Product Review - Heavy Body Acrylics
Product Review - Heavy Body Acrylics |
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GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics were the first line of products produced by Golden Artist Colors, Inc. in 1980. The line was sold directly to artists in Manhattan in quarts and gallons. Pints, 8 oz. and 4 oz. jars soon followed as the products started to gain more popularity with professional artists. GOLDEN did not produce tubes of Heavy Body Acrylics until 1990.
In 1980 it was still considered strange to have a heavy body, tube style viscosity in a jar paint. Almost all of the literature written about acrylic referred to jar colors as being thin and tube colors as being thick. Actually, the first water borne acrylic paint made was a thin house paint-like color. It wasn't until technological improvements for thickening were made for caulks and such that artist acrylics could actually be put in tubes. Obviously, there is no reason that jar colors should be any different viscosity than tube colors. This is simply a matter of individual preference. (On the other hand a thin tube color could be quite messy).
The Main Set of Colors.
The Heavy Body (HB) line is the most extensive line of colors that GOLDEN produces. It currently, as of the middle of 1997, consists of 73 colors, 7 neutral grays, 3 primaries and 11 custom colors, for a total of 94 different colors, shades and tints.
Among the unique features of our HB product line, probably the biggest stand out is the breadth of the unique colorants. We are constantly looking for new and unusual pigments, meeting our high standards for permanency, to add to the line.
Blended Colors.
GOLDEN also has several mixture colors within the HB line of acrylics. These include our Green Gold, Jenkins Green, Quinacridone Crimson and Turquois, as well as our Neutral Grays, Custom Colors and Primary Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Our Jenkins Green is our current lightfast replacement for Hookers Green, which like the Alizarin Crimson, is not sufficiently light stable pigment for artist use.
The entire rest of the HB line is produced from a single unique pigment.
The Neutral Gray Set.
The Neutral Grays in the HB line are a series of achromatic grays (having no distinguishable hue). Such products allow the artist to adjust the value and chroma of a particular color without altering the hue.
These Neutral Grays follow the Munsell Value Scale, which is a scale ranging from black to white, through a series of equally spaced grays. The Munsell scale defines black as N1 and white as N10. GOLDEN Neutral Grays include the values N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7 and N8. These grays are very carefully formulated to be completely achromatic. Using a spectrophotometer, we carefully monitor the production of each batch to be certain that they fall within a very tight tolerance range. When using a Neutral Gray of the same value as the color selected, the artist will be able to reproducibly change only the chroma (intensity) of a certain color, while maintaining the hue and value. Mixing a Neutral Gray with a color of a different value will change both value and intensity. We recommend using GOLDEN Bone Black as the neutral black (equivalent to Munsell notation N1), and using Titanium White as the neutral white (N10).
The Primary Set.
Our Primary Cyan, Magenta and Yellow in the HB line have been produced especially for artists who want a totally pared down palette or as a tool for teaching about color mixing and blending. They have been formulated to be fairly close in strength, so that one hue will not predominate over the other colors. The mixture of these products will produce an incredibly rich and infinitely varied wheel of color.
The Custom Color Set.
Finally within the HB line of products is our line of Custom Colors. These are mixture colors which many artists feel are quite important and a convenience to assist with the color mixing process. They include a range of bright Greens, Blues, Violets and Reds. The line of Custom Colors also include a range of Cadmium Hues and a Cobalt Hue for those artists who want the shade of a Cadmium or Cobalt, yet are either concerned about the cost or the safety of the material.
Viscosity and Consistency.
When initially producing the HB line back in 1980, a conscious decision was made not to reproduce the acrylics made in the past. Most acrylics were produced to have an even satin sheen across the range of colors. Manufacturers felt artists wanted this even sheen to avoid the differences encountered by oils. In oils, the colors requiring very little oil (lean colors) tended to be very matte. Those colors requiring substantial amounts of oil (fatty colors) tended to be quite glossy.
