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NOTES FROM JIM COBB

Choosing A Medium

As featured in Australian Artist Magazine - click to download the article

 

Choosing which medium to use with acrylics has always been difficult, and some artists end up using only water because there are so many mediums available, and they get confused.

The Atelier Ladder Series

The Ladder Series of Atelier Mediums solves the problem due it is now possible to set out a very simple way of choosing a small number of mediums which cover most of the needs that an acrylic artist might have.

Atelier Interactive and A2 are heavy bodied paints as they come from the tube and the mediums are set out clearly to show how they relate to the paint itself.

Thicker Than The Paint

Heavy Gel Satin is thicker than the paint but works in easily for “chunky Impasto”, and its satin finish matches the paint and does not leave glossy areas.

Substitute

This means that you don’t need other impasto gel mediums and if you do want a gloss or matte finish you can choose the right varnish for the finish you want.

Same Viscosity As The Paint

Thick Painting Medium matches the paint consistency and sits on the palette so you can dip into it, treating it as a spreader and lubricant because it has no colour – that way you can move your paint around more easily on a dry painting surface without losing the painterly feel of the paint, and the extra moisture keeps your painting wet longer.

This Is A New World

All of the existing mediums available in the market are either gels which are thicker than the paint, or mid viscosity mediums which thin out the paint. Thick Painting Medium has a new and very different effect which is also very natural: you don’t have to learn how to use it because it behaves the same way the paint does, but it lubricates and keeps paint wet longer for blending, giving a more oil paint like end result. It is also excellent for layering and a water wet brush can be used for edge blending.

Dry Time

If you are using this medium you may find that you can just keep painting for a two hour working session, but if you do need to freshen your painting up it does respond to being sprayed with Unlocking Formula. It also absorbs the spray so that the paint doesn’t run.

Palettes

Paint put out on the palette can be kept wet easily too.  This is useful when you need more of a colour you have mixed up, but which might be hard to duplicate if you need to mix more.

Summary

This new medium should be considered compulsory because everybody will benefit from using it.

Substitute

If you have used the Thick Slow Medium, Thick Painting Medium is much easier to use.

Middle Viscosity

Middle Medium has a mid viscosity which is familiar to most people who want to create a smooth even consistency for spreading, layering or glazing.  Edge blending is also easy to do.

Substitute

This medium can be used in place of Clear Painting Medium, which is our most popular medium at present.  It is very similar but slightly smoother and should be treated as an update of Clear Painting Medium.

Anyone using Slow Medium will find Middle Medium very easy to use.

Thin Viscosity

Thin Medium has a very liquid viscosity that maintain the colour intensity and thins out heavy bodied paints much better than adding water. It can also be used for fine detail or to reduce heavy bodied paints for airbrushing.

Substitute

Thin Medium can be used in place of Liquefying Medium and Slow Medium.

Share Your Artwork With Us

We would love to share your images on our different social media networks in order to create a community of artists. If you use Atelier Interactive, Atelier Free Flow, A2, Jo Sonja or any of the new Mediums, please let us know!  Email us at: marketing@chromaonline.com.