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Gel Mediums

Gel Mediums

Gel Mediums: How to Enhance Your Acrylic Painting with Texture, Transparency and Finish

If you have ever wanted more control over how your acrylic paint looks or feels, gel mediums might just be your new best friend. From adding rich texture to adjusting the finish or extending your working time, these versatile additives can transform the way you paint. At ArtStore Online, we believe gel mediums open up a world of creative options for artists who want to personalise their techniques.

Whether you are layering bold impasto strokes or building luminous transparent glazes, understanding gel mediums gives you a deeper toolbox for artistic expression.

What are gel mediums?

At their core, gel mediums are acrylic-based substances that alter the behaviour of your paint without affecting its colour strength. They are made with the same acrylic binder found in paint but without any pigment. This means they blend seamlessly with your colours and allow for greater control over how paint looks, feels and dries.

Gel mediums give you creative flexibility to:

  • Add texture and dimension to your paintings  

  • Control the surface finish, making it glossy, matte or somewhere in between  

  • Extend drying time to allow more blending  

  • Build transparent colour layers with glazing techniques  

  • Secure collage materials like fabric or paper into your work  

Whether you are working with brushes, palette knives or even non-traditional tools, gel mediums help fine-tune your painting experience and the final result.

Types of gel mediums

There are many different types of gel mediums available, and each serves a specific purpose. By choosing the right type, you can match your tools to your creative goals more effectively.

Gloss vs. matte gel mediums

Surface finish is one of the first things to consider when selecting a gel medium. Gloss mediums boost colour vibrancy and leave a shiny, polished surface. They are perfect for glazes, bright highlights and any area where you want colours to appear richer and more intense.

Matte mediums, on the other hand, reduce shine and offer a softer, more velvety look. They are excellent for backgrounds, underpaintings or artworks where you want to minimise reflection and keep focus on colour and composition.

Some artists even combine both finishes within a single piece, using glossy accents against a matte background to create visual depth and contrast.

Heavy vs. soft body gel mediums

Consistency, or viscosity, plays a big role in how a gel medium behaves. Heavy body gels are thick and capable of holding peaks and brush marks, making them ideal for impasto techniques and sculptural surfaces. They maintain their shape as they dry, giving you textured, three-dimensional results.

Soft body gels are more fluid and allow for smoother application. They are great for extending paint, building transparent layers and glazing without drastically altering the feel of the brushstroke.

Choosing between heavy and soft gel mediums often comes down to your desired effect and your personal painting style.

How to use gel mediums in acrylic painting

Gel mediums are extremely versatile and can be used in a number of different ways. Whether you are after bold texture or subtle transparency, learning how to work with gels can unlock new possibilities in your practice.

Mix with paint to change texture and flow

One of the simplest ways to use a gel medium is to mix it directly into your acrylic paint. This can extend the paint, adjust its thickness and improve blendability. It also gives you greater control over the drying time, allowing for smoother gradients and softer transitions.

Using a gel medium to thin paint without diluting the pigment lets you maintain strong colour intensity while adjusting the handling of the paint to suit your needs.

Apply directly to the surface

Gel mediums can also be applied on their own. Artists often brush or knife them directly onto the canvas to create textured backgrounds or raised areas before adding colour. Once dry, these textured surfaces can be painted over, creating dynamic depth and visual interest.

Matte gels are particularly popular among collage artists who need an adhesive that dries clear and holds materials securely in place.

Use for glazing

Glazing is a technique where thin, transparent layers of colour are built up to create luminosity and depth. Mixing a small amount of paint with a gel medium allows you to control the transparency and flow of the glaze more precisely.

Self-levelling gels are especially useful for this technique as they spread evenly and dry to a smooth, glass-like finish without brush marks.

Whether you want to achieve a subtle atmospheric effect or vibrant layered colour fields, gel mediums make glazing easier and more controlled.

What does gel medium do, and which one is right for you?

Gel mediums perform a variety of roles in acrylic painting. They can:

  • Extend your paint and make it last longer  

  • Build sculptural texture that stands out from the canvas  

  • Thin paint for smooth, flowing applications  

  • Bond mixed media materials into your work  

  • Adjust the glossiness or matte quality of the surface  

Choosing the right gel medium depends on what you are aiming for. If you want to add physical texture, a heavy body gel is the way to go. If you prefer to layer translucent colour, a soft gloss gel will serve you better. For collage or mixed media projects, a matte gel offers strength without a distracting shine.

Many artists find that having a few different types of gel mediums on hand gives them the flexibility to respond to whatever their project demands.

Shop gel mediums at ArtStore Online

Gel mediums open up a world of creative options that acrylic paint alone simply cannot offer. Whether you want to extend your colours, add rich texture, adjust your surface finish or build luminous layers of transparent colour, gel mediums put more control into your hands with every brushstroke.

At ArtStore Online, we stock a carefully curated range of gel mediums suited to every style and technique. Whether you are just starting to explore acrylics or refining a well-developed practice, you will find options designed to support and enhance your creative work.

Check out our range of gel mediums here.

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