Turpentine is the traditional go-to quality paint thinner for most brush-applied alkyd and oil-based paints, varnishes and enamels. It aids the paint in coating, bonding and penetrating all types of wooden surfaces. Further, turpentine's gum spirits make it excellent for use with artists' oil paints.. It speeds up the drying time as it dilutes the paint and evaporates off of it... When using linseed oil for oil painting, it slows down the drying time of your paint, which can be very useful when painting in layers