Gel-medium - a friend of a creative person

The creative principle of people is boundless. Someone is playing the piano, others are knitting or sewing, and still others are engaged in the artistic painting of spoons. There are also those who are engaged in decorating. For each hobby there is an individual set of necessary tools. For some of them it is necessary to have a jar with the inscription "gel-medium acrylic". Already the name itself is intriguing. So what is it? Where is it used? Which gel mediator should I choose? The answers to these questions can be found below.

Golden mean

Gel-medium is one of the types of modeling pastes based on acrylic. The scope of its application is very wide. Often it is used to impart a volume or necessary relief to a surface. Applying a texture paste on paper, cardboard or fabric, you can achieve a very unexpected and interesting effect. This, of course, is not all areas where you can apply it, but first you need to tell us what this miracle paste is.

So, the mysterious inscription "gel-medium acrylic" on the jar is not so mysterious. The meaning of the word "gel" is understandable, it indicates the consistency of the contents of the container. "Medium" is translated as "middle" or "middle", that is, it is something that is or is located between some other elements, and "acrylic" indicates the basic component of the composition. All together they form the necessary material for creativity. Such jars can be found in the arsenal of masters of decoupage, decoration and scrapbooking. Artists also often use it in their works to give them volume. Speaking in general terms, the Gel-medium is, perhaps, an important and necessary attribute of the real creator.

Applications

Knowing the areas where such a paste is used, now you need to decide how it can be used.

Gel-medium is used to translate photos into decoupage technique. With its help, drawings from special napkins or paper are transferred to the desired surface (casket, cutting board, plate and so on). It can also be used to create an imaginary "weariness" and "bruising", which is characteristic of works in vintage style. With the help of it you can achieve the effect of "glass" or transparency. Such pastes are great for creating different effects in other forms of creativity.

With the help of this gel, you can grow acrylic paints in all types of artwork. This makes them more liquid and convenient to apply to a canvas or other surface. It is also used to create softer and delicate shades. Artists can create imitations of sand or wood with the help of certain types of pastes.

On the gel-medium, even you can glue the elements of the composition in decoration or scrapbooking. It serves as a composition for creating relief through various stencils. They cover individual elements of work. Also, it can be used as a finishing coat, it can easily replace the lacquer, which dries long and smells unpleasant.

In a fairly rare but interesting technique "sgrafitto" with the help of medium gels, you can make wall and ceiling bas-reliefs.

Acrylic variety

In addition to classical mediums, there are pastes with special effects. For example, a cracked surface or sand. You can find options with sparkles or other decorative additives that make the scope of such a product even wider.

How to choose the right gel medium?

In order to make the right choice, you need to decide on the kind of creativity for which this paste will be bought. Artists, decoupage artists or decorators will choose different according to the price category, features and composition of the gels. Therefore, there is no clear scheme in this process, although there are several rules, the following of which will help to avoid disappointment after the purchase.

First, it is better to purchase such products in specialized shops for creativity. It is more likely that all the conditions for proper storage are met. If the product is frozen or stored for a long time in the sun, it will spoil the consistency of the paste. It is cracked and collected in lumps, which when diluted with water will make the texture not sufficiently dense and unfit for work. Secondly, do not economize too much on the medium. His qualities will influence the result of your work. The better the composition and characteristics of the paste, the more beautiful the work will look like in the end. Thirdly, always look at the expiration date. Geli-mediums though can be stored for years, but after the expiry of this date they become unusable. Also it must be remembered that such a product will not end for 1-3 times of application, so it is better that there should be at least 6-10 months of stock, otherwise you just can not have time to spend it up to the end.

Which medium should I choose?

Of course, a good and high-quality gel-medium costs money. As a rule, many people try to save money and use diluent for acrylic paint instead. A positive effect with such a replacement is unlikely to succeed. To save money without compromising quality, it is worth paying attention to the gel-medium of the company "Raphael". This is a domestic brand, which has proved itself from a good side in the market of goods for creativity. This is not the cheapest option, but this brand is proven by the time and use of many authors and masters in the work.

Where to buy such a paste?

Gel-medium "Raphael" can be bought in shops for artists or for creativity. In ordinary office boutiques, it is sold extremely rarely. Also it can be found in a specialized online store or try to order directly through the manufacturer's website.