefits of both the linseed oil and the turpentine.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you to learn more about linseed oil and how to use it. This is a tool that any artist who works with oil paint should have in their arsenal.
Not only does linseed oil help to thin your paint, but it also gives paint a shiny sheen and it will extend the drying time. If you need more time to work on large-scale paintings, linseed oil is the way to go.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!