How do you get acrylics to "glow"? - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

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August 8, 2015 at 1:29 am #993263
tessagurney
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I’ve been trying to find out how to make paint look like its glowing, and I’ve found plenty of things about oil, but I’m wondering if the same techniques would work with acrylic….with using transparent paints to using certain kinds of glazes..etc.

Thanks, Tessa
August 8, 2015 at 5:06 am #1231730
chammi kaiser Moderator
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When I want a glow to my work – I mix my paint with glaze medium – and not too much paint -rather using several glazes only when the previous glaze is completely dry. This gives a lovely glowing depth to an acrylic painting.

Chammi
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August 8, 2015 at 7:56 am #1231737
fruitcke
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I drink a glass of wine if I want my paintings to glow…..not only does it make the paints glow,but me too !! :wink2:

Happy painting

www.julianwheat.com
August 8, 2015 at 8:21 am #1231739
DMSS
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I am reading Acrylic Illuminations, by Nancy Reyner. She describes quite a few techniques for getting your paints to glow. I am learning a lot from her book. You might want to have a look at it.

--David
August 8, 2015 at 9:56 am #1231738
ColinS, Moderator, Victoria British Columbia
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The most glow I have achieved is through building up layers of titanium white or titanium white plus a tiny bit of colour if I need a tint.

My sister gave me a tube of a pearl irididescent colour (Golden) last year. I have only used it once, it put such a “glow” on water that I had to paint over it.

"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." - Henry David Thoreau
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August 8, 2015 at 10:04 am #1231734
gaykir
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I agree with Julian! Wine 🍷

http://gaylekirbyart.blogspot.com/
August 8, 2015 at 11:43 am #1231729
Guide
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I like using gloss glazing medium. A different “glow” can use metal leaf as a base. Pearl can create a different glow. Depends on what you are looking to accomplish.

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August 8, 2015 at 12:04 pm #1231742
tessagurney
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Ok, thanks so much! I’ve never used a glaze before and i’m excited to try it I would have never thought of wine and I’ll definitly look into that book too.
August 8, 2015 at 6:57 pm #1231733
thetech
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Bourbon

Thetech
August 8, 2015 at 10:37 pm #1231745
Yombie
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Bourbon

lmao

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August 9, 2015 at 9:16 am #1231740
Mike L
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I drink a glass of wine if I want my paintings to glow…..not only does it make the paints glow,but me too !! :wink2:

And if you have enough wine you don’t care if your painting glows.

R/Mike

Practice religion freely and freedom religiously.
August 9, 2015 at 9:56 am #1231731
karenlee
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I suggest trying metallic underpainting, as well as iridescent colors. Layering of transparent colors over both of these improves luminosity. Then there’s that wine…
August 9, 2015 at 1:29 pm #1231741
TASCHICK
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I glaze with acrylics quite a lot and its important to get the base color correct but lighter than the eventual color you imagine…not all acrylics glaze well… some of the best are yellow ochre, burnt sienna, raw umber and raw siennas for example….for glaze I use Jo Sanja which is normally used for pottery glazes…hope this helps.
August 9, 2015 at 3:53 pm #1231732
Jim
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Jerry Yarnell says that for the paint to keep it’s glow, you have to put it on thick.

Acrylics darken as they dry, so thick paint dries slower and it will keep the glow.

Jim

Thanks in Advance
August 9, 2015 at 3:55 pm #1231735
Mythrill
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I’ve been trying to find out how to make paint look like its glowing, and I’ve found plenty of things about oil, but I’m wondering if the same techniques would work with acrylic….with using transparent paints to using certain kinds of glazes..etc.

Thanks, Tessa

Tessa, to make your paintings glow, consider the glazing technique. First, you paint the whole composition monochromatically. Then, you slowly paint over it, transparently, until you reach the results you want. Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jd9zzXOD7E

What’s so great about these techniques is that they make drawings a bit more vibrant and complex. It’s hard to master, but it’s easy to figure out. You’ll probably get some interesting results even on your first tries.
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