This section is dedicated to my work with small-scale production of the finest and purest Linseed oil mediums for artists, a project which i have been working with since 2013. My interest on the subject arouse when I – while randomly searching after rare art materials, came across several articles containing comprehensive information about artist´s oils, mediums and paints – the methods used in their production, and the problems which can be associated with products, painting practice and artwork based on the use modern industrial Linseed oil.

Modern extraction methods were developed for large-scale production, and were in use since the early times of industry. New extraction and processing techniques were more efficient and improved production, allowing manufacturers to maximize extraction – by recovering oil from the seeds with minimal loss, thus increasing profitability and enabling them to widely supply the markets were the demand for drying oils was increasingly high.

Oils are classified by the names: Linseed and flaxseed oils. They are basically the same, and both extracted from from flax (Linum usitatissimum)

The difference is that  Linseed is a modern term used to describe non-edible oils utilized in a wide range of products used for wood-coating , floor covering, varnishes, artists paints and mediums, etc. Oils labeled as “Linseed” have gone through extensive refining processes often involving the use of solvents, chemicals, high heat, sometimes followed by the addition of driers, depending of what purposes the oil is created for.

Flaxseed oils are unrefined, food-grade and generally sold as an health supplement; the oil is highly valued for it´s nutritional properties and considered as a important source of Omega-3 fatty acids. The flaxseeds are subjected to low heat while pressed – a method know as cold pressing, which preserves the oils natural properties and gives the best quality. This oil should be kept cold and in the dark, in order to avoid it becoming rancid and bad tasting. Some producers may add flavors and antioxidants to their oils, in order to improve taste and shelf life/durability.

Although the unrefined Flax oil must be kept in airtight dark bottles for preservation of its sweet taste, the oil that is to be used by artists must be exposed to oxygen and sunlight. When the oil is exposed to oxygen it will begin to thicken (polymerize) and it loses its sweet taste by its increased acidification. For those who drink it, the oil will taste ‘ rancid’ and ‘ spoiled’ . The exposure to oxygen and sunlight will also bleach the oil, making it become a much faster drying oil. These are important demands by artists.

Artists oils must have good drying properties and there are different types of oils used for painting, all having different properties, advantages and issues. The oil from Flax has been used for centuries, and considered to be the oil with the best properties, being favored and most used by artists. Its applications as pigment binder were already described by Theophilus in the 11th century, long time before the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck discovered and developed entirely new painting techniques, revolutionizing its use and setting new standards in the field of oil painting during the early 15th century.

The Flaxseed oil:

from seeds to painting medium

The Old Masters medium
My oil workshop

 

 

Page being updated, more topics and pictures related to this project will come soon …