I have a lot of Golden heavy body and fluid acrylics and only a few Open colors (so far). I bought Golden Open Acrylic Medium to mix with the regular Golden acrylic paints to extend my working time. It doesn't give me the same working time as Open paint, but it is still very useful, especially with gel plate monoprinting where the layers are very thin and so can dry way too fast with regular acrylics. It's a good way to get some extended working time without replacing all the paint you already own.
Hello Heeler, we agree totally - OPEN Mediums are somewhat undiscovered gems in our product line for Heavy Body and Fluid paint users. Our Glazing Mediums perform a similar function and are often found in stores that don't carry the OPEN Acrylic products.
The Open Acrylics Landscape set leaves a lot to be desired. There is no black, the tubes are too small for everything outside of Titanium White, the colors don't blend well, and the pigments aren't strong enough. I applaud their efforts to injecting medium into their paints to keep them wetter for longer, but at this price point the set needs to be a lot cheaper considering its limitations. They could simply have inserted larger tubes of paint, and a separate tube of medium (with instructions on using it) and the price point might have been more reasonable.
Atlantic, thanks for your feedback. I am part of the "they" and will share your comments with the team here at GOLDEN. I am sorry the set didn't meet your expectations. Please reach out to our customer support and give us the opportunity to help improve your experience. help@goldenpaints.com
I use oil paint if I want the long drying time. Otherwise it's better to lean into acrylic paint's fast drying property, which make it ideal for plein air. The trick is to use a stay wet palette and or use it thickly with little water. Even on a hot day. So I have avoided Open paints, which are thinner than standard open paints.
Acrylics provide a wider range of working time, and for many artists the thinner body of OPEN doesn’t make it less ideal than regular paints with water added. OPEN contains even slower drying additives than just retarder, which help to keep the retarder from escaping, which is why they can be used for very soft blending and scumbling techniques. We're glad you've found a method that works well for your work. Happy painting!
Wow...I didn't realize that the Open line was blendable with the regular Heavy Body and Fluid lines! This is a game-changer!! Love it! If you use a mix of Open and Heavy Body, will the thinner work to remove paint on the canvas? Or is that only when using straight, unmixed Open colors?
Sorry, I just saw your question... the thinner works in proportion to the amount of OPEN used, which is to say that it won't very well with regular acrylic paints, and will be less effective (for subtractive techniques) the more regular acrylics are mixed with OPEN and the drier the paint being scrubbed gets. That said, OPEN thinner will function as a retarder (use carefully) with regular acrylics.
I can't give you a link... but I can tell you that I bought the box shown and a few in different sizes locally (very cheap) at a store that sells "Tools and Freight" (not an endorsement)
@@GoldenPaints Would you give more info like a street address or URL of the Tools and Freight store where you bought the box for your paints? I found some similar boxes but they don’t seal tightly. Thanks for an excellent tutorial. Very helpful.
@@deborahrech7429 Hello Deborah, I am reticent to make a brand name endorsement as we "harbor" no specific relationship with the retail chain I was insinuating.
My one qualm with acrylics is that if you apply them thickly, they sink in when they dry. They don't work as well for impasto effects like oil paint. Does this also apply to the Open acrylics? How do they work when painted thickly for those juicy, painterly applications of paint?
Great question! Since waterborne acrylics dry through evaporation, they shrink as they dry. This will be true of all of our waterborne acrylic products. However, we recommend that OPEN only be applied thinly, with a maximum recommended thickness of 1/16th of an inch. The slow drying rate of the OPEN paints could cause issues with thicker applications.
Wish there was more info on painting with these in freezing temperatures... as this is a significant difference between plein air painting in the winter time with acrylics VS oils.
Hello Orange, I can tell you from direct experience - we tried to freeze OPEN paints a few years ago, left them outside at the factory over night when temps were in single digits... didn't affect them. Apparently the component in the paint that makes them slow-drying also makes them not freezable. If it's warm enough to be outside holding a paintbrush, OPEN paints will work fine, if it is cold enough to affect these paints, its probably too cold to be outside! I hope this helps.
