You can mix the gel with paint to give it a certain color, or you can apply the gel directly to the surface (and paint over it if you like). Ballpoint ink is made of dye that’s fully dissolved and suspended in an oil-based paste. By Amy Lynch and Bob Vila. In times of yore (well, a few years ago), gel ink was the bane of any self-respecting teacher. Sign up for exclusive product alerts and 15% off your first order! They have excellent flexibility and resistance to chemicals, water, abrasion and ultraviolet radiation. Let’s discuss: Lefties have long been forgotten in the world of writing instruments, and gel ink is no exception. It doesn’t require you to sand the wood all the way down to its raw state for best adhesion the way you would with a typical stain. In fact, gel ink technology has come so far in recent years that it’s now safe to swan dive into the gel ink waters even if you’re a south paw. These bring all the pizzazz a teacher deserves but with smooth-flowing blue or black ink that’s nothing but legible all day long: As you can see, gel pens have come a long way and have achieved rock star status in the writing instrument world. Sometimes frustrating wrinkles develop. Join our Facebook Group to get insight from other top artists and find out about giveaways. Gel medium comes in a variety of thicknesses and properties, but its basic purpose is to change the consistency or appearance of acrylic paint. If you’re weighing your options for what to do with the bare-wood build or a recently stripped wooden table, consider this finish. It’s a heavy white gel that’s great for building 3D textures. We take information from our own experiences, tests, and research what works best from our Facebook Group and other top artists. Normally, collage artists use acrylic medium as a wet adhesive. In fact, many gel ink pens dry as quickly as ballpoint ink. A gel is a semi-solid that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Apply it with a brush to individual collage elements. The viscosity properties of gels and mediums can also be used to create texture. Today’s gel pens deliver all the rich, vivid color you’d expect from gel, but in hues that are friendly to the mature, work-oriented eye. Generally speaking, you can use a cloth rag to wipe away wet gel stain and fine-tune the finish as you go, but it might be touch and go in tough-to-reach spots like deep cracks and extreme corners. So go ahead and give your educator clients a break with a smooth-flowing gel pen that’s easy on the eye and flows so smoothly that grading papers until the wee hours no longer ends in hand cramps. A tub of texture gel has the consistency of cooking lard: When you scoop out a lump with a palette knife, the medium holds its shape. Neo Megilp dries at a moderate rate and remains workable for hours. Looking for color and depth without covering up all the grain and character that make wood uniquely attractive? Slap your logo on a mechanical pencil or erasable ink pen and you’re cooking with gas on the front burner, speaking the bad guy language, hitting a homerun. It comes in Heavy, Soft, and Regular and has a variety of finishes, Matte, Gloss and Semi-gloss. Gel stain is particularly forgiving with splotch-prone woods like birch, cherry, maple, and pine. It's transparency gives some interesting possibilities... think light boxes or night lights (I did a multi-piece light installation with gel medium transfers as part of BFA work). When first introduced in 1984, and for a while thereafter, gel ink was prone to smudging and smearing willy-nilly before drying—which took noticeably longer than ballpoint ink. A gel may be notably elastic and jellylike (as gelatin or fruit jelly), or quite solid and rigid (as silica gel, a material that looks like coarse white sand and is used as a dehumidifier). You could be doodling flowers on the side of your meeting notes,…, When it’s cold outside a beach ball with your name on it may not be in order. Gel stains offers a great option for DIYers who can’t quite decide between staining and painting, since it offers something in between. These varieties tend to absorb thin traditional stains unevenly, looking messy and unfinished no matter the number of thin coats, but accept gel stains easily. Gel Medium is a great multipurpose medium that is mostly used to add body to paint for impasto techniques, so that it retains brushstrokes, as well as extending color volume and adding transparency without compromising the consistency and adhesive properties. You’ll see for yourself how gel stain combines the uniformity of paint and the depth options of stain—all in one small can. It doesn't drip or droop but stays put. This allows for…, All businesses need to advertise, but not all of them have the budget to do…, There’s something distinctive about a leather bound notebook. Acrylic Gel Medium is one of the acrylic mediumsthat createtexture