Monday, April 15, 2013

Painting Mediums Homework


ACRYLIC
In acrylic paint, the binder is a combination of acrylic and vinyl.  Acrylics don’t really don’t use thinners and painting on a damp surface or mixing water with the paint is a good way to extend it.  Though acrylics can be painted on a variety of surfaces, prepping those surfaces with gesso ensures the integrity of the pigment.  Synthetic paints like acrylics tend to be on the translucent side (especially the cheapy brands)but is easily correctable with multiple layers.  Synthetic brushes work best with acrylic paint, especially the Galeria brushes which are a designed to have versatility and hold large amounts of paint (because acrylics dry quicker). There are several ways to use acrylics including: glazing, sponge application, stippling and layering.

GOUACHE 
Gouache is like water color and uses the same combination of preservatives, plasticizers and gum arabic for the binder.  Water is used to thin this media and its opacity depends on how much precipitated chalk or white is added to the pigment.  Sable brushes are most commonly used because of their softness.  Thick papers or tinted papers (for effect) are used as a working surface.  The techniques of using gouache are very dependent on how it is mixed and applied to paper.  For example, you will see more vibrant colors if they are ground with pasty adhesives. Also, mixing watercolors and gouache is a common technique or wetting it with ox gall liquid can create a flowing/smooth finish. 

OIL
Oils use synthetic resins commonly as binders.  Turpentine is commonly used to thin oil paint and extenders include earth-based compounds.  Oils tend to come off very thick and saturated. The best surfaces for oil paint are canvases or canvas boards but paper and other miscellaneous surfaces can be used.  There are acrylic and oil primers available to use.  Hog brushes are the best to use because of their thick nature and texturing abilities however; if you decide to glaze the soft brushes may be preferable.  Most people begin their paintings with sketches and thinned oil paint that dries quickly.  Some people then continue to use brushes, rags, or palette knives.  

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