Medium VS Solvent - Art Supplies Explained

[@catgray1]

That is literally the best explanation of the difference between solvents and mediums, and when to use them, that I've ever heard! Thank you so much!!

[@davidw9827]

Not only is Ken one of the best painters out there, he has to be one of the best teachers as well. This is so well articulated. Wow.

[@tonita88]

I just watched 10 videos on the topic and none of them broke things down fast and clearly the way you just did. Thank you so much.

[@KenGoshen]

I'm glad to hear!

[@ArmedeoArgyle]

I learned 70% of my painting skill from him. Now I am working as a professional painter and still come back to look for what I don’t know. Thanks a lot man. One of the best teacher online if you are struggling to paint and draw.

[@sanaathegreat2324]

I was so confused. You explained this so well. Thanks!

[@KenGoshen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@alexxavier8381]

This is the best explanation I've ever heard. Into the point, clear, not complicated and thoroughly explained. Thank you!

[@katherynsutton9624]

Thank you for clarifying the difference between solvents and mediums. I was always confused about how and when to use them. Thank you

[@janesoncanvas8337]

You make the basics clear but you also do it in a way that is detailed and intelligent. Thanks!!!

[@bjornviir3333]

i like your explanation, covers all the critical areas, no bs. keep it up.

[@kentjensen4504]

Best explanation of this topic I've ever seen. Also, what a wonderful artist. Subscribed.

[@rahuluday4854]

You clearly explained it.Thanks a lot for clearing my confusion❤

[@SWITCHXXXXBLADE]

You have such a warm and vibrant dispositon that makes the content so engaging! Thank You for sharing this information with the world❤

[@betagolchin]

This was great thank you. I bought an odorless thinner as a sub for turpentine. It’s not Gamsol so just want to make sure it’s the right product to use for my under painting. Thank you

[@frikiitona]

Nicely explained thank you 🌷

[@adrianad6302]

This was never even taught to me in college in my intro to painting course. I NEVER knew the difference or when to use each one!

[@gregoryashley7963]

Great video! I currently paint in acrylics and wanted to venture into oils but was very confused about what mediums and solvents were exactly and how they worked. This video cleared it up perfectly. Now I understand and feel more comfortable venturing into oils. Thank you very much for the very clear explanation! Have a great day!

[@smatutina]

besides your great ability to paint, you are a GREAT teacher. Thank you

[@donitafichter8298]

Thank you thank you thank you! Finally a straight forward understandable explanation! I’ll be looking for more of your videos now that you’ve come to my attention! Cheers!

[@troyingram716]

I thought cheating was OK up until I saw your video. Then, I realized I want nothing but your felicity, all I want is fidelity now that I know your love.

[@yousseftheconqueror7842]

Thanks for the explaining, very straightforward

[@prernagupta5779]

This was so simply stated! Very helpful🙏🏻👌

[@SomethingImpromptu]

Excellent, very coherent explanation. I’m only experienced in watercolor/gouache & acrylic (well, & alcohol inks to some extent, but I’m talking painting), but the more I learn the more I feel like sooner or later I’m going to have to give oils a shot… Growing up I associated oil painting more with the hyper-realistic, Renaissance master style stuff, more like what you’re doing, but since I started painting I’ve been realizing just how many of my favorite abstract expressionists, visionary artists- people who do really crazy vibrant paintings, experimental stuff with color & texture & portraying perceptual phenomena that I’m really aesthetically drawn to & fascinated by conceptually, are using oils to great effect (even if some of them are mixed media, oils are a common component). For example I’ve been really digging Annette Schmucker’s recent crazy abstracted landscapes; Gerhard Richter’s abstract expressionist stuff was some of my earliest inspiration & he mostly used oils. I believe Michael (Mix) Lang uses oil at least some of the time. There are too many phenomenal painters I follow to list. But I love the styles they’re able to cultivate even in this more abstract domain using oil because of how slow-drying & workable it is, because they’re able to blend colors so seamlessly & create hazy mists & depth of field sorts of effects- stuff that is so much harder in acrylics, even with slow-drying mediums, & just doesn’t quite give the same effect (though with a slow drying gloss gel I do think you can get a somewhat similar finish & do some similar blending). It definitely seems appealing. I was worried about the toxicity of solvents since I paint indoors too, & was considering whether I should try water-miscible oils instead, but I didn’t realize at the time just how toxic acrylics had the potential to be… so while it still concerns me & I might need to get used to having windows open a lot more than I usually do, I’m not sure how significant the danger is there compared to what I’m already breathing around with acrylics (& sometimes floetrol for acrylic pouring).

