BY ANDREW OCHAL
June 30, 2020
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When talking about Acrylic Paint the word you will hear the most is versatility. That is because of all the different textures, viscosity, and effects that can be created and it is in large part thanks to acrylic painting mediums. The options are seemingly endless. No wonder most people are overwhelmed and confused with how to use them. That’s where we come in. We’re going to go over all the types of acrylic painting mediums available and demystify their uses. Acrylic painting mediums are super fun and the perfect way to help you express yourself.
Before we get into it though we are going to talk about what acrylic paint is so we can be on the same page. Paint is three things: binder, pigment and solvent. In the case of Acrylic Paint, Acrylic Emulsion is the binder, Pigment is where the color comes from and the solvent is water. In general Acrylic Paint Mediums like Gels and Fluid Mediums are Acrylic Paint without the color. Mind blown. Now let's talk mediums.
Gels:
Let us start with Gel Mediums. Gel Mediums are super approachable and a great way to play with texture. For me the best place to start talking about Gels is with Regular Gel Medium. It is the same texture as heavy body acrylic paint, think Golden Artist Colors Tubes. If you want to extend your paint and keep the same texture then Regular Gel is your jam. Maybe you like impasto or think heavy texture? If that's the case then Heavy or even an Extra Heavy Gel medium would work great for you. To go lighter in feel but still keep a similar texture then try Soft Gel Medium.
Gel Mediums for the most part dry clear and are traditionally designed to mix into acrylic paint as an extender. You can extend or thin acrylic paint down with water but if you use too much it will prevent the paint from sticking to your painting. Most professional acrylic paint lines are designed to be extended rather far. Take Golden Artist Colors for example. Their acrylics can be extended with mediums up to 70% with no change to the look of the colors. Crazy right. That’s because Golden puts as much pigment into their paint as possible.
The most important thing to remember though is there are no rules to creating. You can use Gels under paint to build textures as well. Not to mention they make a great adhesive for collage and even for Acrylic Photo Transfer Techniques. You’re really only limited by your creativity.
Pastes:
Unlike gels, pastes are opaque because they contain Marble Dust or other fillers so they have a white or clay-tone finish with a variety of textures and properties. When used in conjunction with acrylic colors they broaden working properties and expand creative possibilities. Molding Paste can also be used to create foundations for painting either to create texture over a smoother surface, or to smooth out a textured surface. The absorbent qualities of Molding Paste make it suitable as a ground for nearly every painting and drawing media.
*Detail of my paintings where I used Gel Mediums and Pastes to build textures under the painting.
Fluid Mediums:
Fluid Mediums are super fun and some of my favorite mediums to use. You can thin paint and extend colors out, create beautiful transparent glazing layers, make a great adhesive for collage and we’re just getting started. Fluid Mediums are available in several sheens from Super Matte to Gloss so you can find one that's perfect for you. Not to mention Fluid mediums like Airbrush mediums and Golden Artist Colors Hi Flo Medium are great for thinning colors down to act like inks and can be used with airbrushes.
Do you like Color Pouring? Several brands have created their own Pouring Mediums that are leveling, low crazing extenders for pouring acrylic colors. Fluid Mediums are so versatile. If you want to thin your paint down or like working in more of a watercolor technique then Fluid Mediums are for you.
Additives:
For the most part Additives refer to mediums that slow the drying time that you can add to acrylic paint so you have more time to work with them. I’ve never had much of a use for them but have seen the benefit for artists transitioning from working in oil to acrylic.
Glazing and OPEN Mediums:
Glazing Liquid Mediums can be mixed with acrylic colors to create glazes, thin transparent washes, for fine art as well as interior application on walls or furniture. The main difference between them and Fluid Mediums is that they are also slow drying. The slow drying formula provides sufficient working time for a wide variety of glaze and decorative finishes normally accomplished with oils. It is also excellent for soft transitions and color blending in paintings.
OPEN Mediums help maximize working time of Golden Artist Colors line of OPEN Acrylics and can be used to adjust color strength and translucency while maintaining consistency.
Specialty:
For me Specialty Acrylic Mediums cover a vast array of different things including Gel Mediums with Additives, Effect Pastes, Leveling Mediums and Special Purpose Mediums. They are perfect if you have a certain look in mind or want to create a specific effect. Gel Mediums with Additives are your Pumice Gels, Coarse Pumice Gels and the like. If you want that craggy, heavy textured, bumpy look to your work then these mediums will be your new best friend.
*picture care of Kevin Greeland
Effect Pastes are Crackle Pastes and Fiber Pastes. Crackle Paste creates a faux antiqued effect where you can see underpainted colors through cracks formed in the top layer of paint. Fiber Paste when dry has the appearance of handmade paper and because of that it's great for watercolor techniques. Apply it as texture or get it as smooth as you want. It's a great absorbent medium that is a lot of fun to play with.
Leveling Mediums are just what you think they’d be, they self level to a smooth surface. Available in two types that vary only in thickness. Clear Leveling Gel is thinner with the consistency of heavy cream and Tar Gel is more like yogurt. Making you hungry? They both dry clear and flexible. Unlike other mediums Leveling Mediums possess unique resinous, stringy consistency resulting from its leveling property. If a nice glass smooth finish is what you're after try these Leveling Mediums.
Special Purpose Mediums serve specific purposes that are pretty straight forward. First up is Fabric Medium, which you add to acrylic paint to make it launderable. Add it to your color, heat set it and then that’s it. After that it will survive through the wash. Beyond that you have other mediums like the GAC Series from Golden Artist colors that help flexibility, hardness, crazing, stiffens natural fibers and fabrics and more. These mediums are very specific and I would suggest further research before using them in your project.
Well that is it. Hopefully this brief explanation of Acrylic Mediums and their uses helps clarify some things and gets you excited to try new things. Art has no rules and is all about experimentation. Plus, as long as you are having fun then you’re on the right path. Thanks for reading and stay creative.
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