Three Coffee Cups

Three coffee cups. 6x9, oil on paper.

This was one of the first pieces I did using medium with my oils. At the university, we used Liquin as a glazing medium. Before that I used straight linseed oil for glazing. Of course there's not glazing in the alla prima technique so abandoned the use of any medium for a long time. I would use thinner to create a ground and sometimes I'd layer some washes in my under painting, but for the painting itself I would dip my brush into pure paint and go. 

Using an oil medium has really opened up a new world for me. Currently, I'm using a mixture of linseed oil, sun-baked linseed oil, and mineral spirits. Doing so had done several things for me. I can now get more confident strokes because the paint is easier to control. I can get a wider variety of marks. I use less paint and create less waste. I get the work done faster.