@@GoldenPaints Thanks for responding. Were the paints left inside the tube? or were they out on a palette? My concern is painting with acrylics outside in sub 32 F temperatures. Primarily because I'd like to do plein air painting of snow scenes without having to switch to Oil Paints. I've gotten away with acrylic painting in 44 F temperatures but I know since acrylics are partly water based I can expect some problems to occur in temperatures closer to 32 (at which point water freezes).
@@thatorange08 They were in the tube - but I've talked to artists who put their OPEN paints palette in the freezer to stiffen them up a bit (I've not tried this myself) - but I've never heard about them freezing. Again, the modifier that makes them slow drying acts like an anti-freeze - so, I would not expect OPEN to freeze like a normal Fluid or Heavy Body paint. Back to the experience trying to freeze the tubes, we painted with them outside at the GAC factory when it was 19°F and they weren't affected.
Can you please clear up why OPEN when mixed with water for a wash has better adhesion than using the THINNER? I thought the more water used on acrylics, the more adhesion and integrity is compromised. How and why is OPEN different?
Thank you for your question. OPEN Thinner is an additive, so has no binder. Water also does not contain binder. It is not that one of these will make OPEN have better adhesion, rather it is what each can contribute to the paint. OPEN Thinner will add back into OPEN Acrylics what evaporates as the paint dries. When using the Thinner, we recommend starting with 10 parts paint to 1 part Thinner, and as the amount of Thinner is increased not going beyond a maximum of 3 parts paint to 1 part Thinner. Adding OPEN Thinner will extend the working time of OPEN once the paint starts setting up, or even re-open touch-dry layers of OPEN allowing paint to be removed from the painting’s surface if needed. Thinner will also make OPEN more liquid without making it dry faster. When water is added to OPEN, the dry time will speed up since the water is diluting those special aspects that provide for slow drying. This is why when underpainting in the video, we recommend using water to create washes with OPEN, rather than using OPEN Thinner. In a plein air setting, it can be helpful if the underpainting dries more quickly.
Sharon, I know (because I bought those boxes) - they're very inexpensive and available at Harbor Freight. They're not really for paint, but made for small hardware pieces like nuts and bolts and washers. They have a gasket that keeps them pretty air tight so OPEN paints will last a very long time if you keep the lid closed when not painting.
Sorry I have another question about the storage containers. I notice that the container design has removable section separators. Does the paint flow between the sections or does it remain within the space?
@@sharongibson6729 mostly stays in place, but if you add water or thinner it will leak between sections. If you want to prevent this just add a tiny bit of silicon caulk to the bottom edge of the dividers when putting the bin together.
We picked up the storage container at a local hardware store: www.harborfreight.com/large-water-resistant-storage-container-56578.html?_br_psugg_q=storage+container
I have used Golden Open paints for years - they are so good. Am just renovating a pochade box and was about to stock it with water mixable oils (absolutely not my favourite things, but easier to deal with when travelling than traditional oils and good enough for quick plein air studies). Hadn't considered acrylics, but it may be a great alternative. Surprised I hadn't thought of it - very timely video! Is this set available in the UK yet?
I just cant get into acrylics. I mean when there is watercolor or guashe that is super easy for plain air.....or oil if you want that working time and depth. I just dont see the point unless you are painting on a car or something
Hello Koskey, thanks for the feedback. The comparison to watercolors and gouache really begins and ends with the fact that they're all waterborne paints. OPEN Acrylics will have an entirely different working and dry property, including significantly more working time than you'll have with WC or gouache. Oils are closer, but OPEN offers the advantage of water clean up and a more convenient dry-handling time than oils. Ultimately, every artists needs to find the medium that works best for them and OPEN probably is not right for you, but it is better to figure that out by experiencing them than from a video. We're just trying to expose everyone to the options. Thanks for watching!
I have a lot of Golden heavy body and fluid acrylics and only a few Open colors (so far). I bought Golden Open Acrylic Medium to mix with the regular Golden acrylic paints to extend my working time. It doesn't give me the same working time as Open paint, but it is still very useful, especially with gel plate monoprinting where the layers are very thin and so can dry way too fast with regular acrylics. It's a good way to get some extended working time without replacing all the paint you already own.
Hello Heeler, we agree totally - OPEN Mediums are somewhat undiscovered gems in our product line for Heavy Body and Fluid paint users. Our Glazing Mediums perform a similar function and are often found in stores that don't carry the OPEN Acrylic products.
