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Tricia Reust –  “Day’s Promise ” – Atelier Interactive on watercolor paper using Heavy Gel (Satin)

Anyone who is interested in our new Atelier  “Viscosity Ladder” mediums and would like to understand them better will appreciate this video from Tricia Reust. You will find everything you need to know in this video, but as a final move, you will need to choose and use one or more of these mediums if you really want to understand how useful they can be.

New “Viscosity Ladder” Mediums

Heavy Gel (Satin)

This is a very heavy bodied, thick gel which can be placed on the palette and mixed with the paint by picking up with a brush or palette knife and it works in just as easily as mixing a paint color. The surface finish matches the satin finish of the paint. Artists who would like to have a more oil paint like texture, using palette knife or brush for increased contrast and painterliness, will like this medium because it is so easy to mix in.

Thick Painting Medium

Painting mediums for acrylics need to have a strong lubricating effect to help with blending. This medium has a very juicy paint-like viscosity and can be used very generously because the medium does not alter the viscosity of the paint. Using this medium creates a wet layer and once this is established you may not need to spritz with Unlocking Formula much or perhaps not at all, depending on the weather. When you have finished a layer it can be dried easily by applying warmth (i.e. sunlight, draft from an air conditioner or hair dryer).

Middle Medium

This new medium expands and advances on the formula of the popular Clear Painting Medium. It is used to lubricate the painting process but has a mid-viscosity for spreading paint and wet blending. It is also useful for edge blending wet over dry, and for scumbling and glazing. The Thick Painting Medium and the Middle Medium are the keys to easier acrylic painting. Some artists may use both mediums while others may only need one according to their painting style. Middle Medium is best for smooth painting and Thick Painting Medium is recommended for more painterly styles.

Thin Medium

This medium is a flow aide and its very liquid viscosity is useful for air brush dilution or for liquefying heavy bodied paints for detailed work and thin glazes.

 Holding Medium

Holding Medium bodies Atelier Free Flow and Jo Sonja Matte Flow Acrylic for a thicker, more controlled painterly application without changing the matte finish.

For more tips, read Tricia’s book, Using Chroma Art Materials, which can be purchased through her website.

Atelier Acrylics Tutorials

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