Ask Paint Coach: Oil Medium vs. Paint Thinner — What’s the Difference?

All right, welcome to Ask a Paint Coach. Today's question is a question I get asked a lot in many different forms which is when do we use oil and when for paint thinner. I'm guessing they're asking when do I use paint thinner or Gamsol mineral spirits and when do I use oil like the linseed oil or whatever medium you're using. There's no one clear-cut answer for this but if I was to give one answer it'd be the beginning of your painting maybe when you're blocking things out putting those initial layers you'll probably want to use more of the mineral spirits the Gamsol you know thinning your paint it's more almost I wouldn't say like watercolor unless you're doing an underpainting but it's a lot thinner and as you progress with your painting you want your paint to get thicker. I always say you know towards the beginning of your painting you're pushing the paint around you know it's probably soupier more paint thinner then as you start working you'll start using less and less paint thinner maybe start introducing some more oil or linseed oil whatever your medium is don't get too you know confused or think too much about the medium all the medium does is just change the consistency of the paint at least if you're starting out with oil painting that's all you should be concerned about don't worry worrying about getting to dry faster this or that like you don't need to be worrying about that right now if you're just starting out and then by the end of the painting you're applying the paint remember at the beginning of the painting you're pushing the paint by the end you're applying the paint almost like a sticker means you're probably not using any mineral spirits or medium you're probably using really thicker paint and you're laying on a stroke and hopefully leaving it there so that's paint with paint thinner paint with medium just straight paint don't get thin to thick confused with that over lean if you're just starting out with oil painting I wouldn't even really worry about fat over lean fat over lean is something you have to worry about if you're painting a painting over a long period of time and if you're just starting out I highly recommend not doing paintings that take a whole lot of time because you're going to get better by doing a lot more quicker paintings like you'll get a whole lot better doing 30 paintings in 30 days than one painting for 30 days but probably the easiest way to answer this question is don't use medium at all you don't need to use it tons and tons of masterful oil painters don't use it because they like the consistency of the paint and if you're confused about it I just tell beginners just use your mineral spirits and the paint and a lot of times it actually is really good for beginners because it forces them to use enough paint instead of reaching for the medium to get like your stroke to last longer on the canvas you're going to be forced to load your brush with more paint and I'd say about 99 percent of students do not load their brush with enough paint so if you're just starting out just use paint and mineral spirits if you want a question and want to ask on ask paint coach leave it in the comments below and I just might answer it in a future episode all right it's time for you to get off the internet and go get painting