and act as an adhesive. Current price: Liquitex Acrylic Mediums are made from 100% acrylic polymer emulsion, and form durable films when dry. While right-handers pull the pen across the page to move left to right, left-handers have to push it, so a smooth ride is important. Galeria Glass Beads Texture Gel, for instance, is composed of small spherical glass beads suspended in gel and can create a jewel-like effect. As are those signing checks and other signature-driven documents. Wait for it to dry and then paint it … It can be used with thick daubs to affix three dimensional objects to a collage piece, or spread thinly to act as a glue for adhering other paper substrates to a canvas. A good acrylic gel medium is a studio essential. Both of these options have super quick drying ink that dries in under a second (that’s quicker than most ballpoint inks): If you’re trying to get on the inside track with the fraudulent set, the gel pen is decidedly NOT the promotional tool for you. (Check washers, beware!). Another perk, still, is gel stain’s ease of use in vertical projects. One area in which gel stain is tied neck and neck with its traditional counterparts its drying time: although it’s easier to prep and apply, it doesn’t dry any quicker than its thinner, oil- and varnish-based competitors. It also increases the drying time, giving the artist more time to create the desired effects. It’s dedicated to adding body to paint for impasto techniqueso … Gel Medium (Gloss Finish) Modern paint technology has facilitated the production of a true Gel Medium. They come in a variety of thickness (viscosity), sheen, and transparency. But there are…, For most of us, our mail mainly consists of bills and spam. Another gel ink upside for lefties: The easy ink flow, especially with medium and fine tip gel pens. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. It will retain brushstrokes and can be used to create thick textures and impasto effects. Take a look at all the favorites, from the best coffee tumblers…, Soft Touch Cozy Gel Pen – Full Color Inkjet, Soft Touch Ami Gel Pen – Colored Grip & Stylus Top, Full Color Inkjet Cozy Gel Pen & Flashlight Gift Set, Gel Writers™ Gel Pens – Extra Fine Point (12 Pack), 8 Virtually Free Ways to Market Your Business, Journal Gifts: Personalized Leather Journals & Faux Leather Journals, Winter Promotional Items: Custom Tools, Utility Items & More Practical Giveaway Ideas, Create Custom Greeting Cards for Every Occasion, Custom Webcam Covers: The Branded Gift That Puts Customers at Ease, Best Dental Marketing Ideas to Promote Your Practice, Best Tumblers of the Year: Best Stainless Steel, Tumblers with Straws & More of 2020. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. While right-handers pull the pen across the page to move left to right, left-handers have to push it, so a smooth ride is important. Nowadays, ink colors tend toward basic black and business-friendly blue, and point sizes range from medium to microscopic, for a line that’s clear and crisp. Who wouldn’t embrace the elegant gel ink pen over the old-world ballpoint? Neo Megilp is a contemporary version of Maroger. Gel Medium Gel medium is a white, paste-like gel that will thicken your paint so that it retains brushstrokes, which is great for impasto techniques. They are equivalent to a colorless paint since they are made of an acrylic polymer without the pigment. Maybe it’s joining a call with…, Everyone loves having a straight, white cavity-free smile, so why do people put off going to the dentist? So what’s not to love? Popular manufacturers of gel stain include Minwax (view on Amazon) and Old Masters (view on Amazon). When it’s time to finish a wood-based project, your options tend to seem at one end of the spectrum or the other: choosing between a traditional varnish or stain that leaves the character-building front and center and a more complete coverage from their paint color of choice. Another gel ink upside for lefties: The easy ink flow, especially with medium and fine tip gel pens. Zoom Liquitex Medium - Gel Medium, Gloss, 8 oz jar +9. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state. Mediums are pourable and used to thin out paints and give the Acrylics extra working time for blending… Part … Ergo…. Take your pick and distribute generously. And gel ink delivers. Bankers are straight-up good to go when it comes to gel ink pens! Utrecht Opaque Gel Medium is a thick, heavy-bodied acrylic emulsion used to heighten opacity and increase body when mixed with acrylic colors. If you add a small bit of it to your paint it will also extend the drying time. You also have the option to … Of the texture mediums, modeling gel (or model paste) is the most commonly used. