Ateliers Universal Medium is a medium and varnish rolled into one.

How To Use As a Medium

There are too many mediums on offer for use with acrylics. This medium does nearly all of the techniques that you could need if you are painting in fast quick layers. However, if you want heavy impasto you will still need to use Heavy Gel or Moulding Paste.

• Decant some of the concentrate into a small container that you can dip your brush into.
• You will like the feel of the paint when the medium is added to it and you will notice that it allows you to blend and feather edges very effectively because the medium is not sticky on the brush.
• Small additions to thick paint will loosen the consistency while more medium creates a very attractive glazing or layering mixture which can be over painted when touch dry.

How To Use As A Varnish

Solvent based varnish has a strong smell because of the turps, but usually looks better than a water based one and is easy to apply.

The Atelier Interactive Universal Medium/Varnish when used as a water based varnish is comparable to solvent varnish. It is very easy to apply. It gives the colour saturation and enhancement of a good solvent based varnish. By adding water to the concentrate different levels of sheen can be created between low sheen and high gloss.

Artists should experiment with color swatches to decide on the finishes that they prefer.

• Apply a seal coat one part varnish two parts water. This allows the varnish to penetrate and seal the paint layer so that a more concentrated varnish can be spread easily when the seal coat is dry.
• If you want a high gloss finish the full concentrate can be used over the seal coat and two or more coats can be used to exaggerate gloss as required.
• For a subtle finish you might decide that the seal coat is all that you need or you might apply another diluted coat to create a satin finish which is more attractive than a satin varnish containing a flatting agent.

How To Apply

Place your painting in a sloping position so that you can pick up the runs or dribbles. You can work back and forth while the varnish is wet because it does not catch on the brush.

This product is part of the Atelier Traditional range.

The Atelier Traditional painting range allows you to use traditional acrylic techniques that have been evolving since 1965. The Atelier Traditional mediums are made of an acrylic binder that dries quickly and forms a tough water resistant skin.

You can combine the Atelier Interactive range and Atelier Traditional range to create unique and interesting effects within the same painting.