I’m experimenting with acrylics as a quick start-and-stop, water-based paint. The mixes of pigment and Blickrylic gel are staying wet in baby food jars. Yay! I got a starter set of Golden Open, traditional colors. And a jar of Open gel (it’s quite transparent). 2 tubes of Golden Heavy Body, just to see what they’re like. The ultramarine blue has enough pigment in it to make my corneas peel.
I decided to follow the painting schedule suggested by Golden, in which you start by blocking some of the absorbency of the surface, followed by fast-drying paints, then by mixing in mediums to increase the working time, finally finishing by using Open paints. https://justpaint.org/open-mixed-with-standard-acrylics-working-time-control/ (scroll down a little)
Except that I didn’t have matte medium or glazing liquid, as suggested. I used Open gel in increasing quantities.
I do like being able to decide very closely the length of working time – time that the paint stays brushable. That’s great!
After finding out that my duck egg yolks stay fresh in the fridge for 2 weeks, I’m wondering why I’m bothering with acrylic. 2 weeks would be long enough to put paint in the fridge in a stay-wet palette.
The chickens don’t care, but I think the ducks resent my use of acrylic.
cindy moon mckee 