Sunday, January 25, 2009

Golden Open Acrylics. First shot.


The jury is still out on these in this house. I do like that they stay wet for so long and that I can dry them w a hairdryer when I'm ready. I do like that when they are dry, they are tough, like regular acrylics without sealing them.

But there is a lot I really didn't like. Keep in mind this is after one session of play.

They stay wet for a while, but "set" to a strange consistency right away - after the water evaporates. Once they are in this stage they have a really odd "pull" to them that I didn't like at all. Not tacky, exactly, but gooey. Glycerin-like.

They are exceptionally translucent and you need to use a LOT of paint to get any real covering power. More than other acrylics I've tried. I only used Titanium white and burnt umber on this. Other colors to come next.

Right now, I'm leaning toward the Atelier Interactives, I can let them dry right away, or keep them open with water (or slow drying medium) or open them later with water. They aren't the most potent pigments in the world, but much stronger than the Golden Opens of the same color. I suspect it has to do with the whatever vehicle they are using to keep them open.

More play is needed.

8 comments:

Erik van Elven said...

Hi Mark,

You've beat me to it :)
Haven't had a chance to try them out.
Need to finish a watercolour project first.

Interesting observations. Not sure I'm too happy with the poor covering power you mention, since I find that a problem with regular acrylics already compared to oils.

How is the consistency of the Atelier paints when they start to get a little drier?

Mark Behm said...

Hey Eric,
You should at least get a couple tubes and give it a spin.
I have only really rewet to keep the surface workable with the ateliers. So things will mix nicely and I won't get drybrushing. I haven't really pushed paint around after they dry. Worth trying a monochromatic piece w each.
Neither compares with oil, but sometimes you just want it dry in an hour. Or aren't alowed to use them in a certain location.

Erik van Elven said...

Ok,thanks for the info. I saw that I could order them from a company in the UK, will give them a try to see how they compare.

Pito said...

AWESOME WORK!!!!!!!!

Excelent, i love yours painting.

Genius.

Saludos

Koldo Barroso said...

Hi Mark,

Someone did recommend into Golden Open to me lately. I've always used Winsor & Newton before, but I've never been to happy about the thickness of the material. I've painted in oil for many years before and I like the softness of it, so when I add water to acrilics it always gets a little messy...

I've been told that Golden Open works more olike oil painting. What do you think?

Nice work, btw. I love the inmediate feeling of it!

Mark Behm said...

Koldo: To me, it only ACTS a bit like oil insomuch as it doesn't dry right away. It doesn't FEEL like oil to me at all.

Koldo Barroso said...

Thanks Mark. I don't enjoy painting in a rush because of the stuff getting dry so that's a good thing for me to know. :)

SEILER said...

Cool sketch and great videos . . . I'm still using regular acrylics . . . :)