Home
The Artist
Contact Me
Exhibitions
Newsletter
About SBI
GALLERIES Gallery
Image Gallery
GETTING    STARTED Sketch & Draw
Colour
Paint Landscapes
LANDSCAPE    THEMES Landscape Themes
Coastal Landscape
Seasonal Landscapes
ABOUT    ACRYLICS Acrylics
Acrylic L'scapes
ABOUT      MIXED MEDIA Mixed Media
M' M' techniques
M' M' Mediums
STEP BY STEP   PAINTING INSTRUCTIONS Daisy Painting
Field Painting
PAINTING   IDEAS How to Paint
Palette Knife Work
Is It Finished?
Painting Diary
ART     INSTRUCTION  Tutorials
Art Classes
 Workshops
Painting Tuition
ABOUT    MATERIALS Art Supplies
CARD MAKING Greetings Cards
ABOUT      THIS SITE Site Blog
Links Library
Privacy Policy
 

Acrylic Paint - medium body consistency

Medium body acrylics are your everyday acrylic paints. The consistency is such that it would drop off a spoon rather like double cream.

At this point it's worth remembering you can get student or artist quality art materials. There is a big difference in quality and cost. You need to decide:

  • how often will you use them?
  • is this to try them out?
  • are you painting for yourself?
  • do you hope to exhibit / sell your work?
  • is your aim to become a professional artist?

I am a real believer in buying the best art materials you can afford. Student quality paints have less pigment and more 'filler' in them - you will not be able to achieve the best results possible with them.

Everyone has personal choice when it comes to brands for art materials. I encourage you to talk to other painters, to search the web for people's views. If you can afford it, try a couple of colours by different manufacturers.

Fairly recently I decided, upon recommendation, to try Golden Acrylics. I have to say their acrylic paints are excellent. They have a really rich, buttery consistency. They are artist quality and the pigments are superb.

Stay-wet Palette

With acrylics you need to use a stay-wet palette. This is a plastic tray with a piece of absorbant paper - saturated with water. Next comes a layer of grease-proof style paper. You then put your acrylic paints on this. The dampness stops the acrylics drying out. BUT remember you need to put a lid over them to prevent them drying up too quickly.

You can construct a stay-wet palette yourself or buy an 'off-the-shelf' one. To learn more see the materials page.

Materials Having said this, Golden Acrylics have brought out a new range called Open Acrylics. These are great! They have a far longer drying time so a stay-wet palette is not needed.

I bought tubs of Golden Open Acrylics and have used a box with compartments and lid to transport mine around.

The longer drying time means they last so much longer. Also they are more workable on your surface for a greater duration. When need be, to speed up drying time, I use a hair-dryer.

To change the consistency you can add acrylic mediums. Interested? Then follow the link below . . . Acrylic Mediums Explained

For suppliers of acrylic paint, follow this link