[@dbleitch]

The best explanation ever! Thank you

[@findlydesign]

Makes perfect sense. Thank you

[@DDartlover8888]

Love the hand gestures!

[@KyleGCorcoran]

My favorite medium is oleoresgel mixed with linseed oil. It keeps the paint feeling juicy and transparent without being too runny.

[@sharifahbahiyahjamalullail]

So helpful. Thank you!

[@cameronkrause4712]

very clear, and I think the best explanation.

[@Mubarakx91]

Tysm, man! Clear and straight to the point! 💯👏👌💚

[@RamanHarsh-ef2bv]

U r awesome teacher man !!!

[@betagolchin]

I heard Galkyd medium gel yellows landscape oil paintings , especially the skies and it’s better to use Liquin Light instead if you’re painting landscapes. Otherwise Galkyd is great for portraits and general subjects

[@flyingdutchman3582]

Teacher right here! Thanks man

[@sapnupuas9768]

6:32 But isn't Gamsol is odorless mineral Spirit ?

[@KenGoshen]

Technically yes, but not exactly. Gamsol is actually fairly oily and evaporates much slower than generic mineral spirits.

[@marion6124]

Thanks for asking that question. I found that quite confusing - and thankyou Ken for answering.

[@connectionuser4948]

I'm so grateful for this video

[@kofmanmi]

What a great and simple explanation, thank you

[@KenGoshen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DianaCastro-xi4yt]

Is gamsol not an odorless mineral spirit ? I look up gamsol and all is see if gamsol mineral spirit but you say not to use that?

[@SimonaCZK]

Beautifully explained, thank you 🙂

[@watzupbuttercup]

Thank you! Best video I've found that explains some of these basic concepts for us beginners!! Subscribed!

[@KenGoshen]

I'm glad to hear! Thank you for the support!

[@anticreative1]

Wow, this is exactly what i needed. Amazing explanation, thanks so much

[@KenGoshen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@maryherouvis361]

Now I understand fat on lean concept. TY for this explanation.

[@CarolH2]

Hello, I am from soft pastel and oil pastel, only began about a year ago. The dust from the soft pastels I am now concerned I've already inhaled the heavy metals from the dust it makes. So I switched to oil pastels. But, now I'm at the point where I want to begin to learn how to use oil paints! So thank you for this video! Where or how did you learn?

[@untildawnstudio7152]

Great explanations about the subject, best i have seen so far! Thank you

[@KrstnaSchroeder]

i mix a couple drops of linseed oil with my solvent for underpainting...i love it. i ONLY use GAMBLIN products these days....and yes i have almost the entire line(never got the galkyd slow dry, dc'd before i started in oils and cant find it anyway.

[@JimGallo]

At 6:15 you say to use Gamsol as solvent but at 6:32 you say DO NOT get odorless mineral spirits and I'm confused because it literally says "100% Odorless Mineral Spirits" on my bottle of Gamsol...

[@AkiraAoyama]

Hello, I am not sure if you'll see my comment but I just found this video, well it was mostly a suggestion that appeared and it was really interesting, I really liked it! With how you explained it, I'll be able to remember easily the difference between the two. I started taking Oil Painting class because I always wanted to learn. It my second year but I didn't know everything about solvant and medium so thank you for your explanation. As for the tools I use as medium, I'm curently using the "Médium Vénitien" by Lefranc Bourgeois. And as solvant, I used the one recommended by the teacher that I really like by Marin. (Marin Beaux-Art) I must try the one you use though. Thank you again for your video.

[@colleenmoses765]

Thanks Ken that was very helpful! Easy to both understand and remember!

[@heyvalid]

GO KEN!!! Keep it up! This is awesome!

[@KenGoshen]

Thanks Jas!

[@jaspiness]

Thank you!

[@M_Arts11]

Finally i understand it 😇 Thanks!