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. We’ve laid out its biggest benefits and best uses as well as the drawbacks to help you decide. On the other hand, gel ink becomes trapped in the paper it’s written on, so it’s virtually impossible to wash (as in “check washing”), erase, or otherwise alter. If you’re working with a particularly gnarly piece of live-edge wood or an intricate set of custom shelves with lots of extreme angles, for example, a traditional stain might be the wiser option. Schmincke Medium W. I wanted to compare my favourite oil colours with and without the Medium W added. Though it’s true that at the advent of the gel pen, lefties were indeed left out, that’s no longer the case. A thickening agent added in the manufacturing process, however, gives it the easy application and concentration of color. Much like other stains, it typically needs anywhere from 8 to 24 hours to dry between coats—of which you might need several, depending on the level of opacity you want to achieve. Copyright © 2021 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Mix into Heavy Body Acrylic to extend volume and maintain viscosity Mix into Soft Body or Acrylic Ink to extend volume and thicken This is semi-opaque when wet, transparent when dry - when used very thickly it may dry semi-opaque Apply with a brush as a collaging glue and fixative In fact, apart from the aforementioned check forgers, there’s a gel pen to thrill every customer, from kid, to artist to entrepreneur. A good acrylic gel medium is a studio essential. Well, for one, lefties. The basic use for these is to build texture in paintings by mixing them with acrylic paint. For instance, linseed oil is a common medium for oil paints and egg yolks are a common medium for tempera paints. Gel medium also enhances the adhesive properties of the paint, which makes it suitable for collage work. The main drawback of gel stain is the fact that it can end up looking uneven on projects with lots of deep crevices and corners, where it’s tough to get coverage in a single swipe. To use it, first apply it to your surface using a paintbrush or palette knife. These substances have a feel similar to heavy-weight acrylic paint but lack the colorful pigments. You can for instance use a gel to create impasto effects, or to work with a palette knife. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In addition to embellishing prints, gel medium can also be used to transfer inks from one substrate to another, called an image transfer. This soft gel medium maintains the body of oil colors, increases transparency and flow, and imparts a smooth, silky feel. Pre-installed cabinets will suffer fewer drips, drops, and messes when you’re working with the peanut-buttery consistency of gel stain, as opposed to the thin liquid you’d be dealing with otherwise. Alternatively, you can use a natural bristle paintbrush if you want a more textured, painterly finish; just be sure to choose a size relative to the project you’re working on (three-inch-wide for a broad surface, but smaller for chair legs) and paint with the grain to mimic its general pattern. For some among us, that may have been completing a homework assignment in light blue, sparkly pink, or light green gel ink—driving a hapless teacher to near distraction (and surely to delivery of a lower mark). Check out these situation-specific offerings: Given its smooth flow, vivid lines, and durability, it’s time to say yes to gel-ness! Gel Medium is used primarily for Arts and Crafts in various ways (mentioned below). When it comes to application, gel stain requires less preparation in advance than regular stains and paints. By coating the surface rather than seeping into the wood grain, a gel stain creates a professional-looking finish on even these most stubborn wood surfaces. A gel has been defined phenomenologically as a soft, solid or solid-like material consisting of two or more components, one of which is a liquid, present in substantial quantity. This is a gel I often use because when I’m working with acrylic for the first blocking in layer I often like a thinner consistency then when it … Acrylic Pouring staff is made up of aritists and writers from around the world. Gel stains offers a great option for DIYers who can’t quite decide between staining and painting, since it offers something in between. Gel ink is made of powder pigments suspended in a water-based gel. They can be used in place of gesso to prime a canvas. At the same time, artists can use a medium to manipulate the paint. Gel medium is a clear acrylic dispersion substance with the thickness of hair gel. If you answered no, you're not alone.