Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour has been specifically developed to appear and work conventional oil colour. The key difference between Artisan and conventional oils is its ability to thin and clean up with water. Hazardous solvents are not necessary for Artisan and artists can enjoy a safer painting environment, making it ideal for artists who share a work space, schools or painting at home. There is no water within the Artisan formulation; the linseed and safflower oils have been modified to allow the colour to accept water. This creates a stable emulsion, and retains the working characteristics of conventional oil colour. The pigments, together with the most suitable oil, bring out each colours individual characteristics, from opacity to natural transparency. Each pigment needs different levels of oil in the formulation, so the sheen may differ slightly from colour to colour. The addition of water as a solvent, as well as the use of mediums, will also alter the sheen. Artisan has the short buttery consistency expected from a Winsor & Newton oil colour, a consistency that is a careful balance between the pigment and the oils used in the formulation (modified linseed and safflower). This is the traditional consistency of oil colours, and as such allows the artist a broader variety of techniques, the colour can be thinned as required.