Battle of the Acrylic Mediums Part 1

The next three posts are an assignment for the Acrylic Artists class. Sort of. It is my take on the palette knife part of the first assignment. I mixed ten different acrylic mediums with Hansa Yellow Medium paint. The ratio was one palette knife-ful of medium to two drops of Golden Hansa Yellow Medium paint. Each combination was mixed carefully with the palette knife and spread on canvas paper in two swatches: a small thick swatch (about 1/4" or so) and a larger thin swatch.

My first pair was a head-t0-head comparison of something called High Viscosity Acrylic Blended Fibers (by Liquitex, was in clearance at Hobby Lobby) vs. G0lden Fiber Paste. The Liquitex product has a semigloss finish and when dry did not peel cleanly off the canvas paper (although it did peel off the freezer paper). It is quite smooth. The Golden Fiber Paste has more of a handmade paper texture and did peel cleanly off the paper as well as the freezer paper. I have used the Golden Fiber Paste before to make different elements for collage. I much prefer the Golden product.

Another thing I tested in this round was the Golden Crackle Paste. I've used it before and like it. The thick application cracked more and had larger cracks than the thinner application. No surprise there. It makes awesome texture and takes paint very well. It has an absorbent matte surface with a texture kind of like plaster.

Finally, I tested the Gloss Gel Medium (Liquitex). I was surprised to find that I could glop it up pretty well--not as high as the Extra Heavy Gel, but not bad at all. It's very glossy and glassy-looking. Color intensity is greater than the Fiber Paste or crackle Paste and just a bit greater than the High Viscosity Acrylic Blended Fibers by Liquitex.