A common myth about acrylic is that it thins best
with water. One complaint about acrylic is that it dries too fast. In
fact these two things are related. By adding water to acrylic, the quick
evaporation of water speeds up the overall drying time. Today there
are many creative options for acrylic painters. Mediums and gels can be used to create texture, change the
thickness and alter the paint’s body. Golden Artist Color has led the way in making acrylic mediums for every application.
Golden Acrylic Mediums and Gels offer a tremendous
range of effects. Most of the products under the title of “Mediums”
are pourable. These include Glazing Liquid, Matte and Polymer medium. Glazing Liquid is
formulated for painting in thin layers with an extended drying time. Matte Medium is useful for extending color and decreasing
gloss. It can also be used as a ground instead of gesso. Polymer Medium can be used to extend the paint, create glazes and enhance the translucency.
It produces an oil-like feel due to the increased flow from the brush
to the canvas.
The products under the name “Gels”
tend to be thicker in consistency. These include Soft and Heavy
Gels, Tar Gel, Pumice Gel and Molding Pastes. Soft Gel can be used as a base for wet blending of
color as well as for collage adhesive. Heavy Gels are
ideal for creating thick paints and hold a peak well. Tar Gel is a unique gel that Jackson Pollock would have loved.
It is colorless and can be used to create long stringy lines and drips. Pumice Gels are opaque and contain solids. They can
be used to achieve a gritty texture ranging from fine for pastel surfaces
to course which looks like concrete. Molding Pastes dry to hard opaque films. Light and regular Molding Pastes offer dramatic weight reduction to thickly painted surfaces and still
allow for flexibility. Hard Molding paste can be carved
into once it is dry.
There are numerous other gels and mediums which have specific purposes
like painting on fabric or with an airbrush. The great thing about these
products is their versatility. Used alone or in combination with others,
artists can find hundreds of ways to use mediums and gels.
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