This article briefly explores the permanent changes created by varnishing transparent watercolor on paper, in particular the aesthetic changes to color, value, texture, and sheen. Keep in mind that varnishing also changes the nature of the painting through the permanent addition of acrylic. While there are several approaches to varnishing
You might have recently noticed that we updated our labels for Grounds, Mediums and Gels to aim for better clarity, accuracy and simplicity. While reviewing the labels, we decided to both standardize the descriptions of all of these products and double check the accuracy of the sliders which help convey
A common question we get is “how long should I wait before applying my next application of acrylic?” Actually, in most cases one can apply multiple layers at any time as this is one of the unique properties of acrylic products. It really doesn’t matter in terms of final film
When water is applied to paper, the fibers can soak up liquid and expand. This may create the infamous buckles and cockles that can be the bane (or joy) of those who paint with watermedia. This article reports on what happened when High Flow Acrylics and Heavy Body Acrylics were
Editor’s Note: Added April 26, 2022 For some time, our recommendation for artists using oils over acrylic has been to work over harder, matte acrylic surfaces and avoid working on softer gels and gloss products. Our intention was to optimize the level of adhesion that would be achieved on a
In many ways this article is a continuation from an earlier one, Waterproof India Inks and Shellac-based Primers, which focused mostly on the alkaline sensitivity of shellac-based india inks when used with acrylics. However, towards the end of the article we briefly looked at Zinsser’s B-I-N®, a common pigmented shellac primer, to
We’ve all seen Iridescent and Interference effects when viewing soap bubbles, oil slicks, flower petals, bird feathers, and more. They are fairly common in the natural world. If they are somewhat less common in artwork, it might simply be that they still represent new and unexplored possibilities for most people,
From Mark Golden This past year I am reminded how quickly time is passing by. For over 25 years we’ve been publishing Just Paint. For 36 years Barbara and I have been graciously allowed to participate in the creative lives of so many talented artists. And to be able to
The doors of the Sam and Adele Golden Gallery opened on April 9th for the 4th annual Made in Paint exhibition, highlighting the works of last year’s artists-in-residence. Over 300 people attended the opening night with many more visitors stopping by to see the exhibition before it came down in
When Mark Gottsegen, a well-known educator and expert in artist materials, passed away in the Fall of 2013, an unbelievable amount was lost. Not least among them was AMIEN, the much beloved discussion forum on art materials that he founded. For Mark, AMIEN was his dream. From his desire to
