I’ve come across recipes that claim methylcellulose gel (made from powdered MC mixed with water and allowed to gel) can be used as an emulsifier, much like egg yolk, and added to oil paints to make them faster-drying and (up to a point) water-miscible. Is this as archivally-sound as using egg yolk? Are there any special precautions that need to be taken?
I am quite sure that gelled MC will help facilitate an emulsion. I would worry about adding more than the smallest amount as the MC on its own will make a brittle paint. This would also very likely create a modified oil paint that is more brittle than the one containing only oil, even if both paints contain the same amount of oil. This may be minor affect and be worth it, or a real issue depending on the proportions.
The addition of a MC gel would also add a water sensitivity to the mixed emulsion oil paint. The degree of sensitivity would likely be proportion to the amount added.
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