#115 MASTER CLASS — EXPLORING ACRYLIC MEDIUMS
In this practical Master Class, Assistant Coach Tom Hlas cuts through the overwhelm and shows you what actually matters. Through clear demonstrations, Tom walks through gels, pastes, and mediums, showing how each one behaves, when to use it, and why. You’ll see how to build texture, create transparency, and expand what’s possible with acrylic paint, without overcomplicating your process. Grounded in Tom’s deep experience with materials, this class helps you make smarter choices in the studio and use mediums in ways that genuinely elevate your work.
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Thank you Tom, this was extremely useful. I have not until now found any instructions/descriptions on all these various mediums .
Alina. I’m happy you find the masterclass informative and helpful. It will give you a lot to think about and explore.
This was presented in such a concise and useful way, thank you so much Tom!
Bridget, thanks! Keep making your art and see if any of these materials can take your art to the next level!
Tom, with so many options and techniques to discover, your remarkable knowledge of these products truly shines in this outstanding master class. Thank you for guiding us through them with such skill and generosity.
Thanks, William. That means a lot to me. I hope your find new materials to explore in your art.
This was extremely helpful, Tom. I love your experiments, and cannot wait to try some of my own!
Cindy, that’s so great to hear. Be sure to post in the Academy Facebook group about your experiments.
Cindy, that’s so great to hear. I’m glad you found the Masterclass helpful!
Wow, Tom, that was a whirlwind tour of these Golden products. I had no idea there was such a plethora of possibilities. You amazed me in your organizational skills. That must have taken so much time & effort to create the examples & explain each medium. Is all that knowledge just in your head or do you have to study it? I will have to watch this many times & take copious notes to really get it. I’ve only been using gloss medium which I use to make the paint glide on more easily. Now I will do some exploring. Is Golden the only co. making these products? Thank you, Tom, for a great master class!!
Nancy, thanks so much for your comments. I’m thrilled you’re excited about the acrylic products that are available. I’ve learned bits about these materials through training, research, and use. Other companies offer similar products. I’m just more familiar with the products GOLDEN offers. Enjoy the adventure!
Thank you Tom so much for this very informative video. I’ve only used acrylics since being in Art2life the last few years and when it comes to buying mediums to add to my paint, I have been rather lost when there’s so much choice out there on the market!
I shall probably come back to this when I have any doubts. Thank you again for such a well prepared Masterclass!
Kathy, thanks so much for your comments. Yes, there are a lot of mediums and acrylic materials available. My suggestion is to try one or two that resonate with you, see how you like working with them, and how they can enhance your art.
Very informative. I have some of these materials but didn’t know of variety of ways in which I could use them. Thank very much!
Valerie, it’s great to hear from you. I’m glad you found value in my masterclass. Keep us posted as you continue your art journey using various materials, especially those you haven’t used before.
This is so great, Tom! I do have a question that wasn’t addressed here. If I wanted to extend and thin down my paints even more (more than with Fluid medium), what would I use? I like mixing larger quantities of my favorite colors, and I’ve seen people use water for this (which I would think would weaken the paint?). I also heard of using Pouring medium or Airbrush medium? Any thoughts on this?
Lynn, great question. Yes, you can use other mediums, such as airbrush, pouring, or glazing medium, to thin your acrylic paints. If you plan to mix larger quantities of paint at one time and don’t plan to use it right away, I would avoid using water because it can promote mold or bacterial growth in the paint. As an extra precaution, you might also want to put a piece of plastic film wrap (Saran Wrap) over the jar or bottle opening before you put the lid on. That will give you a better seal and be another barrier against evaporation, which will cause your paint to thicken. Acrylic paints dry by liquid evaporation.
Great, thanks so much for the reply Tom! Great tips, as usual! 👍
Lynn, my pleasure!
Thank you Tom, a great video with information to get the creative juices going. I feel inspired to use them in my work.
Lesley Easton, that’s perfect. Be sure to show us how you’ve used some of the products in your work!
Thank you for this! It was one of the most concise and easily explainable demonstrations to date. I now know how to use these products and I have made notes that will work for me and will apply them soon. Teach more classes!
Patty Moriarty, that’s so great to hear. Enjoy experimenting and using materials you’ve not used before. It could be a game-changer for you!