The Artist_s Magazine 2016-03__

March 2016 55

THE MANY ROLES OF LIQUIN

Winsor & Newton Liquin is a petroleum solvent,

not an oil. I use it as a paint medium, a retouch

varnish, an imprimatura and a fi nal varnish, as

explained below.

Medium: In my initial painting stage, I use

Gamblin Gamsol or Martin F. Weber Turpenoid

as my paint medium. As I continue to paint I

use Winsor & Newton Liquin sparingly as my

medium.

Retouch varnish: As paint layers multiply, cer-

tain earth colors “sink in” and acquire a matte

look compared to the colors that haven’t sunk in,

such as the cadmiums. In order to judge my colors

correctly as I continue painting, I must bring them

to the same gloss level, as if freshly squeezed

from the tube. To do this, I use undiluted Liquin,

applied thinly, as a retouch varnish.

Imprimatura: An imprimatura is a layer of a

substance that saves paint layers beneath it.

Sometimes I’ll use Liquin as an imprimatura to

seal initial transparent color washes. Liquin, being

an alkyd resin medium, is impenetrable, so my

initial transparent colors will be safe from distur-

bance. Also, when I’ve fi nished a painting, I wait

a month and then apply a thin imprimatura of

Liquin.

Varnish: A few days after applying Liquin to the

fi nished painting, I’ll apply a second coat to rein-

force the imprimatura and act as a fi nal varnish.

Materials

Oil surface: Claessens No. 66 Belgium linen

Oils: Winsor & Newton

Paint applicators: 2-inch fl at for underpaintings

of large works; Nos. 10 and 12 Richeson Signature

series 9629 bristle egberts (elongated fi lberts,

also called “cat’s tongues”) to apply background

transparent colors; Nos. 4, 6, 8 and 10 Richeson

Chelveston fl ats and brights to apply opaque color

for subsequent stages of the painting; Nos. 810

and 828 Che Son painting knives

Mediums: Gamblin Gamsol or Martin F. Weber

Turpenoid for initial layers; Winsor & Newton

Liquin for subsequent layers (See The Many Roles

of Liquin, below.)

Other: Che Son No. 826 palette knife for mixing

oil colors; 34x38 glass palette

TOP: The clouds disappeared as I was painting Mid-Summer (oil on linen, 22x28),

making my subject less exciting. To add impact, I added a “white” cloud behind

the trees. A touch of alizarin crimson mixed into the white paint gave the cloud a

touch of pink, which complements and rounds out the predominant greens.

ABOVE: As I painted November Air (oil on linen, 24x24), I realized the tumultuous

sky could easily overpower the picture, so I laid in the sky transparently and left it,

allowing the trees to move forward on the picture plane. An added advantage to

this approach is that transparent paint has a unique luminosity.