Back Home Up Next  
Traditions  

Up
The Artist
Recognition
Gallery
Calendar
Newsletter
Traditions
Studio
Seminars
Theory Articles
Articles
Contact
Links




 

The Paint

Why is the paint so different?

First is the new resin base. Most acrylics (not all) contain resin. The main difference is the quality of the resin and the working properties of that resin. Traditions started with the outlining of performance standards. We created the best paint on paper then set out to build a system that performed to that outline. One of the properties we wanted in the resin was a controlled working time. Another, was resin clarity. We wanted a resin as clear as possible so the color would not be effected by the color of the resin. There were many, many more. As we teach you about this system we will really be learning these performance standards. The control features we wanted narrowed our search. The chemist behind this line found a new resin base that matched our performance outline. It was a new resin to our industry. We are able to control this resin. It doesn't effect any colors added to it. It is softer than most while wet, and harder than most when cured. This resin allows better and quicker brush loading and also levels faster than most in the industry. There are no additives than will damage your brushes. Basically, it is a high performance resin for a quality acrylic paint.

We call this paint a Resin Acrylic because we built the entire system around this wonderful resin. It is the resin in Traditions™ that makes this paint perform so well.


 

Artist Grade?
On the market today are many brands of acrylic paint; ranging from studio to craft grade as well as ‘artist grade’ paint and all can be bought in tubes, pots or plastic bottles of some kind.

Understanding which is which and when to use them is the key. This doesn't mean that one paint is better than the other; it only means that each paint serves a purpose, and selecting the right one for the job is easier for the artist if they understand how the paint will perform.

First, where 'pigments' are concerned (this is what gives the paint the colour)
there is no difference between oil, watercolor or acrylic; the companies who make these paints will use many of the same pigments. The difference comes from the workability, quality and the permanence of the pigments and the amount of pigment used to make the paint.

 

Visit our online art school for online art classes

 

www.artapprenticeonline.com

or

www.traditionsartschool.com

 

 

 

 

 

 
Light Fast?

Light fastness? Will the pigment fade or how will it react to light? Light fastness is rated on a scale of 1 down to 4, one means permanent, four means they will begin to fade more quickly. For example in the Traditions Line that I work with, which is an acrylic 'Artist grade' paint, all pigments used to create this paint line are rated number #1 with only one pigment, Dioxazine Purple PV23 being a #2. That means they all have a very high permanent quality. No fugitive pigments are used.
 

 

Safe?

 Are the pigments safe? - Are there any toxic pigments used in the paint; such as those, which are, lead based, cadmium, chromium or cobalt? YES cobalt - For example - In the Traditions line - only safe pigments are used. Paints that bear the 'AP' seal of the Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI) are certified non-toxic. Any paint that is non-toxic has to meet the ASTM D-4236 standard. Traditions is one of these acrylic 'Artist grade' paints that are non-toxic. However some companies can receive an ASTM D-4236 label if they put on the label that the paint inside is toxic or harmful.

 

Vehicle?

What is the vehicle? - For example, linseed oil is used in many oil paints and an acrylic dispersion in others. With the Traditions paints the vehicle is an acrylic resin, which dries clear - this is an important feature when artists are looking for true colour clarity and durability. Vehicles can be controlled or altered by a paints Media. In the case of Traditions this media is a chemical called Propylene Glycol, which can be used to control the drying time of the paint.


 

Opacity?

What about opacity for good coverage as well as transparency for layering and dimensional techniques? Many artists will require their paint to perform in both these capacities. When the artist knows what pigments are used to manufacture the colour, that knowledge will provide greater success when selecting one colour over the other. It is important to recognize that some pigments are opaque and others transparent by the nature of the pigment. Knowing the effects will greatly enhance the artist’s work.

 

Viscosity?

Viscosity – How thick is the paint? - Is it liquid, medium or high viscosity? The Jansen Art Traditions paint is’ medium viscosity' paint. It is thick and creamy which lends itself to many fine art techniques as well as those commonly used in decorative painting today.

 

Purity?

What about the purity of the pigments? For many artists the use of pure pigment is very necessary for successful mixing - In the Jansen Art Traditions line - there are 50 colours- however 26 of them are 'pure' pigments, there are 3 micas used to create the metallics, and the other 21 are mixes of the pure pigments used to create additional colours for the artists convenience.

 
www.crystalgraphics.com
 Back Up Next  
Copyright © 2003 Neadeen Masters CDA Country Carousel. All rights reserved