@@GoldenPaints So are the glazing mediums the same for regular acrylics and open acrylics?
The Open Acrylics Landscape set leaves a lot to be desired. There is no black, the tubes are too small for everything outside of Titanium White, the colors don't blend well, and the pigments aren't strong enough. I applaud their efforts to injecting medium into their paints to keep them wetter for longer, but at this price point the set needs to be a lot cheaper considering its limitations. They could simply have inserted larger tubes of paint, and a separate tube of medium (with instructions on using it) and the price point might have been more reasonable.
Atlantic, thanks for your feedback. I am part of the "they" and will share your comments with the team here at GOLDEN. I am sorry the set didn't meet your expectations. Please reach out to our customer support and give us the opportunity to help improve your experience. help@goldenpaints.com
I use oil paint if I want the long drying time. Otherwise it's better to lean into acrylic paint's fast drying property, which make it ideal for plein air. The trick is to use a stay wet palette and or use it thickly with little water. Even on a hot day. So I have avoided Open paints, which are thinner than standard open paints.
Acrylics provide a wider range of working time, and for many artists the thinner body of OPEN doesn’t make it less ideal than regular paints with water added. OPEN contains even slower drying additives than just retarder, which help to keep the retarder from escaping, which is why they can be used for very soft blending and scumbling techniques. We're glad you've found a method that works well for your work. Happy painting!
Wow...I didn't realize that the Open line was blendable with the regular Heavy Body and Fluid lines! This is a game-changer!! Love it! If you use a mix of Open and Heavy Body, will the thinner work to remove paint on the canvas? Or is that only when using straight, unmixed Open colors?
Sorry, I just saw your question... the thinner works in proportion to the amount of OPEN used, which is to say that it won't very well with regular acrylic paints, and will be less effective (for subtractive techniques) the more regular acrylics are mixed with OPEN and the drier the paint being scrubbed gets. That said, OPEN thinner will function as a retarder (use carefully) with regular acrylics.
Hot dang1! Gotta try some of these.
Great information. Can you give me a link for the storage box, please.
I can't give you a link... but I can tell you that I bought the box shown and a few in different sizes locally (very cheap) at a store that sells "Tools and Freight" (not an endorsement)
@@GoldenPaints fabulous. Thank you!
@@GoldenPaints Would you give more info like a street address or URL of the Tools and Freight store where you bought the box for your paints? I found some similar boxes but they don’t seal tightly. Thanks for an excellent tutorial. Very helpful.
@@deborahrech7429 Hello Deborah, I am reticent to make a brand name endorsement as we "harbor" no specific relationship with the retail chain I was insinuating.
@@GoldenPaints perfect response 😂 ordering mine now
Where can one find that palette/case? Thank you for the info, a slower drying acrylic is most welcome.
This is a small storage container from a local hardware store. Happy painting!
My one qualm with acrylics is that if you apply them thickly, they sink in when they dry. They don't work as well for impasto effects like oil paint. Does this also apply to the Open acrylics? How do they work when painted thickly for those juicy, painterly applications of paint?
Great question! Since waterborne acrylics dry through evaporation, they shrink as they dry. This will be true of all of our waterborne acrylic products. However, we recommend that OPEN only be applied thinly, with a maximum recommended thickness of 1/16th of an inch. The slow drying rate of the OPEN paints could cause issues with thicker applications.
Thank you so much for that information. I already have some OPEN acrylics so this advice is most appreciated.
Wish there was more info on painting with these in freezing temperatures... as this is a significant difference between plein air painting in the winter time with acrylics VS oils.
Hello Orange, I can tell you from direct experience - we tried to freeze OPEN paints a few years ago, left them outside at the factory over night when temps were in single digits... didn't affect them. Apparently the component in the paint that makes them slow-drying also makes them not freezable. If it's warm enough to be outside holding a paintbrush, OPEN paints will work fine, if it is cold enough to affect these paints, its probably too cold to be outside! I hope this helps.
@@GoldenPaints Thanks for responding. Were the paints left inside the tube? or were they out on a palette? My concern is painting with acrylics outside in sub 32 F temperatures. Primarily because I'd like to do plein air painting of snow scenes without having to switch to Oil Paints.
