transparent enamels 1200 F - brands

[Peter Angel]

Jen

Have you tried mixing the Reusche paints with W&N Liquin?

If so what results did you get?

Pete

[Vonon]

Has the flammable property of Liquin caused you any problems? As an aside - I love the odor of Liquin. It smells like happy times in the studio.

[Bert Weiss]

I was taught to use venice turpentine, sometimes called stand oil. It is turpentine that has evaporated a lot of liquid away.

[Buttercup]

Pete, I haven't tried the Reusche stainers with Liquin yet because I have an on-going batch mixed up with clove oil which I've (lazily) just kept adding to and remixing as it dries up, sometimes with a bit of lavender oil too, and was concerned there may be compatibility issues if remixed with Liquin. I will definitely try it when I've exhausted the current puddle or feel like starting afresh. I can't see why it wouldn't work. I'll let you know. The Liquin is not reminiscent of a trip to the dentist so that's an advantage.

It does dry quickly so there's not a lot of open time for blending and removing paint but it's an advantage if you want to add a second or third layer before firing. I don't think I'd use it on any large pieces that might require a large single area of blending. Because it dries so quickly I don't risk my badger blender but instead use an oval wash brush.

Vonon, you made me curious because there are not any warnings on the bottle, (I don't think so, it's in the workshop right now and I'm not) so I looked on-line and W & N says Liquin's not flammable, Liquin Oleopasto is. I've never used that and know nothing about it.

I haven't tried Venice turpentine with glass paints, Bert. Do you like the effect? Jen

[Vonon]

Jen. The PDF I found for Liquin Original says flammable but if you've not had a problem then I'll give it a try. It has been a wonderful medium for oil painting by being open long enough for blending but ready for another layer the next day.

http://www.jacksonsart.com/images/PDF/liqor.pdf

[Bert Weiss]

I was taught about venice turpentine, but I usually work with water miscible media. When I want slow drying, I mix in glycerin. Even Seven up works. That is an American soda pop, so it is essentially sugar water.

I make my own water miscible medium with propylene glycol, glycerine, and a bit of binder, usually gum arabic mixed in with the powder. I haven't figured out if this needs an extra dab of dish soap, or if the other ingredients already to the dish soap thing.

There used to be a pine oil medium called 175. Unfortunately the basic ingredient they used, is no longer available. The reformulated version is not as good as the old one.

[Morganica]

Pete, I haven't tried the Reusche stainers with Liquin yet because I have an on-going batch mixed up with clove oil which I've (lazily) just kept adding to and remixing as it dries up, sometimes with a bit of lavender oil too, and was concerned there may be compatibility issues if remixed with Liquin. I will definitely try it when I've exhausted the current puddle or feel like starting afresh. I can't see why it wouldn't work. I'll let you know. The Liquin is not reminiscent of a trip to the dentist so that's an advantage.

Lavender oil? Be careful. I worked with a pate de verre artist in France who used lavender oil in her frit packs (mostly because she lived in Provence and you could buy last-pressing lavender oil by the quart, very cheaply). I took a couple of quarts home with me and tried the same thing in my studio (which at the time was at one end of my bedroom).

Packed my mold and stuck it in the kiln, started the firing schedule and after awhile big gouts of oily brown smoke poured out of the kiln and nearly suffocated me. (throat closed up, eyes stung, heart started pounding, it was really miserable. One of my cats went into full respiratory distress--both wound up staying at the vet's) I moved out until I could get it all cleared out and there was greasy brown scum all over everything.

I remembered (a bit late) that my friend fired her work in an outbuilding with great cross-ventilation, not a bedroom with the windows closed. I'd never noticed the oil/stench except as a mild odor coming from the kiln building...

Anyway, be careful with that stuff--you're probably not using nearly as much, but still be careful.

[Buttercup]

Jen. The PDF I found for Liquin Original says flammable but if you've not had a problem then I'll give it a try. It has been a wonderful medium for oil painting by being open long enough for blending but ready for another layer the next day.

http://www.jacksonsart.com/images/PDF/liqor.pdf

Vonon, here's the PDF I read after your post.http://www.winsornewton.com/assets/Heal ... 412205.pdf

I just checked the label on the bottle in the workshop, (bravely fought my way through 30 metres of bright sunshine and warm breezes, it is winter here ) The only warning says 'Dangerous or fatal if swallowed'. It is old, it's made in England, not some third world factory. I know it's old because there's no website on the label! (I will, however, take it out of the cocktail cabinet as it's far too expensive to drink anyway.)

There hasn't been any smoking during firing, or any strange smells. I will pay particular attention next time I fire some. Thanks for the heads up.

Bert, do you pre-mix the propylene glycol with paint and allow it to slake for some time or do you just toss some in when you're ready to use it? I mixed some up, left it to slake and forgot about it so I can't comment on it. If planning to do a larger piece or one that needs lifting out I'd keep to the traditional mixture of gum arabic and water unless someone can reassure me something else would would work better. Does your mixture allow for lifting out, or does it 'set' firmly as Liquin does, or a mixture with too much gum arabic?

Cynthia, you're right, I'm only using a tiny amount of lavender at any one time, literally a couple of drops, so don't anticipate a problem. Your experience sounds really traumatic, especially for your kitties. I'm glad you all recovered and thank you for sharing that. Jen

[Bert Weiss]

I mix my paint when I plan to use it. That said, if I put glycerin in it, it can sit on the palette without drying for a month or more. If I want it to dry immediately, I put it in a warm kiln. It dries.

I have tried to mix paint and store it in a jar. I can not make this work. This might work using Thompson A-14. I'm told it does, but I never tried it. I wish I knew what the active ingredient is in A-14 that makes it work. Expensive stuff.