TEXTURE & PEAKS GOLDEN ACRYLIC MEDIUMS EXPLAINED Which acrylic medium should I use? Because of the versatility of acrylic paint, it can be formulated with a vast range of consistencies and qualities, and easily adapted with the use of mediums. This means it can be used with techniques similar to those used with watercolour washes, impasto oil, pouring inks or even gouache, depending on the acrylic and mediums you select. Golden has the widest ranges of mediums, gels, additives and effect pastes so it can have whatever qualities you desire, including luminous glazes, gritty opaque structures, string effects, glassy areas and variable drying times. Understanding which medium is right for your required working style can be tricky, so we’ve tested out all the main mediums for you. Once you know what mediums can do, you can use the expansive range to realise inspiring possibilities and very unusual effects.
Mediums can modify the texture, sheen, thickness, drying time, hardness and viscosity. Goldens mediums can be broken into several groups, each of which modifies the different characteristics of acrylic paint and has unique applications.
Within two days of testing these mediums, all of them were touch dry and after a week they all were hard, but dentable with a finger nail. However, during the testing period, the temperature was over 22 degrees.
When colour-concentration is of key importance in your work, you should use as little medium as possible and start with a paint which is closest to your required consistency. While it is possible to mix different consistencies, the amount of medium necessary will vary depending on the consistency of the paint. For instance, when using a heavy body medium with a soft body acrylic, more medium will be required and as a result, the colour will be less strong. Equally, if you wish to thin your acrylics but keep the intensity of colour, it’s best to start with a thinner paint and add a little fluid medium to extend it further.
Plain gels can be used to thicken your paint, build up structural and textured marks, create impasto effects and thick lens-like glazes. All of this is possible without the shrinkage and crazing (cracks) that can appear when using heavy body acrylic paint by itself. They can create glazes from transparent and opaque colours, but are un-absorbent on the surface. Molding pastes are opaque and are used to build up structures or provide textural effects—useful for topographical landscapes or creating 3-D textures in a work. It has a slightly porous texture, due to the
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