Product & Application Resources

Golden Acrylic Ground for Pastels is easy to use, yet it opens a range of creative possibilities for artists to go beyond paper. Like most GOLDEN acrylic gels, pastes, colors and mediums, it can be applied to anything acrylic will adhere to (which is most things), like walls, furniture, unglazed ceramic, plaster, natural and synthetic panels, and even paper. For an artist like Steve, everything is a potential "canvas" - here we've transformed a common door panel into a large work of art.

Patti Brady demonstrates the unique properties, of Absorbent Ground and how you can create a watercolor effect using acrylics. This is only one example of the many ways these products can be used. Stay loose, focus on playing with the materials rather than striving for a finished piece of art, and you will learn much more.

Patti presents the five Molding Pastes available from Golden Artist Colors, with some insight about their content, working properties and common applications as a ground for drawing and painting, as a media for carving, or adding texture to painting. Molding pastes are extremely versatile and loaded with potential for artists.

How to use GOLDEN Molding Paste to create a smooth painting surface For more information please go to our website Preparing Painting Supports http://www.goldenpaints.com/technicaldata/prepsupp.php Molding Pastes http://www.goldenpaints.com/technicaldata/moldpast.php or contact our Technical Support Department: [email protected] 800-959-6543 607-847-6154

Silverpoint / Drawing Ground is an opaque white liquid acrylic preparation for drawing media. It is designed for fine detail and line work on a permanent, lightfast, flexible ground. Silverpoint / Drawing Ground can be tinted with acrylic colors and is ideal for use with metal styli, graphite and other drawing tools. For more information see the Silverpoint / Drawing Ground Product Information and Application Sheet. (Item# 3558)

Acrylic Ground for Pastels is an acrylic preparation for pastels on canvas and other supports. It creates toothy surface similar to papers used with pastel and chalk. For an even rougher texture Fine or Coarse Pumice Gel can be added. Acrylic Ground for Pastel can also be tinted with acrylic colors. For more information on GOLDEN Acrylic Ground for Pastels, see Acrylic Ground for Pastels Product Information & Application Sheet. (Item# 3640)

Coarse Molding Paste - thick, warm white colored medium, translucent up to about 1/8 inch thickness. Dries to a hard, stiff but flexible film with a tooth like fine sandpaper. Accepts wet and dry media very well. Mix with Fluid or Heavy Body Acrylics to create dense paint that holds good peaks and dries matte to satin with a finely pebbled surface.

Pumice Gels (R-L Fine, Coarse, Extra Coarse) create gritty, absorbent, textured surfaces. They dry hard with a grayish color from the ground volcanic rock the contain. While generally opaque, these gels contain only clear acrylic gel and ground pumice. Fine Pumice Gel is an excellent ground for charcoal, graphite and pastel, all Pumice Gels have an absorbent quality that works well under or blended with GOLDEN Acrylic colors. For a short video about this product click here (Item# Fine - 3195, Coarse - 3200, Extra Coarse - 3205)

Fiber Paste when dry has the appearance of handmade paper. It can be skimmed with a wet palette knife to make a smoother surface. The dry off-white color is absorbent, making it ideal for use with acrylic washes. (Item # 3240)

A more in depth review of the range of Golden Molding Pastes, including Molding Paste, Hard Molding Paste, Light Molding Paste and Coarse Molding Paste. How are the products different, how are they similar and how can they can be used in painting.

Melanie demonstrates the working properties and some popular applications of Golden's Fiber Paste. Completely compatible with acrylic colors and gel mediums Fiber Paste is an opaque fibrous paste that can serve as a ground for dry media, watercolors, digital imaging and painting.

A look at "support induced discoloration" (SID), which is when contaminants are drawn into paints and mediums as they dry. Also, how to prepare a canvas or board with Gloss Medium to minimize this phenomena before painting

Pumice Gels dry to hard films. They mix well with GOLDEN Acrylic Colors. Fine Pumice Gel is useful as a drawing ground. Coarse Pumice Gel and Extra Coarse Pumice Gel create more coarse textures with sand-like pumice granules to yield concrete-like finishes. (Item# Fine - 3195, Coarse - 3200, Extra Coarse - 3205)

Over 50% lighter in weight than GOLDEN Molding Paste. This dramatic weight reduction is beneficial in creating large artworks and thick layers of material. Light Molding Paste dries to an opaque, matte finish with good flexibility. It is designed to hold stiff peaks for highly textured surfaces and it blends easily with colors.(Item# 3575)

From the metallic color palette of GOLDEN Heavy Body and Fluid Acrylic colors, Micaceous Iron Oxide is a warm, nearly black color that dries with a texture and sparkle similar to fine grit sandpaper. Great as a metallic color, it also makes an excellent surface for drawing with pencil, pastel and conté crayon.

Here are three toothy acrylic mixtures you can easily apply to panel or board to expand your pastel art whether you use PanPastel, stick pastel, or variety of pencils.

1. Absorbent Ground on canvas board – feel free to tint this mixture with GOLDEN Fluid Acrylics
2. Pastel Ground on clear acrylic sheet - we masked an area for nice clean edges (and a satisfying tape removal)
3. Micaceous Iron Oxide – we love this self-leveling surface with a subtle metallic sheen