Gamblin Galkyd Painting Mediums

Galkyd Painting Medium gives oil colors clarity and gloss. Formulated to mix and thin with Gamsol or other very mild solvent, the Galkyds feel great under the brush and knife.

The Galkyds contain alkyd resin and Gamsol pure odorless mineral spirits (OMS). Fast drying alkyd resin is the 20th century version of polymerized oil. Polymerized oils are thick and dry faster than unpolymerized oils because solvent is added. Galkyd dries faster than stand oil because once the solvent has evaporated, the chains of molecules form immediately into a paint film. Stand oil requires a longer oxidation process to dry.

Keeping Galkyd fluid is an important economic consideration. Once a quantity of medium is used, the solvent in the medium evaporates into empty space inside the bottle. The Galkyd will, over time, release all heir solvent and form stiff gels. To keep it fluid, add a teaspoon of Gamsol to the bottle each time Galkyd is poured out. Also, consider decanting it into a small, clean containers with no air space.

Galkyd 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 medium made from linseed stand oil. Galkyd levels brush strokes and leaves an enamel-like glossy finish.

Galkyd Lite (Low Viscosity) is different from Galkyd because it is made from an alkyd resin that has a lower viscosity. The viscosity of Galkyd Lite is very similar to that of traditional painting medium based on linseed oil. Galkyd Lite will leave brush strokes in thicker layers. Glazes made with Galkyd Lite slightly less glossy than those made with Galkyd. 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.

Galkyd Slow Drying Medium 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.

Galkyd SD (Slow Drying) keeps the surface open all day, Slow drying painting mediums are useful for painters blending colors, such as portrait painters who need more time to blend flesh tones or abstract painters who may need more time to complete a color gradation.

Note: Robert Gamblin recommends not modifying Galkyd SD

Galkyd Gel is gelled painting medium formulated to hold marks and brush strokes while it makes paint more transparent. You can even create a transparent impasto. G-Gel makes an approximately 1/4” thick for each layer. G-Gel is not loaded with driers, so it does not dry as fast as most gel mediums.

Gamblin Mixing Guide

TO SLOW DRYING TIME
To slow down the drying time of Galkyd and Galkyd Lite, add about 10% by volume 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. Adding Gamsol will increase the open time. Adding 10% Gamblin Poppy Oil will slow the drying time.

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

GALKYD GEL MIXTURES
*Galkyd gel is a fast drying medium
*Galkyd gel 10% + oil paints 90% enhances transparency without decreasing viscosity.
*Galkyd gel 90% + oil paints 10% creates a glaze impasto, a technique unavailable to Old Masters
*Galkyd gel 90% + Galkyd 10% decreases viscosity and increases flow.
*Add Poppy Oil 10% to decrease viscosity and slow drying time.