Restart and hit refresh! As we look ahead with renewed energy, we're celebrating the essential elements that bring great color to life; professional primers, artist-quality grounds, reliable painting substrates, and the inspiring palettes that follow. This month, explore how thoughtful surface preparation enhances color vibrancy, finish quality, and creative freedom.
Creative Kickoff
Proper surface preparation is the foundation of any successful artwork. By choosing the right primers, grounds, and substrates, you can ensure better adhesion, richer color, and long-lasting results. Preparing your surface thoughtfully not only protects your materials—it also opens up new creative possibilities.
Learn how to:
- Select the ideal substrate and ground for your medium and technique.
- Apply primers and grounds to achieve optimal tooth, absorbency, and color response.
- Troubleshoot common surface issues to ensure stability and professional-quality results.
A selection of products every artist should have within arm’s reach. Materials that make studio life easier, smarter, and more inspiring. Take some time to learn about each product and why you need them in your studio.
Gesso
GOLDEN Gesso preps your substrate or surface so paint will stick, stay vibrant, and last longer. Flexible, rich, and highly pigmented, prepping with Gesso is a must.
Molding Paste
Build up texture or create smooth surfaces by filling the weave of a canvas. Dries to a hard but flexible finish, with a soft, semi-opaque look. Mixes easily with paint to extend color or add a subtle tint.
Watercolor Ground
Creates an absorbent surface that allows for soft edges and flowing wet-in-wet techniques. May be brushed, rolled or scraped on smoothly with a palette knife.
Micaceous Iron Oxide
A rich, dark charcoal color with a subtle iridescent shimmer. Perfect as a base for light colored paints, watercolors, or drawing media, it adds depth and creates a beautifully unique surface that catches the light.
GOLDEN Acrylic Intro Sets
A convenient and affordable way to explore the variety of working properties of GOLDEN acrylic colors and mediums. Available in Heavy Body, Fluid, High Flow, OPEN and SoFlat.
Workspace Refresh
Kick off the new year by giving your studio a fresh start! Organizing your space, packing up and storing/shipping old projects, adopting healthier habits and preparing surfaces for new work opens the door to creativity and experimentation.
Mixologist of the Month
Name: Colleen Department: Marketing Time at GOLDEN: 7 years
I love this blue color mixture for winter scenes because it captures the calm, crisp feeling of the season. Its cool undertones mirror clear winter skies and frosty mornings in the way snow reflects and absorbs light, revealing its inherent blue tones - especially in the shadows of dusk or dawn.
Try our Virtual Paint Mixer for Yourself! Take the guesswork out of color mixing! The GOLDEN Virtual Paint Mixer helps you dial in those tricky mixtures. Create a free Studio Assistant account to save your favorite mixes, build custom palettes, and much more.