[@zannek9342]

Dear Ken, it's amazing, I never thought like that, and I will try. I was wondering : what pigments/colours did you use to have thos beautifull brown color in your Rembrandt portrait ? Thank you for sharing all this, and thank you if you find time to answer me :)

[@Mooneo67]

Thanks, man! I feel more confident.

[@miriamgreen3973]

I asked (someone else) what medium glazed acrylic. I got an answer, bought it and it smeared the dried paint which is what I was avoiding. Oil seems to be the way to go. I only used acrylic when my children were little years ago so they wouldn't be around toxic solvents.

[@BeckyThomas-xx6qk]

Thank you for that video. I did have a question . I see some artist do a washy back ground with Gamsol and it looks as if they leave it that way. Im confused about that because I thought you always need a binder to keep it from flaking off. I hope you can help. Thanks!

[@ackartist1863]

Thanks. Reading lots online left me confused until I found YOU. Thanks. AckArtist

[@pim1234]

Just what I needed, tnx !

[@ahmeds.mansour1293]

Beautiful explanation, thank you🎉

[@KenGoshen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Diaco3]

You are the light at the end of a dark tunnel. This video is ✨✨✨

[@KenGoshen]

Glad to hear it helped!

[@CartoonDrawingStudio]

Great explanation !!!

[@justusthompson6736]

Doesn't solvent harm natural hair brushes? So should you use your natural hair brushes on the under painting?

[@teajovanovska4115]

Are solvents dangerous for health and if they are what is the safest to use❤

[@mitchellwebster2392]

HI KEN. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU EXPLAIN IN A BIT MORE DEPTH WHEN & HOW YOU USE GALKYD, GALKYD LITE, SLOW DRY AND NEO-MEGILP. I HAVE ALL I FIND GENERALLY I USE GALKYD & GALKYD LITE, THOUGH I FIND MYSELF BEING VERY PERPLEXED IN WHEN & WHY I WOULD USE NEO-MEGILP? THOUGH I WOULD LIKE TO! BTW I ALSO USE GAMSOL.

[@africo9104]

Finally you solved my solvent problem, thanks.

[@johndoe-lw1xo]

What’s a good medium that dries fast but doesn’t leave the surface shiny? 🤔

[@wallybeep]

Excellent. Really.

[@KenGoshen]

Thank you!

[@amandainamandopia3307]

Wow, this is a great channel! This videl helps me a lot!

[@KenGoshen]

Thanks for watching! Feel free to share. :)

[@gwendolinkircali1801]

Great video, thanks!

[@KenGoshen]

Thanks for watching!

[@Feliciano6690]

What’s a good medium for acrylic paint?

[@fueu2617]

Great stuff and thanks

[@KenGoshen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Llaveocculto]

Great explanation thanks so much for your help!🏆

[@MsHavingablast]

Very useful. Thank you

[@KenGoshen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lynnellengordon9844]

Have you tried Zest -it?

[@marcofontolan6592]

I suggest you use some classical medium like : mix1(1/2 linseed oil 1/2 turpentine) or mix2 (1/3 walnut oil 1/3 damar varnish 1/3 turpentine) There are a lot of mixture possible. Actually you can tone your canvases whit a medium like liquin but you have to apply it by stumbling and erase what you want by using solvent.

[@KenGoshen]

The "classical medium" mixture is similar to what you find in some ready-to-use contemporary mediums. Yes, you can stain with Liquin, but it has consequences and you need to know what you're doing.

[@dddd5989]

May I ask, is there any solvent minerals spirits paint thinner that I can dispose it in the trash can garbage? Please and thank you.

[@KenGoshen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@yossibl]

חן, הסבר נפלא! תוכל לרשום את שמות החומרים? קשה לתפוס מה הם.

[@mojganhannani6920]

Thanks for the explanations. What do think about “solvent-free Gel”?

[@JunkBondTrader]

so confused now. Don't alot of people use linseed as their primer? What is wet on wet painting? Bob Ross for example used something very similar to linseed+white. Some channels say use that combination, you say don't like it's a mortal sin lol, some say use _liquin_ whatever the hell that is lol. What's the deal with all this conflicting info?

[@KenGoshen]

The deal is there are disagreements in the field, like in any field.

[@jonathanbeck8724]

Try making a paste of chalk powder + linseed oil, it's a nice extender, even though it makes the color dry slightly paler and matte. The chalk powder is inert and not really white once it's mixed in the oil. Same can be done with stand oil.