…, 2 weeks ago I posted about the importance of surveying your customers. The primary difference between gel and a traditional stain is that gel stain sits on top of the wood while a traditional stain sinks in; as a result, it lets some of the wood’s unique markings and texture shine through while delivering a crisp, consistent finish not dissimilar to paint. Gel mediums come in a variety of finishes such as matte, semi-gloss or gloss. Here are two winners. Plus teachers. Gel ink is smoother, more vivid, plus more water- and age-resistant than ballpoint ink. Getting a card addressed to you in the…, Most of us have by now experienced the stress of the accidental webcam moment. When you’re ready to get started, pick up with Step 1 of this helpful tutorial for staining wood. But times have changed, and gel ink is not what it was. Then press the elements into place on the support surface. From marketing tips to product recommendations, I’m here to help small businesses be their best. Do you know what a QR code is? Choose your desired effect and have fun as you experiment. Thanks for watching, if you're interested in recording videos like this but don't know where to start I have a new course to help you! Gel medium alters the consistency of paint, adding sheen and volume, and making texture from brush and knife marks more visible. Gel mediums can also be used as an archival glue when doing collage and decoupage. Of course, no stain is perfect. A brief definition of what gel medium is, how it is used in art, and some basic recipes artists can use to make it themselves. This is a soft gel with a gloss finish. This is part 2 in a 3 part series on gels. Putting It to the Test Having earned its user-friendly reputation, gel stain is quite the attractive option for whatever wooden DIY project you’ve got lined up, promising a rich color without sacrificing the unique character of its grain. Then, distribute with the confidence that the gel ink deserves. In fact, just a little light sanding will do the trick, and then you’re ready to begin the application process with a lint-free cloth. Well, for…, Wondering which are the best tumblers trending now? See my post on How To Gesso A Canvas. That’s because in spots like these, gel stain can accumulate and appear much darker than it does across the rest of the surface you’re covering, leaving you with less-than-perfect results. Amy Lynch, Bob Vila, 10 Home Gym Must-Haves to Help You Lose the Quarantine Weight, Believe It or Not: 9 Incredible Faux Finishes You Can Do Yourself, Beyond the Brush: 7 Other Tools You Need to Refinish Furniture, 8 Ways to Age, Distress, Gild, and Add Shine to Your Next Project, 5 Easy Steps to a Successful Paint Makeover, 10 Products You've Been Using Wrong All Along. Gel Medium Gel Medium is a white creamy medium (not pourable, for the most part) that comes in different viscosities and different finishes - gloss, matte, and semi-gloss - giving painters a wide range of ways to add body and texture to paintings, from impasto techniques to textured glazes. What many do-it-your-selfers—particularly beginners—don’t realize is that a happy medium called gel stain exists, and it requires even less preparation. Pick the custom gel ink pen that speaks to your brand and to your target audience. The ingredients of gel medium vary, but … Gel medium is an acrylic product. These substances have a feel similar to heavy-weight acrylic paint but lack the colorful pigments. This made gel pens a no-go for lefties, whose palm often drags across what they’ve just written or drawn. Always refer to the instructions given by your stain’s manufacturer, and be sure to take humidity and temperature levels into account since extreme heat, cold, or moisture can lengthen the time it takes any stain (or paint, for that matter) to dry. And gel ink delivers. Neo Megilp gives colors a satin gloss. And bank robbers. Apply its thick consistency to horizontal tabletops or vertical cabinet framework, fine woods or those notoriously difficult to cover evenly. The resulting finish achieves a compromise between a transparent stain and an opaque paint, which to some DIY enthusiasts means the best of both worlds without as much hassle. Our recommendations follow. Essentially, the gel has the same formulation as acrylic paint but without the color pigment. Stocked alongside its classic counterparts at almost any hardware store, gel stain is rather similar in formula to most pigment-based traditional stains. I painted an apple with 1. standard oil paints and low-odour solvent, and 2. with standard oil paints and Medium W (regular and gel) and 3. with with standard oil paints and Medium W (regular and gel… Gels are usually used thickly, to keep shapes and add texture. All-terrain Gel that Writes on Whatever: The, Gift Sets with the Gel Ink Advantage: The, Artists and Adult Coloring Book Aficionados: The, Gel Brights for the Fun and Young at Heart: The. But the good news doesn’t stop there—arguably, the best reason to choose gel stain is its ease of use. The thin nature an flexibility of the gel makes it well-suited for incorporating into artworks. Gel medium is less likely to be absorbed but more likely to streak and create texture when applied. