Acrylic gel medium is basically a binder that has no pigment. It is added to acrylic paint to change the consistency of the paint and to build texture, which keeps paintings from looking flat.
Gel medium will allow you to create paintings that have the look of an oil painting, without having to use oil paints. It is used by most artists who work with acrylic paint, as well as by crafters.
There are several gel mediums available for artists who work with acrylics, and we are going to take a look at the most popular of those mediums in this post.
Continue reading to learn more about the many types of acrylic gel mediums.
What is Gel Medium?
As I mentioned in the introduction, acrylic gel medium is an acrylic substance that is used by artists to create texture in their paintings. It is mixed with acrylic paint and can be used to increase the transparency of the paint.
Gel medium dries clear, and can be used with all types of acrylic paint. It is water-based, lightfast, permanent, and flexible.
A lot of artists and crafters use acrylic gel mediums in a variety of ways. These gel mediums are available in several thicknesses, sheen, and transparency. They can add sheen or reduce the amount of gloss in a painting, and so much more!
In addition to being used to create texture in paintings, gel mediums are also used as glues for collages, and can even be used instead of varnish to create a top coat for paintings.
Although I have yet to try this, gel medium can be used to transfer images, which I think is pretty cool and plan to try in the near future. You will find gel mediums in any art supply store, and they are also often available at department stores in the craft section.
Types of Gel Mediums
There are three main types of gel mediums for acrylic paint artists. There are others, but these are more for crafters than for painters.
When it comes to brands, it is a matter of personal preference. Everyone has their favorite brand. For instance, I like to use Liquitex mediums in my work.
The three main types of acrylic gel mediums are soft, regular, and heavy. Within these types, you will also find that there are three types of finishes (more on this in the next section).
#1. Soft Acrylic Gel Medium
If you want your paints to have a glaze that is rich and translucent, I would suggest using a soft acrylic gel medium. This medium will help you to create brushstrokes with soft edges and textures that are almost velvety.
This type of gel medium has a creamy consistency that is nice and smooth. This is likely why it is so popular with mixed-media artists.
This type of gel medium is often used as an adhesive for collages. It isn’t as wet as other types of adhesives, so the paper isn’t going to be damaged or curl up as much around the edges.
After the collage is finished, this medium is also often used as a top coat.
#2. Regular Acrylic Gel Medium
One of the biggest problems faced by acrylic paint artists is that the paint dries so quickly. Using a regular acrylic gel medium can help to solve this issue.
The regular acrylic gel will allow the paint to stay wet for a longer period and still hold on to its consistency. A lot of painters use this gel when they are working with impasto techniques, and it is also used for glazing.
While regular acrylic gel will not give you a huge amount of texture, it will allow you to create soft peaks in your work.
#3. Heavy and Extra-Heavy Acrylic Gel Medium
If you want your acrylic paint to be able to hold peaks and provide lots of texture in your painting, a heavy or extra-heavy acrylic gel medium is the way to go. These gel mediums allow you to build lots of texture in your paintings.
Both heavy and extra-heavy gel mediums are used for impasto techniques. You can get nice, high peaks when using these gel mediums.
Acrylic Gel Medium Sheen
Each of the acrylic gel mediums we have looked at here come in a few different types of sheen, or in other words, shininess. The higher the level of sheen, the shinier and more durable the finished product is going to be when it is fully cured.
Let’s take a look at the different types of sheen for acrylic gel mediums.
#1. Matte Acrylic Gel Mediums
If you want a painting to have a dull finish, the best choice of acrylic gel medium is one that offers a matte sheen. One thing to keep in mind is that while all of these acrylic mediums do dry clear, you will see bits of white silicate particles.
The finished work may have a cloudy appearance once it is fully cured. If you want it to be clear, I suggest using a gloss gel.
This type of gel medium can take a bit of time to cure. The curing time will depend on the temperature and humidity levels in your studio.
#2. Semi-Gloss and Gloss Acrylic Gel Mediums
If you want to highlight certain areas in a painting, you might want to try using a semi-gloss or gloss acrylic gel medium. You can also use it to give your entire painting a glossy finish.
This type of gel medium is often used by crafters. It is ideal for transferring images and for decoupage projects.
Which Acrylic Gel Medium Should You Use?
The type of acrylic gel medium you use will depend on what you want your painting to look like when it is finished and cured. There may be some parts of the painting that you want to be shiny, and other areas where you would prefer a duller finish.
Let’s say you want the entire painting to have a matte finish. I recommend using a heavy or extra-heavy matte gel medium as a top coat. If you want to add texture or see the brushstrokes, it is best to use semi-gloss or gloss gel medium.
The best thing to do is play around with these mediums to see how they work. The more you use them, the easier it will be for you to decide which ones you need to use, and when to use them.
How to Use Acrylic Gel Medium
There are several ways that acrylic gel mediums can be used. For the purpose of this post, we will concentrate on using them to create texture and extend the volume of your paint.
#1. Create Texture with Acrylic Gel Medium
Whether you wish to create soft folds or stiff peaks, you can achieve your goals by using acrylic gel mediums. The amount of texture will depend on the viscosity of the gel, and how much you use.
If you are looking to create a transparent layer that doesn’t have a lot of texture, try using a soft gel gloss. Use your palette knife to spread the gel onto the canvas.
Allow the gel layer to fully dry before you add more layers. This is going to make your painting have a lot of depth.
You can also mix the gel into the paint and spread it over background colors so you end up with layers of color.
#2. Extend the Volume of Acrylic Paint with Gel Mediums
If you want to get more out of your paint, all you have to do is extend its volume. You can do this by mixing acrylic gel mediums right into the paint.
This is something you will need to experiment with. The amount of gel medium you use will depend on what you want the final result to look like.
As a rule of thumb, I recommend starting by adding a few drops of the gel medium. You can add as much as a tablespoon, but it is best to go slowly and just add a few drops at a time until you have the paint volume you want.
Work the paint and the gel medium together with a knife, or your palette knife. I don’t recommend using a brush for this, because you could end up with brush marks that you don’t want on your painting.
Conclusion
There are so many mediums for artists to use, and acrylic paint gel mediums are among the most popular. These mediums can be used for a variety of purposes, and not just for paintings.
Crafters love to use these mediums for many of their projects, especially decoupage projects. For painters, these gel mediums can change the overall appearance of a painting.
If you find that your paintings don’t have the texture you want, try using one of the acrylic gel mediums we have talked about today. Play around with the different types of mediums to find the ones that work best for your artwork.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!