What Is A Solvent? And What Effect Does It Have On Your Work?
Solvents are a crucial weapon for artists because they help in thinning out the paint.
Some of the commonly used solvents are turpentine, mineral spirits, acetone, naphtha, and DMF. All of them act as paint thinners, but this isn't the sole purpose of these solvents. Solvents, by definition, are something that can dissolve a solute.
In this case, the solvents under discussion, turpentine, and mineral spirits, can dissolve a solute, paint. Oil paint is a mixture of pigment and oil. The solvents target the oil component in the oil paint and don't interact with the pigment.
The solvent transforms the oily part of oil paint into something more of a watery consistency. So one should take care while using the solvents as they can get your oil paint to be awfully thin.
Mineral Spirits vs. Turpentine – What Are They Formulated From?
The most common “solvent” used in the paint industry is mineral spirits. This is a paint-thinner, less toxic than turpentine. You can use it for both: to clean oil and paint off of brushes and materials.Mineral spirits are used to thin oil-based paints, inks, varnishes, and shellac in the painting industry.
Mineral spirits are a petroleum-derived clear liquid used as a common organic solvent in painting. Different types and different grades of mineral spirit exist. Experts carefully make mineral spirits by combining hydrocarbons with alicyclic and aliphatic oils in accurate portions.
The industrial-grade, which can also be called Stoddard Solvent,