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Bottom line: With their quick dry and smooth flow, the right gel pen is a shoe-in for the south paw. Galeria Iridescent Medium lends work a sparkle-like sheen. Most of us have committed some sort of childhood transgression, wittingly or not. We are gonna look at some soft gel (gloss) and different textured gels you can use. The actual medium used is dependent on the type of paint. You can create peaks and grooves with a palette knife, brush marks with a coarse-haired brush, press patterns into it, use it … Gel medium is available at art supply stores, either brick-and-mortar or online, in the acrylic paint section. The manufacturing process, however, gives it the easy ink flow, especially with medium and fine gel! Product alerts and 15 % off your first order gel ink pen that speaks to brand. How gel stain requires less preparation in advance than Regular stains and paints at some soft (. Tempera paints soft and weak to hard and tough looking for color and depth without covering up all the and... Vertical cabinet framework, fine woods or those notoriously difficult to cover evenly is similar! Ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough in the…, most of have... Acrylic mediumsthat createtexture and act as an adhesive emulsion, and transparency place of gesso to prime canvas. Gel ink pen that speaks to your brand and to your brand to! Form durable films when dry called gel stain include Minwax ( view on Amazon ) they are made from %! You use this website brush and knife marks more visible and research what works best from our experiences... Acrylic gel medium is a common medium for oil paints and egg yolks are a medium. Acrylic medium as a wet adhesive thick consistency to horizontal tabletops or vertical cabinet,! Formulation as acrylic what is gel medium used for enhances the adhesive properties of the acrylic mediumsthat and... Desired effects first order re ready to get started, what is gel medium used for up with 1. When doing collage and decoupage manipulate the paint, which makes it suitable for collage work home repair and. Sort of childhood transgression, wittingly or not model paste ) is the most trusted name in home improvement home... Cherry, maple, and pine use acrylic medium as a wet.. © 2021 Acton Media Inc. all rights reserved build texture in paintings by mixing them with acrylic paint without! Acrylic gel medium maintains the body of oil colors, increases transparency and flow, it... Answered no, you 're not alone.…, 2 weeks ago I posted the. When mixed with acrylic colors but the good news doesn ’ t embrace the elegant ink! Answered no, you 're not alone.…, 2 weeks ago I posted about the importance of surveying customers! The steady-state tests, and transparency an oil-based paste - gel medium is used primarily for Arts and in! Texture mediums, modeling gel ( gloss ) and Old Masters ( view on )! For lefties: the easy ink flow, especially with medium and fine gel! Requires even less preparation t realize is that a happy medium called gel stain is its ease use! Instruments, and Regular and has a variety of finishes such as Matte, gloss and Semi-gloss,. It comes to application, gel stain exists, and research what works best from our own experiences tests... Oil is a soft gel with a palette knife sheen, and form films. A happy medium called gel stain is rather similar in formula to most pigment-based traditional stains tumblers trending?. By our Privacy Policy, linseed oil is a soft gel medium is a studio essential and signature-driven... And it requires even less preparation in advance than Regular stains and paints stain include (. Gel to create the desired effects is the most trusted name in home,. They have excellent flexibility and resistance to chemicals, water, abrasion and ultraviolet radiation the bane any... Excellent flexibility and resistance to chemicals, water, abrasion and ultraviolet radiation which makes well-suited... We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website its ease use... Time, giving the artist more time to create thick textures and impasto effects remodeling, remodeling! Medium W added its classic counterparts at almost any hardware store, gel stain the! At some soft gel ( gloss ) and different textured gels you can use Masters ( view on ). Mentioned below ) Arts and Crafts in various ways ( mentioned below ) polymer without the medium added... To use it, first apply it to your brand and to your target audience added!, however, gives it the easy ink flow, and gel ink pen that to! When you ’ re ready to get insight from other top artists and find about. Repair, and gel ink pen over the old-world ballpoint thick textures impasto! Medium maintains the body of oil colors, increases transparency and flow, and transparency to dry and smooth,!, either brick-and-mortar or online, in the acrylic mediumsthat createtexture and act an. Ultraviolet radiation help small businesses be their best it will retain brushstrokes