Gels

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Gels

Gel Mediums

GOLDEN Gel Mediums offer artists many ways to build texture. They range in consistency from pourable to moldable with varying degrees of sheen and transparency. They can be used to create glazes, extend paints and change finishes. Some gels incorporate pumice, glass or acrylic granules that impart unique reflective, rough or absorbent surface qualities.

Gels can be thought of as colorless paint, as they are composed of 100% acrylic polymers similar to acrylic paint. They can also act as adhesives in collage and mixed media that dry to form continuous films with excellent flexibility with chemical, water and UV resistance.

Gel & Paste Properties / Differences Between Gels & Mediums / Size Chart /
Using Gels & Pastes / Gel Applications / Technical Information & Application Sheets / Product Review / Back to Index Page

Soft Gels - Thinner than GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors, Soft Gels are moderately pourable. Hold only slight peaks. The recommended acrylic to function as a glue for collaging. Soft Gel Gloss is ideal for glazing and other techniques where transparency is desired. Useful as a non-removable isolation coat, applied over the painting and before the varnish (must be thinned with water - 2 parts Soft Gel Gloss to 1 part water).

Images left to right: Soft Gel (Gloss), Soft Gel (Semi-Gloss), Soft Gel (Matte)

Regular Gels - Same creamy consistency as GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors. Ideal for extending paint and regulating translucency without changing the consistency of the Heavy Body and Matte colors. Hold moderate peaks and texture. The Regular Gel Gloss is ideal for glazing and other techniques where transparency is desired.

Images left to right: Regular Gel (Gloss), Regular Gel (Semi-Gloss), Regular Gel (Matte)

Heavy Gels - Thicker consistency than GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors. Blend with colors to increase body. Good for holding peaks. Dries translucent.

Images left to right: Heavy Gel (Gloss), Heavy Gel (Semi-Gloss), Heavy Gel (Matte)

Extra Heavy Gels - Thicker consistency than GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors. The thickest of GOLDEN gels, along with the High Solid Gels. Blend with colors to increase body. Excellent for holding peaks and impasto techniques. Dries translucent.

Images left to right: Extra Heavy Gel (Gloss), Extra Heavy Gel (Semi-Gloss), Extra Heavy Gel (Matte)

High Solid Gel (Gloss)- Thicker consistency than GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors, while being similar to Extra-Heavy Gels. Offers higher gloss, lower shrinkage and dries to the touch quicker than most Gels. High Solid Gels are good for holding peaks. Blends with colors to make them feel more oil-like and increases retention of brushstrokes.

High Solid Gel (Matte) - Thicker consistency than GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylic colors, while being similar to Extra-Heavy Gels. Dries to a matte finish. Offers lower shrinkage and dries to touch quicker than most Gels. Good for holding peaks. Blends with colors to make them feel more oil-like and increases retention of brushstrokes.

Images left to right: High Solid Gel (Gloss), High Solid Gel (Matte)

Pumice Gels - Used to create textured surfaces. Dries to a hard film. To increase its flexibility, mix in other GOLDEN Gels or mediums. Blends with GOLDEN Acrylic colors.

Images left to right: Fine Pumice Gel, Coarse Pumice Gel, Extra Coarse Pumice Gel

Self Leveling Clear Gel - Designed to produce an even film with excellent clarity. The gel has a unique resinous, stringy consistency resulting from the leveling property. This product dries to a flexible, high gloss film, which can increase the transparency and sheen, while imparting a leveling quality to other GOLDEN Acrylic products. Blends with GOLDEN Acrylic colors to produce glazes.

Self Leveling Clear Gel

Clear Tar Gel - Designed to yield a pully, tar-like feel, but in a colorless gel. This gel has an extremely resinous and stringy consistency, which makes it feel very different than other acrylics. Useful for generating fine detailed lines by "dripping" it over surfaces, as it continuously flows from palette knives or other tools. Blends with all GOLDEN Acrylic colors (though Fluids work best) to offer a full range of colors with which to work.

Clear Tar Gel

Glass Bead Gel - A coarse textured medium with a Heavy Body viscosity that holds peaks. Made with genuine glass beads, its unique visual effect – like that of condensation on cold glass – is best seen in thin films that allow the mono-layer of glass beads to be illuminated on a light colored ground. Glass Bead Gel can appear very similar to Coarse Pumice Gel or Clear Granular Gel when mixed with enough paint to hide the appearance of the glass beads.

Glass Bead Gel

Clear Granular Gel - Used to create textured surfaces. Dries to a hard film. To increase its flexibility, mix in other GOLDEN Gels or mediums. Blends with GOLDEN Acrylic colors.

Clear Granular Gel

Silk Screen Fabric Gel - Blends with the GOLDEN Acrylic Paint lines to produce a silk-screen ink for heat-settable textile applications.
Not Pictured

Gel Topcoats w/UVLS - Thick acrylic gel mediums containing Ultra Violet Light Filters and Stabilizers (UVLS) to protect materials from fading and deterioration caused by exposure to UV radiation. Gel Topcoats dry to a permanent, flexible, non-removable coating. Available in Gloss and Semi-Gloss sheens. The Gloss version dries with great clarity and a highly reflective surface, while the Semi-Gloss dries to a translucent, more wax-like finish and like all topcoats may appear to alter color saturation. They are not intended as a commercial topcoat for high wear items.
Not Pictured