Walnut Oil

Our walnut oil is cold-pressed from freshly dried English walnuts (Juglans regia) grown in California and then lightly refined. It is a clear, pale yellow oil that is odorless. As a thin oil, it makes oil paint more fluid. As it yellows less than linseed oil (but more than safflower oil), it is suitable for making pale oil colors. Walnut oil dries more slowly than linseed oil, drying in four or five days. It is said to have a less tendency to crack than linseed oil, but research has not verified this.

Use

Use to make oil colors and thin oil colors. This oil is excellent for making and thinning whites and pale colors.

Because of its safety and odor, some woodworkers prefer walnut oil as a finish for implements that come in contact with food, such as cutting boards and wooden bowls. People who formulate wood finish value walnut oil as an ingredient because of the edibility of both ingredients. The oil is typically combined with beeswax in a mixture of 1:2 oil to beeswax.

Use turpentine, spike oil, or mineral spirits as the solvent for oil painting mediums and brush and studio clean-up.

Source

Walnut oil is a pale yellow drying oil derived from freshly dried walnuts (Juglans regia). Most of the walnut oil sold in the United States of America is produced in California. There are also producers in France, Australia, and New Zealand. There are two types of walnut oil commercially available: cold-pressed and refined. Cold-pressed walnut oil is typically more expensive due to losing a higher percentage of the oil. Refined walnut oil is expeller pressed and may be saturated with a solvent to extract the highest percentage of oil in the nut meat. The solvent is subsequently eliminated by heating the mixture to around 200 °C (400 °F). Both methods produce food-grade oils. However, cold pressing preserves more nutrients and flavor—not crucial for use in paint.

History

As early as the fifth century, walnut oil was recommended by Aetius for varnishing wax pictures and gilt surfaces. It is recommended for all light pigments in the treatises on the painting by Leonardo da Vinci, Vasari, Borghini, Lornazzo, Armenini, Bisagno, Volpato, and others.

Health and Safety

No acute or known chronic health hazards are associated with this product's anticipated use (most chemicals are not thoroughly tested for chronic toxicity). Protect yourself against potentially unknown chronic hazards of this and other chemical products by keeping them out of your body. Do this by avoiding ingestion, excessive skin contact, and inhaling spraying mists, sanding dust, and vapors from heating. Conforms to ASTM D-4236.

WARNING: Rags or paper towels contaminated with vegetable drying oils, particularly those containing iron oxide pigments, are susceptible to spontaneous combustion. To prevent unexpected fires, used rags or paper towels contaminated with oil-based materials should be collected in a closable, air-tight container. Store water-dampened rags or paper towels in a metal container with an air-tight top. Alternatively, washing contaminated rags will remove contaminating materials and eliminate risk.

For more information on handling artists' materials safely, please read How to Safely Handle Art Materials and Pigments.

Storage

For best results, store in a cool, dry place tightly closed.