Acrylic Mediums

Andy, as promised some info of the better acrylic mediums I have used.

Still struggling to find a really good hard molding paste. I want something similar to plaster but more felxible and possibly which will take colour. At the moment I still have problems with the texture, cracking and greyness of the ones I have used (both Golden and AV)

AV Acrylic artist medium (matt and gloss)- basically works as an alternative to water. The colour runs through it with more consistency and therefore the coverage is better. But I find it a tiny bit too sticky at times and have actually not ordered more as I will return to water combined with other mediums.

Jacksons Acrylic, polymer Varnish (gloss and matt) A thinnner version of alkaflow, but for acrylics...opbviously. Too shiny when glossy but I am tending to reduce my surfaces to matt in general anyway. Despite this is gives a great body and weight to the colours. It provides a beauituflly desne layer to run other colours thourgh and also is great for glazes. Again perhaps a little too sticky, i would like it to run, without the addition of water, at a slightly greater pace. Very good value for money though.


AV Heavy GEll matt- a cheaper version to the golden equivalent. The difference in quality is not hugely notable to my undescerning eye. Thcik and dries transparent. Great for anything from impasto pastes to transluscent glazes. It love half mixing my colours into this then laying it down, so the colour sit through a depth of medium. It seems to work. The matt version, when mixed down with watter and zinc white, provides a great mist like veil across the surface.

Image Maker- have decided I am more interested in the destruction of imagery than its construction. In losing it not finding it. Its a choice between a synthetic mode and an analytical one. So for the moment this provides a great moment to lay down a clear graphic image and then start to play with it. Receipts and maps are the current source of fascination with this particular devise. I have me reasons but am trying not to over theorise it during this exploratory stage.


Colours- I have been sticking with Golden as a rule as I want the depth of pigment they provide. At the moment I am working around these colours


Alizarin Crimson
Golden Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide
Golden Transparent Red Oxide
Daler Rowney Interference Colour-shimmering gold (can actually be used with real subtelty when added to a wash or glaze. Also great for a kind of kitsch interuption to the surface)
Golden Ultramarine Blue
Golden Colbalt Blue
Golden Burnt Umber
Golden Burnt Sienna
Daler Rowney Zinc White (not had a direct comparison but would get this one again)
Have just purchased an AV Titanium White as the Liquitex (I think) one I had was nice and thick but when you tried to reduce it down it did not break up very well
Hansa Yellow Medium