You use Open Acrylic Medium by mixing it in any quantity with Open Acrylic paints to extend the paint's working time and modify its sheen, viscosity, or transparency.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Understanding Open Acrylic Medium
Open Acrylics are designed to dry much slower than traditional acrylics. Open Acrylic Mediums are specifically formulated to work with these paints, further extending their open (wet) time.
How to Use Open Acrylic Medium:
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Mixing: The core use is to mix the medium directly with Open Acrylic paints. There are no strict ratios; you can adjust the amount depending on the effect you want to achieve.
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Extending Paint: Adding the medium extends the wet blending time of the paint, allowing for longer periods of manipulation on the canvas. This is particularly useful for techniques like glazing, wet-on-wet blending, and creating soft transitions.
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Modifying Sheen: Some Open Acrylic Mediums, like gloss or matte mediums, can change the final sheen of your paint. Choose a medium that aligns with your desired finish.
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Adjusting Viscosity: Certain mediums can thicken or thin the consistency of the paint. This allows for techniques like impasto (thick application) or creating thin washes of color.
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Increasing Transparency: Adding a gel medium or fluid medium will generally increase the transparency of the acrylic paint. This is helpful for creating layered effects.
Tips for Success:
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Use with Open Acrylics: Open Acrylic Mediums are specifically designed for use with Open Acrylic paints. Using them with traditional acrylics may not produce the desired slow-drying effect and can lead to unexpected results.
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Consider Open Thinner: If you experience a change in viscosity during use (the paint becoming too thick), add small amounts of Open Thinner to restore the original consistency and working properties. This is preferable to adding water, which can weaken the paint film.
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Experiment: Try different ratios of paint to medium to understand the variety of effects you can achieve. Keep notes on what works well for you.
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Work in a Cool Environment: Heat accelerates drying time. Working in a cooler, more humid environment will help maximize the open time of Open Acrylics and their mediums.
Example Uses:
- Glazing: Mix Open Acrylic paint with a gloss Open Acrylic Medium to create a transparent glaze. Apply thin layers to build up color and depth.
- Wet-on-Wet Blending: Mix Open Acrylic paint with a slow-drying Open Acrylic Medium to increase the blending time, creating seamless transitions between colors.
- Impasto Techniques: Mix heavy body Open Acrylic paint with a gel medium to create texture and dimension.
By understanding how to mix Open Acrylic Mediums with Open Acrylic paints, artists can unlock a range of possibilities for blending, layering, and achieving desired visual effects.
