OK... I live in the boonies and I have this wonderful brother who calls to let me know when he is making a trip to Hobby Lobby so he might pick me up something I might need and save me the 160 mile-one way trip....which in itself is a wonderful gesture...wheww! That was a mouthful! Anyway, the last time I asked him to pick up some gel medium... to which the salesperson said you might want to check with the hospital equip supplier or local pharmacies. ahhh, so are there people out doing their own lab work or needing a membrane for electrophoresis for determining the base sequence of DNA???? All I want is simple art medium stuff!
Today...he got a different helper. She said they no longer carry any of the golden mediums or liquitex because there is a recipe for it on the internet...and
everyone is making it themselves. As she walked off she said..just google it!
....So I Did....
Big Mistake! I spent way too much time
looking... I actually could have drove the 160 miles BOTH ways and saved the time. If there is a recipe out there...no one is sharing. But I did see the same info on dozens of sites and blogs telling what the various types are and all the good things you can do with them.
This is the condensed version....
Gel medium is the miracle goo of the art world. It’s a glue or a sealer, it creates a matte or shiny surface, it thins acrylic paints and makes them more transparent and it can slow drying time.
And the vary characteristics that make it so wonderful, cause confusion. To keep it simple: A Gel Medium is an acrylic paint 'without' pigment color...just clear with good adhesion.
Gel medium is the basic name and the common brand names are Liquitex, Golden and Dick Blick’s house brand.
There are three textures: thick, thin and medium. That’s where the first problem starts. Thick is also called “heavy,” and “super heavy gel”.
Medium is often called “fluid,” or “soft fluid, or “medium gel” and liquid is also called fluid, self-leveling, “liquid” or just plain watered down medium-medium.
Confused yet?
I use heavy gel when I need a paste or doing transfers, a medium when a lighter glue or paint additive is needed, and a thin for coating collage work, isolating elements that might bleed or deteriorate or have a high-acid content which interferes with the archival qualities. I really like that this product is less likely to ripple papers when glued and works great for photo transfers when you get the hang of it.
So now I am off to shop the best shipping rates online...don't want to run out....and if there IS a secret recipe out there...pleeze share! lol!!!
(and Steve...I added pictures so you know that there IS such a thing and I wasn't sending you on a goose chase!)
