Comments on: Doak’s cristallo medium http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/ Making and Thinking About Visual Art Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:18:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/comment-page-1/#comment-6872 David Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:59:17 +0000 http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/#comment-6872 <p>Mel,</p> <p>That's nothing like the Cristallo I got. I'd give Doak a call and ask for another tube. It does not, in my experience, make paint dry either faster or more slowly.</p> <p>As far as surface goes, what I generally do is either <a href="http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/08/05/wet-sanding/">wet sand</a> or apply a very, very thin layer of medium to the surface. Either of those approaches makes it much easier to go in with the next layer of paint.</p> Mel,

That’s nothing like the Cristallo I got. I’d give Doak a call and ask for another tube. It does not, in my experience, make paint dry either faster or more slowly.

As far as surface goes, what I generally do is either wet sand or apply a very, very thin layer of medium to the surface. Either of those approaches makes it much easier to go in with the next layer of paint.

]]> By: Mel http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/comment-page-1/#comment-6871 Mel Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:52:06 +0000 http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/#comment-6871 <p>One more thought: As a pastel painter for 40 years, I used pumice/gesso or pumice/matte acryilc medium to recover areas that needed work. It sort of sealed, isolated the previous layer of pastel, made a muddy but toothy surface for reworking.</p> <p>Is there anything I could use in a similar fashion on an oil painting to get a toothy surface back when the surface has become too slick to suit me?</p> One more thought: As a pastel painter for 40 years, I used pumice/gesso or pumice/matte acryilc medium to recover areas that needed work. It sort of sealed, isolated the previous layer of pastel, made a muddy but toothy surface for reworking.

Is there anything I could use in a similar fashion on an oil painting to get a toothy surface back when the surface has become too slick to suit me?

]]> By: Mel http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/comment-page-1/#comment-6870 Mel Sat, 22 Sep 2007 22:47:19 +0000 http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/#comment-6870 <p>I bouoght some Cristallo and mine isn't the consistency of ketchup, it's like Dorland's wax medium, very stiff. I can't squeeze it from the tube, I have to drag it out with the end of a paintbrush. Maybe it's a bad batch or has gotten old. I did mix it with a little thinner and a little paint and applied it to the surface of a painting, just to see how it dries. It's been a couple of days and it's still tacky. (granted this is Florida in hurricane season, but my studio has A/C)</p> <p>Just wonder if any of the ingredients would slow down drying time. Or if it should be returned.</p> I bouoght some Cristallo and mine isn’t the consistency of ketchup, it’s like Dorland’s wax medium, very stiff. I can’t squeeze it from the tube, I have to drag it out with the end of a paintbrush. Maybe it’s a bad batch or has gotten old. I did mix it with a little thinner and a little paint and applied it to the surface of a painting, just to see how it dries. It’s been a couple of days and it’s still tacky. (granted this is Florida in hurricane season, but my studio has A/C)

Just wonder if any of the ingredients would slow down drying time. Or if it should be returned.

]]> By: David http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/comment-page-1/#comment-481 David Sun, 31 Dec 2006 21:48:03 +0000 http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/#comment-481 <p>MIchelle,</p> <p>Thanks for the comment on Doak's medium. I agree that it's a good general painting medium; but for glazing, not so much.</p> MIchelle,

Thanks for the comment on Doak’s medium. I agree that it’s a good general painting medium; but for glazing, not so much.

]]> By: Michelle Philip http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/comment-page-1/#comment-480 Michelle Philip Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:55:15 +0000 http://rourkevisualart.com/wordpress/2006/12/23/doaks-cristallo-medium/#comment-480 <p>I have been using Robert Doak's Cristallo for a year. I find it is perfect for mixing with paint that is already fairly stiff, such as Holbein oils. It helps the handling without thinning it, perfect for an alla prima style. When I have tried it for thinner glazing effects (by thinning the paint with solvent plus Cristallo), the crystals can be annoying because they move around under the brush and leave streaks. Overall, I am very pleased to have discovered this medium - I can't imagine heading out to do landscape without it.</p> I have been using Robert Doak’s Cristallo for a year. I find it is perfect for mixing with paint that is already fairly stiff, such as Holbein oils. It helps the handling without thinning it, perfect for an alla prima style. When I have tried it for thinner glazing effects (by thinning the paint with solvent plus Cristallo), the crystals can be annoying because they move around under the brush and leave streaks. Overall, I am very pleased to have discovered this medium — I can’t imagine heading out to do landscape without it.

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