Are you an artist? Do you like to paint? If so, have you ever used Liquin or Galkyd? What about other brands of mediums? In this post, we’re going to take a look at the differences between Liquin and Galkyd and see which one is better. The results may surprise you. So, let’s get started with Liquin vs Galkyd!
What are Liquin and Galkyd?
Liquin is a brand of varnish made by Winsor & Newton. Liquin is a clear, colorless medium with a low viscosity. Liquin is made from alkyd resin and mineral spirits.
Galkyd is a brand of varnish made by Gamblin. Galkyd is a clear, colorless, and odorless medium with a high viscosity. Galkyd is made from alkyd resin like Liquin but has added mineral spirits which means it’s not an oil-based medium.
Both are used by artists who paint in oil paints as a way to thin oil paint, make it dry faster, and create different finishes and glazes when mixed with small amounts of oil paints.
Liquin vs Galkyd
Why does it make sense to compare Liquin to Galkyd when they serve such different purposes? The solution is in the oil painting technique and the completed work.
Some artists like to use Liquin over Galkyd because it doesn’t have the same glare when the paint dries, it yellows less over time, and it doesn’t have that ‘oily’ finish.
Galkyd provides a more traditional oil paint appearance with a smooth and glossy finish. It is also known to be less likely to cause wrinkling on the paint surface.
Like Galkyd, Liquin is an alkyd resin. At this point, the liquin vs galkyd comparison is showing that they are both pretty much the same product.
Both Galkyd and Liquin should not be used as a varnish layer on an already finished oil painting.
It is best to use a specialized varnish for this purpose. Galkyd and Liquin dry to a plastic finish, therefore you don’t need to apply a varnish as they dry glossy or semi-glossy.
Can I use Galkyd over Liquin?
Yes, you can. Galkyd is more resistant to yellowing and it dries harder. Both are basically the same type of medium so why would you bother?
Liquin is a thinner paint, so if you want to add body to your paint, you can use Galkyd over Liquin.
The only difficulty I encountered using either Galkyd and Liquin was it felt like I was painting over a plastic canvas once either had started to dry. I like to work slow when I paint using oil paints and I found the roughly 24 hour touch dry period too fast for my style of painting as I can sit on a painting for days in between sessions.
Galkyd lite vs Galkyd – is there much of a difference?
I tested both Galkyd Lite and Regular Galkyd side by side on two separate occasions. The first time I used them was to see if there was a noticeable difference in the drying time and the second time was to see if one made the paint more fluid than the other.
I didn’t notice any significant difference in the drying time of the two products. They both dried at a similar rate and I was able to work with them in the same way.
I did notice that Galkyd Lite made the paint more fluid than Regular Galkyd. This was an advantage as it helped me to spread the paint thinly over the surface and achieve a more even coverage.
How to dispose of Galkyd and Liquin
Liquin and Galkyd are both petroleum-based products and should be disposed of in the same way. You can either landfill them or recycle them.
If you decide to landfill them, make sure that you do so in a safe and responsible manner. You should also avoid disposing of them in areas where they might contaminate water supplies.
If you decide to recycle them, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Firstly, you need to make sure that the products are completely empty. Secondly, you need to clean the containers before recycling them. Finally, you need to check with your local authorities to see if they accept these products for recycling.
How Liquin is more effective than Galkyd?
- Liquin is slower drying than Galkyd. The time is marginal compared to when using an oil based medium which can take days to dry.
- Liquin gives just as durable a surface as Galkyd. This might prevent scratches.
- When using Liquin, I find that the colors remain true to their original hue.
- Liquin also doesn’t yellow over time.
- Liquin can be used to create a high gloss finish.
- When used in the correct proportions, Liquin-based oil paintings do not crack over time.
How Galkyd is more effective than Liquin
- Galkyd makes your paint dry faster than Liquin, which can be helpful if you’re trying to finish a painting quickly.
- Galkyd is odorless compared to Liquin which can smell quite bad. Odorless does not mean it isn’t dangerous to inhale its contents so use it in a well-ventilated room.
- Galkyd can also make your colors more vibrant.
- Galkyd can be used to create a matte finish.
- When used in the correct proportions, Galkyd-based oil paintings are less likely to crack over time.
- Galkyd provides a flexible enamel-like finish.
- Galkyd can be used with larger quantities of oil paint compared to Liquin. This helps to provide flatter and more level brush strokes giving a smoother result.
- Galkyd works well with thicker applications of oil paint such as impastos but this means it takes longer than Liquin to dry, it can take as long as linseed oil to dry.
My Findings
I’ve tested both products and my findings are that Liquin is marginally more effective if you are an artist who needs or likes to work quickly and likes to work on their paintings a few hours more.
It is also slightly more effective if you need a high gloss finish. If you are looking for something to give your painting more texture or body, then Galkyd would be the better choice.
Overall I found very little difference between using Galkyd or Liquin. As I mentioned in another post I prefer the traditional feel of Linseed oil compared to these synthetic mediums as it feels more natural and less plastic.
I also found the following product but did not have a chance to test it out but from my own research I found that it is quite a comparable product to Liquin and Galkyd.
I recommend you test the products for yourself and see what works best for you, your style and your artwork! I hope Which Is Better? Liquin Vs Galkyd has answered all your questions when it comes to these two types of mediums for oil paints.
Sources
Cover image boxing ring by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay Text using Canva.
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