Oil of spike lavender fills the studio with its strong and fragrant aroma. Oil of spike is more powerful than the other common solvents–turpentine, and mineral spirits–but it’s also slower drying.
Because it is slow drying, paint stays open longer. This means that thin layers remain workable longer than other solvent-thinned layers. This feature is important when working-up areas with a lot of detail and tonal changes, such as the blonde’s head in this unfinished painting, Sub Rosa.