Guidelines for Clear or Lightly Tinted Textures, Layers, and Glazes

When creating clear or lightly tinted layers, Gloss Gels and Mediums always provide the best clarity and least chance of color shift.

Semi-Gloss, Satin, and Matte products, by contrast, can cause underlying colors to appear less saturated and lighter in value. In addition, thicker layers of these lower sheen products can create hazy, waxy, or even opaque appearances. While these qualities are often exploited for creating encaustic effects, they also present a problem for artists wanting to combine a lower sheen with maximum, long term clarity.

For these reasons, when working with clear or lightly tinted layers, we strongly recommend using gloss products whenever possible and adjusting the sheen only at the end by applying a final removable varnish over a gloss isolation coat.

Gloss

• Best clarity for both thin and thick applications.
• Underlying colors appear brighter and more saturated
• Least vulnerable to marring, color shift and water sensitivity.
• Increased risk of surface damage from higher tack1 and chance of blocking2. To minimize, protect with final varnish.

Semi-Gloss

• Good clarity in thin applications.
• Underlying colors can appear less saturated and lighter in value.
• Lower tack and risk of blocking.
• Thick layers can have a hazy or foggy appearance. Always test before application. If better clarity is desired, use Gloss products.
• More vulnerable to marring, water-sensitivity, and potential color shift. If these are concerns, use Gloss products and alter sheen with final varnish.

Satin

• Moderate clarity in thin applications.
• Underlying colors will appear less saturated and lighter in value.
• Much lower tack and risk of blocking.

Matte

• Thick layers can have a hazy, cloudy, or opaque appearance. Always test before application. If better clarity is desired, use Gloss or Semi-Gloss products.
• Most vulnerable to marring, water-sensitivity, and color shift. If these are concerns, use Gloss products and alter sheen with final varnish.

1- The stickiness of a dried coating. In acrylics, tack also increases with higher temperature and humidity.

2- The undesirable adhesion of two coated surfaces when pressed together.