Ways to Use Oil of Spike Lavender

                              Direct link to Oil of Spike Lavender product page HERE.

1) Mix with Linseed Oil and tube paints for a smoother brush flow. Use just a drop.

2) Use with a Q-tip to erase mistakes. Even mistakes that have dried can generally be removed.

3) Mix with Burnt Sienna or Umber for an underpainting. If you use a small amount of pigment with Spike Oil, the Spike Oil will evaporate leaving your underpainting with the tooth of the canvas intact. You can then begin to lay on the paint.

4) Dissolve damar crystals. Find a glass jar and put a couple of teaspoons of damar crystals in it. Cover the crystals with Oil of Spike Lavender. Depending on the size of the crystals, they will dissolve in a week or two.

5) Ground color – imprimatura. This provides a painter with a transparent toned ground over the entire canvas, which will allow light falling onto the painting to reflect through the paint layers. In the classical use of this approach, the middle tone of the imprimatura unifies the painting and allows the painter to judge highlights and shadow areas of the painting.

6) Rescue brushes. If you have brush with dried paint on it, soak it in Oil of Spike Lavender, preferably not tip down as this will bend the tip of the brush. Try laying the brush on its side at an angle with the brush hair resting in a spoonful of oil.

7) A direct replacement for turpentine.

8) Use in making varnish: Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil , a resin, and a thinner or solvent. We have several music instrument makers who use Oil of Spike Lavender in their varnish.

9) Adhesion to lower layers of paint. Some painters do a quick wipe of Oil of Spike Lavender over the previous layer of paint to give it “tooth” and better adhesion for the newly applied layer of paint.

10) Enjoy the scent, and imagine yourself painting with Jan van Eyck, Geerard David, Roger van der Weyden and Hans Memling in the 1400s!