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Impasto Medium

This medium is for painters who work with thick impasto layers. Oil paint can handle impasto on its own, but a medium can improve flexibility and let you tune flow, stringiness, gloss, leveling, and body.

Treat these percentages as approximate starting points. The right proportions depend on the exact ingredients you use and should be adjusted during preparation.

Properties

Drying Speed
SlowFast
Stroke Retention
Auto-levelPreserve
Finish
MatteGloss
Flow
ImpastoLiquid

Approximate Ingredients

Black Oil25.0%
Linseed Stand Oil25.0%
Beeswax8.3%
Filler33.3%
Resin (Damar or Mastic)8.3%

Use the property descriptions below as a guide when adjusting the proportions:

Black Oil

Speeds drying and increases flow.

Linseed Stand Oil

Slows drying, reduces flow, increases gloss and flexibility, and helps the paint level.

Beeswax

Slows drying, reduces flow and gloss, and adds flexibility and body to thick layers.

Filler

Speeds drying, reduces flow and gloss, and adds structural support to thick layers.

Resin

Speeds drying, reduces flow, increases gloss, and makes the dried film harder and stronger.

How to prepare

  1. Weigh out all the ingredients.
  2. Dissolve the resin in the solvent, or use a ready-made varnish and recalculate the ratios.
  3. Add the beeswax and let it dissolve.
  4. Add the oils.
  5. Strain the mixture if the resin or wax contains impurities.

Store tightly sealed in a cool, dark place. If the mixture contains wax, it may settle, so shake well before use.