[@KenGoshen]

This does create very cool effects.

[@PeterMortensenLit]

Heay one could use solvent as a finising touch on and orange wich have an unevan surface and looks prickly. Is that ppossible maby ?

[@kamisama7522]

thank you this was very clear do you clean brushes with solvent

[@KenGoshen]

I have this video with the info about how I clean my brushes. Hope it helps!

[@subratasingha1138]

Thank you 😊

[@KenGoshen]

You're welcome 😊

[@callmedeno]

Wait I've never seen a gamsol that wasn't odourless mineral spirts. What is the exact name of the gamsol you recommend for painting with?

[@elisebeaupre6857]

not gunna lie, my first painting, I did the under paint with linseed oil :((( I didn't know any better!!! I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN! so sorry ken :(

[@KenGoshen]

We learn from mistakes! :)

[@YYRRable]

it is a great videso. tks a lot. Should I use more Liquin in each following layer? if i only use liquin medium. tks

[@KenGoshen]

With Liquin you don't really have to be too concerned, it performs well in most ratios for most layers.

[@lekevenable]

Sorry for my misunderstanding but Gamsol is an odourless mineral spirit ? I think you said not to use Odourless mineral spirit cause they are too harsh but Gamsol is OMS too ? Thanks for the videos I like it

[@CourneliusX]

Gamsol is like Sansodor right?

[@KenGoshen]

I haven't painted with Sansodor so I can't testify based on personal experience, but in theory it's similar, yes.

[@andrewansaldiiii7441]

Awesome video!!!!

[@KenGoshen]

Thanks for watching!

[@bernadinebritto]

I don’t use a solvent. I use liquin throughout. But I let layers dry. Is it bad ?

[@JasonX68]

the question is why to do portrait in painting? A simple photo shot is better.

[@yurobloomy7005]

"it's like washing your dishes with honey" such a good parable

[@vegardr5333]

Any thoughts on or experience with citrus Solvent? Its supposedly non- toxic.

[@NidhiBhatia1]

Hi Ken, it was a very nice video...just to the point and nicely explained. I am a professional artist from India and many a times different types of mediums are not available here. Do you mind sharing an insight between Linseed oil and Liquin ( which specific one )..which one is better. These days i am trying my hand in a more painterly way so probably i am looking for a medium that is in between ...not very slow drying and not too fast either. Helps in finishing a A4 size painting in 2-3 days !!.

[@ceciliatulip]

Linseed oil or galkyd for medium? What’s your preferred?

[@lydiagralla133]

After years of painting with Liquin (and loving the results) I was getting "warnings" from multiple painters, etc. that using Liquin will cause the paint to deteriorate over time (this was about 10= years ago and I did stop using the Liquin with lots of regrets). As to how much time was unclear but a successful painting, I would like to last a few hundred years! Do you have any current information regarding this issue?

[@KenGoshen]

I don't have any information on this. It doesn't worry me personally.

[@The_69_duck]

Thanks! It's a great video!!!

[@KenGoshen]

Glad you liked it!

[@origami2365]

Which medium would you recommend for a very transparent layer? Does Gamsol is for cleaning brushes only or also for a thin first layer? (Does sansodor same?) Thanks a lot!

[@Dale_Blackburn]

Ken can you say from what age you started oil painting?

[@KenGoshen]

I started playing with it when I was 17, then took it up more seriously when I was 22.

[@alicearzooyan7861]

If your on a budjet could you just buy a medium? I have never used oil paint and i dont know hwere to start 😅

[@KenGoshen]

I'd buy a solvent way before a medium. No doubt.

[@Thegoon9000]

Is there a solvent free solvent replacement for under painting?

[@KenGoshen]

You can do your underpainting in water-based ink.

[@abhinavbhardwaj6689]

I really want to know why does your under painting so matte

[@matteolepore4677]

Michael Carson uses to cover the canvas with linseed oil and use linseed oil from start to the end, no solvent at all.. he’s a pretty famous artist

[@KenGoshen]

The very famous Chris Ofili painted with elephant dung - perhaps that's also a worthwhile technique to try.

[@matteolepore4677]

@@KenGoshen the difference is I can get linseed oil wherever I want and it smells definitely better