oil and alkyd

[ehoeveler]

Dear Joe: Saw this wonderful pic by John Koehler done in oil and
alkyd. Is it the alkyd that contributes to the 'lit' quality in this piece?
What is alkyd? How do I use it? ehoeveler

[Singular]

Hi Elizabeth,
Oil and alkyd are pretty much the same thing and can be used interchangeably. The main difference is the resin. Alkyd uses a synthetic resin. Hence, it is a man-made oil. Alkyds dry faster. I don't think that they are as good as conventional oils when painting in layers. It may be personal preference, but I believe that oils are a much better quality.

By the way, that is a great picture and I don't think that alkyds had anything to do with the lit quality.

"See Ya" later,
Joe

[ehoeveler]

Thanks, Joe; Elizabeth