I've gotten away with acrylic painting in 44 F temperatures but I know since acrylics are partly water based I can expect some problems to occur in temperatures closer to 32 (at which point water freezes).
@@thatorange08 They were in the tube - but I've talked to artists who put their OPEN paints palette in the freezer to stiffen them up a bit (I've not tried this myself) - but I've never heard about them freezing. Again, the modifier that makes them slow drying acts like an anti-freeze - so, I would not expect OPEN to freeze like a normal Fluid or Heavy Body paint. Back to the experience trying to freeze the tubes, we painted with them outside at the GAC factory when it was 19°F and they weren't affected.
@@GoldenPaints Impressive. Will definitely have to try out these Open Acrylics this winter.
Just back from plain air painting holiday with these fantastic paints. Vv pleased with them. How can you add a glaze ?
Can you please clear up why OPEN when mixed with water for a wash has better adhesion than using the THINNER?
I thought the more water used on acrylics, the more adhesion and integrity is compromised. How and why is OPEN different?
Thank you for your question. OPEN Thinner is an additive, so has no binder. Water also does not contain binder. It is not that one of these will make OPEN have better adhesion, rather it is what each can contribute to the paint. OPEN Thinner will add back into OPEN Acrylics what evaporates as the paint dries. When using the Thinner, we recommend starting with 10 parts paint to 1 part Thinner, and as the amount of Thinner is increased not going beyond a maximum of 3 parts paint to 1 part Thinner.
Adding OPEN Thinner will extend the working time of OPEN once the paint starts setting up, or even re-open touch-dry layers of OPEN allowing paint to be removed from the painting’s surface if needed. Thinner will also make OPEN more liquid without making it dry faster. When water is added to OPEN, the dry time will speed up since the water is diluting those special aspects that provide for slow drying. This is why when underpainting in the video, we recommend using water to create washes with OPEN, rather than using OPEN Thinner. In a plein air setting, it can be helpful if the underpainting dries more quickly.
Anyone know the brand of the paint storage container seen in this video and where i might purchase one? No luck on Blick, Amazon, etc. THANKS!
Sharon, I know (because I bought those boxes) - they're very inexpensive and available at Harbor Freight. They're not really for paint, but made for small hardware pieces like nuts and bolts and washers. They have a gasket that keeps them pretty air tight so OPEN paints will last a very long time if you keep the lid closed when not painting.
@@GoldenPaints Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to respond! Really appreciate the tip.
Sorry I have another question about the storage containers. I notice that the container design has removable section separators. Does the paint flow between the sections or does it remain within the space?
@@sharongibson6729 mostly stays in place, but if you add water or thinner it will leak between sections. If you want to prevent this just add a tiny bit of silicon caulk to the bottom edge of the dividers when putting the bin together.
Great Tips. Is there a link to that Shallow Storage Container?
We picked up the storage container at a local hardware store: www.harborfreight.com/large-water-resistant-storage-container-56578.html?_br_psugg_q=storage+container
My father (+) used an eggs container and little ir Watter
I have used Golden Open paints for years - they are so good. Am just renovating a pochade box and was about to stock it with water mixable oils (absolutely not my favourite things, but easier to deal with when travelling than traditional oils and good enough for quick plein air studies). Hadn't considered acrylics, but it may be a great alternative. Surprised I hadn't thought of it - very timely video! Is this set available in the UK yet?
Hello Gael, yes! The OPEN Landscape Set is available in the UK and throughout the EU.
WOW! 👍🏼😍💖
Safety-?
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I just cant get into acrylics. I mean when there is watercolor or guashe that is super easy for plain air.....or oil if you want that working time and depth. I just dont see the point unless you are painting on a car or something
Hello Koskey, thanks for the feedback. The comparison to watercolors and gouache really begins and ends with the fact that they're all waterborne paints. OPEN Acrylics will have an entirely different working and dry property, including significantly more working time than you'll have with WC or gouache. Oils are closer, but OPEN offers the advantage of water clean up and a more convenient dry-handling time than oils. Ultimately, every artists needs to find the medium that works best for them and OPEN probably is not right for you, but it is better to figure that out by experiencing them than from a video. We're just trying to expose everyone to the options. Thanks for watching!
please, you are in the painting business, pronounce "Plein Air" correctly (not Plane Air)