Can mediums be used to build texture with oils?

Alkyd mediums are an effective way to build texture, especially thick impasto mediums such as Winsor & Newton’s Oleopasto. This can be mixed with oil colour to create thick layers of paint that hold their shape but dry within a day or two.

You can also mix these mediums with a range of media (textured substances) to great effect – sand is often a popular choice. It is also possible to introduce texture into primers, such as gesso, which can be applied onto something like a thick watercolour paper or canvas. As the gesso is acrylic, it will dry quite quickly, with the texture remaining intact. Oil washes done with Sans Odour could then be layered for thin but visually exciting textures such as drips or splashes.