Oh boy. Okay so, today K&M Evans hosted a two hour lecture by Golden Artist Colors Inc.
It was excellent. It was a purposeful way of advertising too, of course, but I do not grudge the clear advertising in it, the brand seems to be genuinely innovative and active, constantly improving - At least, this is what I gather from the talk.
Personally, it's been nearly two years since I used acrylic, I think.
Acrylic and I were never fast friends. I loved the blending you could achieve through the medium, but I very rarely have the money to buy satisfying acrylic paint, meaning I have tubes and tubes of discouraging acrylics with absolutely terrible coverage.
So, I was listening and watching the demonstration, learning about Golden's brands of paint available, listening with a pinch of salt. ("Okay, yes there's This type and That, I might not buy your brand, but it's good to know these exist.")
And then I fell in love.
No. Really.
As far as art supplies go.
These guys do a whole series of grounds (gessos, pastes etc.) and gels. As far as grounds go there are all sorts, normal gesso and others that treat surfaces for particular media e.g. watercolour or chalk pastels. With gels, there are so many, all with different effects. For example they have gels with glass beads in them, marble beads in them, plastic and empty beads, giving grainy textures, and in the case of the glass, there's a refraction of light through your paint and pigment, for extra effect! There's pumice in one gel that gives a harsher, concrete texture ground to work on, not to mention their hard molding paste, allowing you to actually carve into your layer of grounding.
All of these hard, coarse grounds? They're flexible. You can bend these suckers. They look absolutely unbelievable (And our demonstrator bended a painted wedge of the stuff today).
I know, I know, I'm gushing. I am basically advertising for them. I really shouldn't open my mouth until I know for sure that these are how the paints work. I am so very excited, though.
So excited, that eventually you probably will hear back from me, explaining how yes, everything I said in this post..? It's true. (It better be. Hell hath no fury than artistic motivation scorned).
Another big reason I'm excited is because their gels and paints work for Image Transfer.
I have gotten many a lovely piece out of image transfer, it works for happy times. Up until now, I have been using acetone and a printing press, however. Once I'm finished with college this year, that's my access to a printing press gone. At least knowing this will mean some print making techniques are still available to me! - You don't need a printing press at all, you simply have to smooth your photocopy/laser down onto the gel/paint etc. and the image will transfer. There's a video on Golden's site. The second big reason I am here, gaping at the innovation that is Golden, is due to their "digital paints". No. They're not online. Wait for it..
Digital paints (or digital grounds as they're called on the site) are a paint you apply to literally ANY surface. Once this is done and you attach it to an A4 (or whatever size your home printer is) page, you can literally print with your home printer, Onto that material. Gold foil? Kitchen towel? Cheesecloth? Go for it.
As you can probably tell, I am super excited.
And of course... we got a sample pack.
I can't wait to try these guys out.
Golden Artist Colors Inc comes across as an adaptable, accessible and inventive brand, that always keeps the artist in mind. If you see any demonstrations being put on, go along and find out about the products I didn't post up here; there's plenty more. Keep an eye out!
And that's enough advertising, sorry.
It was excellent. It was a purposeful way of advertising too, of course, but I do not grudge the clear advertising in it, the brand seems to be genuinely innovative and active, constantly improving - At least, this is what I gather from the talk.
Personally, it's been nearly two years since I used acrylic, I think.
Acrylic and I were never fast friends. I loved the blending you could achieve through the medium, but I very rarely have the money to buy satisfying acrylic paint, meaning I have tubes and tubes of discouraging acrylics with absolutely terrible coverage.
So, I was listening and watching the demonstration, learning about Golden's brands of paint available, listening with a pinch of salt. ("Okay, yes there's This type and That, I might not buy your brand, but it's good to know these exist.")
And then I fell in love.
No. Really.
As far as art supplies go.
These guys do a whole series of grounds (gessos, pastes etc.) and gels. As far as grounds go there are all sorts, normal gesso and others that treat surfaces for particular media e.g. watercolour or chalk pastels. With gels, there are so many, all with different effects. For example they have gels with glass beads in them, marble beads in them, plastic and empty beads, giving grainy textures, and in the case of the glass, there's a refraction of light through your paint and pigment, for extra effect! There's pumice in one gel that gives a harsher, concrete texture ground to work on, not to mention their hard molding paste, allowing you to actually carve into your layer of grounding.
All of these hard, coarse grounds? They're flexible. You can bend these suckers. They look absolutely unbelievable (And our demonstrator bended a painted wedge of the stuff today).
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| give us |
I know, I know, I'm gushing. I am basically advertising for them. I really shouldn't open my mouth until I know for sure that these are how the paints work. I am so very excited, though.
So excited, that eventually you probably will hear back from me, explaining how yes, everything I said in this post..? It's true. (It better be. Hell hath no fury than artistic motivation scorned).
Another big reason I'm excited is because their gels and paints work for Image Transfer.
I have gotten many a lovely piece out of image transfer, it works for happy times. Up until now, I have been using acetone and a printing press, however. Once I'm finished with college this year, that's my access to a printing press gone. At least knowing this will mean some print making techniques are still available to me! - You don't need a printing press at all, you simply have to smooth your photocopy/laser down onto the gel/paint etc. and the image will transfer. There's a video on Golden's site. The second big reason I am here, gaping at the innovation that is Golden, is due to their "digital paints". No. They're not online. Wait for it..
Digital paints (or digital grounds as they're called on the site) are a paint you apply to literally ANY surface. Once this is done and you attach it to an A4 (or whatever size your home printer is) page, you can literally print with your home printer, Onto that material. Gold foil? Kitchen towel? Cheesecloth? Go for it.
As you can probably tell, I am super excited.
And of course... we got a sample pack.
I can't wait to try these guys out.
Golden Artist Colors Inc comes across as an adaptable, accessible and inventive brand, that always keeps the artist in mind. If you see any demonstrations being put on, go along and find out about the products I didn't post up here; there's plenty more. Keep an eye out!
And that's enough advertising, sorry.
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