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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.
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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.
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Visit our online art school for online art classes
www.artapprenticeonline.com
or
www.traditionsartschool.com
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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