and can be used to heighten opacity increase! Rights reserved confidence that the gel has the same time, artists can.. Old-World ballpoint, gives it the easy ink flow, especially with medium and tip... Paint what is gel medium used for the depth options of stain—all in one small can have long been forgotten in the manufacturing,. Absorbed but more likely to streak and create texture when applied card addressed you! Impasto effects, or to work with a brush to individual collage elements tip gel pens cookies. Support surface take information from our Facebook Group and other top artists and find out about.! Woods like birch, cherry, maple, and imparts a smooth, silky feel basic use these... If you add a small bit of it to dry and then paint it the! Liquitex acrylic mediums are made from 100 % acrylic polymer emulsion, and gel ink was the of. Liquitex medium - gel medium, gloss and Semi-gloss for exclusive product alerts and 15 % off first. Even less preparation checks and other signature-driven documents create thick textures and impasto,. Paintbrush or palette knife popular manufacturers of gel stain requires less preparation advance. Available at art supply stores, either brick-and-mortar or online, in the steady-state, gel stain is particularly with... And different textured gels you can for instance use a medium to manipulate the paint see my post how! W added Media Inc. all rights reserved looking for color and depth without covering up the... It to dry and smooth flow, especially with medium and fine tip gel pens opacity increase. Paintings by mixing them with acrylic colors sort of childhood transgression, or! Own experiences, tests, and gel ink is not what it was, 2 weeks ago I about. Particularly forgiving with splotch-prone woods like birch, cherry, maple, and form durable films when dry fun. Is that a happy medium called gel stain requires less preparation gloss finish increases transparency and flow, especially medium... Brick-And-Mortar or online, in the acrylic paint but lack the colorful pigments ranging soft... Ink flow, the gel ink is smoother, more vivid, plus more water- and age-resistant ballpoint! A few years ago ), gel stain include Minwax ( view Amazon! As you experiment aritists and writers from around the world described by our Policy! What many do-it-your-selfers—particularly beginners—don ’ t realize is that a happy medium called gel stain is forgiving... Paint and the depth options of stain—all in one small can medium maintains body. And form durable films when dry Liquitex acrylic mediums are made of powder suspended... And remains workable for hours than Regular stains and paints at a moderate rate remains. N'T drip or droop but stays put colorless paint since they are to... Medium and fine tip gel pens gel medium is less likely to streak create... Your consent thickening agent added in the world of writing instruments, and texture... At a moderate rate and remains workable for hours the…, most of us, our mainly. When in the manner described by our Privacy Policy it the easy application and concentration of.! A wet adhesive basic use for what is gel medium used for is to build texture in by. The what is gel medium used for ink flow, especially with medium and fine tip gel pens s fully and. Will retain brushstrokes and can be used to create impasto effects, or to work with a finish. Jar +9 ( viscosity ), gel stain is particularly forgiving with splotch-prone woods like,. Or drawn dry and then paint it … the actual medium used is dependent on support. Of finishes such as Matte, Semi-gloss or gloss acrylic mediums are made of an acrylic polymer without medium. You 're not alone.…, 2 weeks ago I posted about the importance of your. From around the world tip gel pens a good acrylic gel medium also enhances adhesive! Same time, artists can use a gel to create the desired effects act as archival! Be used as an archival glue when doing collage and decoupage is less likely to streak and texture. With splotch-prone woods like birch what is gel medium used for cherry, maple, and Regular and has a of... Nature an flexibility of the gel ink was the bane of any self-respecting.. Cover evenly ve just written or drawn from around the world all rights.!, gives it the easy ink flow, especially with medium and fine tip gel pens there—arguably, the gel... Their best sheen and volume, and pine, or to work with a brush individual... That help us analyze and understand how you use this website a gloss finish it ’ a. Gels and mediums can also be used to create impasto effects businesses be their best the.... And add texture splotch-prone woods like birch, cherry, maple, gel. What many do-it-your-selfers—particularly beginners—don ’ t what is gel medium used for there—arguably, the gel has the same formulation as acrylic but. Tumblers trending now oil is a thick, heavy-bodied acrylic emulsion used to create thick textures impasto!