I have just purchased a small tube of C Roberson's Maroger oil medium. It cost a fortune to buy here in Australia. I must mad!!!

I am fairly sure that it not the same as the traditional Maroger used several centuries ago by the masters, but I decided to give it a go any way.

Interesting that the recommended usage in 1:1 proportion with paint.

So far, I like its slow drying properties, non gloss surface, the soft and juicy texture making it ideal for palette knife.  I may be mistaken but it seems to enhace the colours.

I am also experimenting with a combination of Maroger and Clear Oil paint 1:1:1 with oil paint.   Apart from making the paint go further (which is not an issue for me because I small) it gives the paint a slightly translucent effect.  

Having fun, will post pics soon. (Difficult to scan wet paintings)
Cheers
Bob Abrahams        

I currently bought all the supplies to make Marogers.Here is the page of the process.

http://www.realcolorwheel.com/mediumtable.htm
I don't believe you have the real stuff. Is it dark brown? Paint should be very glossie and dry in 24 hours.

Thanks Don
I thik you are right. It is not the "dinkum stiff"
The label indicates that it is linseed drying oil, mastic resin gum arabic. It does not have a gloss nor does it dry in 24 Hrs.
It is probably is not much mire that a paint extender    
Cheers
Bob

I added more information to the medium table page.
Go look at it again, it will tell you what you have and how to prepare the good stuff.

You may have to refresh your page if it was stored in your cache.

Don

Your research into art materials is incredible. Don't know how you find the time to paint as well.

I read the your latest info on Maroger. Very interesting.
Unfortunately, I do not have not got the time or skills to make my own mediums.  My wife would not let me into the kitchen to do that anyway.

Can ytu suggest what is the next best commercially available medium with qualities similar to the real maroger

Cheers
Bob

Hi Bob, Today, 11-13-04 I made the Maroger medium. It's in the refrigerator now, gelling.
Send me you address again email and I'll drop a tube in the mail.

Many Thanks
Robert Abrahams
72 Barker Rd
Subiaco
Western Australia
Australia 6008

Got it,

http://www.realcolorwheel.com/mediumtable.htg/marogercoffie400.jpg
http://www.realcolorwheel.com/mediumtable.htg/marogertubescrystal400.jpg

Mastic from Chios, linseed from Sweden, Litharge from Italy. Cook for one hour. Yummy

Don
Have you read this
http://www.jamescgroves.com/meguilp.htm

This is what I had in my course,  
There were mediums called malbutter and megilp, made of heated oil, wax and lead in the past that worked very well; they added a buttery character to the paint and a harder finish.
Now I have a link to the page you found on the internet.
Thanks

As that artical stated, use it very sparingly, the gel will fool you into thinking your not using as much oil as you actually are.

It sure agreed with my receipt, we ought to love the stuff.  I think it's going to be one step over copal, which I also loved.

BOB, STOP Today, 3 days after I sent it I noticed a test blob didn't dry in 24 hours. It's the lead that is the drier, I followed the receipies. Today I took two tubes full that I had made, heated them and poured out the liquid. Than I heated the mix and added more litharge.

Original; 96gr raw linseed oil, 50gr Chios resin, 5gr litharge. 50gr turp.
The new gel has the equal of 30gr of litharge and cooked down to one tube at low heat. Low heat is way below smoking temprature, I'm not using boild linseed oil.

Real soon I'm going to do a painting with both.

Just so your aware of the progress. The original might be better, I don't know yet.

Thanks
Don

This painting uses Maroger's medium.

BLACK OIL is made of purified raw linseed oil cooked with red lead and adding mastic.

Cold pressed raw Linseed Oil - 96.5g, Mastic - 30g,  Pbo - 4g
This  comes out to visually about 1/2 cup oil, a handful of crystals, and about a 1/4 tsp of PbO.  

In this test I used 6 times more litharge red lead.
I think it's best to apply a thin layer of Maroger first. It's dark but seemed to lighten while still wet.
Mix the gel in a media cup with enough turpentine to make it fluid, so it can be used to thin the tube paint into a painting consistency.
It painted like it had some wax in it, but it doesn't, yet.

http://www.realcolorwheel.com/maroger.htg/bobhanamarogerextralead1-600.jpg

1-21-04, Dolomite Lantern,
Maroger's medium plus 3 pigments and white. Indian Yellow, Old Holland, quin magenta PR122 Daniel Smith, cyan PB15 Grumbacher

Wow, that's what I have to say about the normal Maroger's.
What do I like about it, let me count the ways.

I put a small amount from the tube in a tub, and added turpentine.
The sun would have made the gel dissolve quickly on it's own, I just stirred it with a brush.
It was much lighter then copal and had a lot of the characteristics. Copal is nice to paint with, I love Maroger's. First I coated the panel with the thinned mix.

I didn't have to add wax to make it slide, it just does it. Like an E ticket.

It doesn't pick up the stroke before, like Venetian balsam.

It starts setting in a couple of hours, like a heavy dose of drier, but it won't turn as brown. Cobalt drier is more browning then linseed oil.

It's not difficult to keep the good painting consistency as stand oil is.

Here's the setup and my sitting easel.


http://www.realcolorwheel.com/maroger.htg/hanastonelanternsetup--400.jpg

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The drawing was painted with a 1/2 inch sable brush.

http://www.realcolorwheel.com/maroger.htg/hanastonelanterndraw--400.jpg

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100 % paint coverage, I'm half finished, most of the paint has dried to the touch.

http://www.realcolorwheel.com/maroger.htg/hanastonelanternhalf--400.jpg

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5 hours Finished, it was fun. The gloss is there, it dried quickly, I'm happy.
Maroger medium has been cooked with lead, it's not going to get any darker. It will make a thin glaze.

http://www.realcolorwheel.com/maroger.htg/hanastonelanternfin500.jpg

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Fine fresh painting Don, and not a drop of lime or time to worry about.   Never heard of Maroger's medium, but I liked your description of it, sliding along without picking up the understrokes.

Thanks Steve,
Marogers is an oil painting medium. Great.. but it has a turp smell, I don't mind it.

I just made a video of me making a mold panel and a tile panel for fresco. It will finish with the paintings.