System 3 - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

This topic has 10 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 11 months ago by Eveline.

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April 7, 2018 at 6:04 am #454199
francjs
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Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has experience using System 3. I looked at some posts, and I see some love it, and some say it’s not very good.

I’m using Goldens mostly, and student grade paint for blocking things in. I noticed that Galeria doesn’t cover much. But I got an ultramarine and a titanium white from System 3, the regular bodied ones, did a brief side-by-side comparison with Golden, to see how well they covered a stripe of burnt umber.

I could not see a major difference, also in the color when dried, which surprises me, as the difference in price is significant. I realise I need to play around more. I’m asking myself if there is that much difference in the end, to justify the cost, before I go out and replace some tubes that are almost finished. Has anyone for example done a blind test? I’d like to hear what your experience is.
April 7, 2018 at 12:54 pm #600527
Dcam
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I have two colors in system 3 that are so unique, I keep buying new tubes:
Wedgwood blue ( Great for snow shadows ). and Pistachio.
Check them out.

Website: www.artderek.com
DEMONSTRATIONS:https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1363787
https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1343600
https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1431363
April 7, 2018 at 4:04 pm #600526
Charlies Mum Administrator (Maureen)
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I’m still using some System3 from 16 or 17 years ago whereas some of Rowneys artist grade paints, much newer, have dried out or separated … mostly I use Liquitex and W&N artist quality, but Sys 3 compare favourably I think.

Cheers, Maureen

Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .
April 7, 2018 at 11:48 pm #600529
janinco
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I love them (especially the price). I think they’re much higher pigment load than most student acrylics. The earth tones do tend to separate if you get the tubes, so I use a skewer like a plunger to mix well before squirting onto my palette. They’re not as “buttery” as some higher end artist paints, but work fine for me.

I did an experiment to check drying shift and there was almost no difference between them wet and dry so I don’t have to compensate as much for that. The main reason I started using them was because I’m allergic to almost all acrylic formulations and I have no reactions to the System 3 line.

Jan

TwoStone Studio
April 8, 2018 at 9:55 am #600534
hmshood5
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I love System 3s, and use them where I can. Sadly, they seem to be getting harder to find around here.

"All of us get lost in the darkness... Dreamers learn to steer by the stars"
www.brianfioreart-aviartisa.com
April 8, 2018 at 9:31 pm #600530
janinco
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If you live in the US, Hobby Lobby stores carry them. If you use the 40% off coupon that makes them about $3.60 for a large 150 ml / 5.1 oz tube, but you can only use it on one at a time. Many WalMart stores are carrying the 75 ml / 2 oz tubes for $3. Online Dick Blick has a pretty good price…$4.75 for the 150 ml tubes.

Jan

TwoStone Studio
April 8, 2018 at 10:25 pm #600535
hmshood5
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If you live in the US, Hobby Lobby stores carry them. If you use the 40% off coupon that makes them about $3.60 for a large 150 ml / 5.1 oz tube, but you can only use it on one at a time. Many WalMart stores are carrying the 75 ml / 2 oz tubes for $3. Online Dick Blick has a pretty good price…$4.75 for the 150 ml tubes.

Jan

The Hobby Lobbies in our area seem to have stopped carrying them, and the ones in Walmart are very basic colors.

"All of us get lost in the darkness... Dreamers learn to steer by the stars"
www.brianfioreart-aviartisa.com
April 9, 2018 at 10:26 am #600533
francjs
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Thank you all for your input. Now that I’m finishing several of the tubes of colour that I bought originally, I will buy three primaries and Burt Umber of System 3, plus while, and run a test to see if there is any major difference in the way the paints cover, and if I can tell at the end if the painting was done with student acrylics. I suspect that there will be difference in coverage…. despite my earlier brief test, I would be surprised if there wasn’t one, given the price difference…
April 25, 2018 at 11:12 pm #600531
Cinder Block Studios
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Oh yeah System 3 and Galeria acrylics are pretty much garbage in a tube. I recall using them around the time I first started, and when I made the switch to professional acrylics it was a night and day difference.

It’s important to note that how well something covers doesn’t denote quality. Some paints are more transparent others are more opaque. It really depends on what pigment we’re talking about. If you’re using Golden already, I’d suggest not downgrading from them. Instead chase the sales for similar quality paints like Liquitex Professional and Winsor and Newton.

[FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium]Paintings, Drawings, and Resources for Artists on my site" http://www.cinderblockstudios.com

Painting Tutorials, and other creative content to inspire you, every week on my Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/Cinderblockstudios
April 29, 2018 at 11:32 pm #600528
shadwell
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system 3 is a bit of an enigma whilst not being too bad for a student quality it can be hit and miss in use regarding results ,, it was some of my first used paints and some still remain in my box .. a decision I have never regretted was to convert over to atelier interactives ,, but as I advance in my skill sets I have the opinion that no paint is useless as even week pigment loads can be just the thing for glazes etc

an early work of mine that would have used system 3 the riders shirt will be without doubt system 3 as I use a selection of paints it is memorable as only system 3 had that magenta colour or only one I bought anyway ..

there are certain to be system 3 colours in this work also …

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April 30, 2018 at 10:01 am #600532
cliff.kachinske
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I agree with Shadwell on this.

When I first started painting ALL the paints were garbage in a tube, but somehow over time they’ve improved. Perhaps they just needed aging, like fine wines.

A painting is never really done as long as I can get my hands on it.
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