Every color within the Heavy Body (HB) line of Acrylics has a very specific viscosity range that is associated with the pigment or pigment family. Paints not only differ in how thick they are, but also differ on how buttery or pully (leggy) they feel. A common example of this is the difference between how it feels to stir honey compared to yogurt. They may be the exact same thickness yet they feel quite different. Within our HB Line, for example, our Metal Oxide pigments which tend to be more buttery can be made thicker and still feel quite smooth off the brush. On the other side, our organic colors, which tend to have a stringier consistency, will be made slightly softer so that they still flow well off the brush and avoid the pully taffy-like quality. The paints are produced to give the same feel to the brush between the different products.
All HB colors are thixotropic in nature. This simply means that when brushing or stirring, the paints actually lose viscosity and feel much thinner. The faster you move the paints, the thinner they will feel. Once they are back at a state of rest, the viscosity will begin to increase until they are once again as thick as before.
Product Gloss Variations.
When we produced the GOLDEN HB line we decided not to add the flattening agents typically added to acrylic paints to unify the product finish. We decided that each pigment would be made to its own level of matte or gloss depending upon its own unique nature. We also decided not to add opacifiers to our colors. This is critical for coverage of house paints yet it is also the reason that house colors tend to be quite subdued compared to professional artist colors. These decisions have allowed our colors to retain the clearest and cleanest quality especially when used in washes or glazes. It is always possible to add matting agents and other whitening materials to the product, but once added, it is impossible to take them away. The HB line of acrylics contain no additional flattening agents, opacifiers or other solids that might interfere with the clarity of our pigments.
It is true and quite evident when looking at our color chart that our colors in the HB line do differ in gloss. For example, the sheen of our Ultramarine Blue or Burnt Umber is almost a dead matte, whereas our Green Gold or Dioxazine Purple are extremely glossy. For some artists, this may be a problem, yet for many artists it retains the same sort of nuances of color that are so appreciated within the oil paints and gives what many describe as that organic look of the colors. Without the need for opacifiers, we can offer colors as similar in hue as the Cadmiums and Hansas, yet so different in their ability to cover and their clarity of mixing.
GOLDEN Heavy Body Matte Acrylic Line.
To satisfy those artists requiring an even matte tone across the surface of the paints, we have quite a few solutions, including 10 different matte and semi-gloss mediums, 4 different matte and satin varnishes, as well as an entire Heavy Body Matte Acrylic line which duplicates most of our HB line in a matte finish. (Remember to get this matte finish, most of the Matte HB Colors do contain a matting agent.)
Film Flexibility.
The HB colors retain excellent flexibility when dry. This flexibility greatly diminishes the possibility of cracking that occurs in other natural and synthetic polymer systems. The acrylics take the constant stress and strain of the canvas as it moves with changes in humidity, temperature and shipping. It is important to note that acrylic begins to harden at 15 degrees Centigrade or 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and becomes quite hard at temperatures below freezing. This is especially important when considering shipping a painting in freezing conditions or possibly unrolling a painting left in cold storage.
Product Mixing Abilities.
The HB Colors can be mixed with all of our other GOLDEN Mediums, Gels and other paint lines, including our Airbrush colors, Fluid Acrylics, High Load Colors, Iridescent Colors, Paste Paints and Matte Acrylics. They can also be reduced quite successfully with water. Remember the more water added to the acrylics, the greater the subsequent shrinking of the paint layer. Additionally, too much water reduces the binding capability of all of the acrylic paints as well as tending to flatten out the sheen of the acrylic paints. Water works most effectively and efficiently to increase the fluidity of the HB paints, especially if a small amount of Acrylic Flow Release is added to the water.
Some artists have used other solvents to thin the HB Acrylics, including alcohols and other materials. All of the acrylics are sensitive to additions of solvent. If this addition is required, it is advisable to dilute the solvent first with water to reduce the shocking effect of the solvent. In some cases, too quick an addition of solvent will coagulate the acrylic.
Blending with Mediums.
The fluid mediums, including Polymer Medium, Acrylic Glazing Liquid, all the GAC Mediums and the Airbrush Mediums, work to thin the Heavy Body Acrylics as well as providing unique possibilities to the working and gloss properties of the paint surface. In addition, these mediums retain the film integrity of the acrylic and in some cases actually enhance the film strength.
Pigment Selection & ASTM Standards.
Every color within the HB Line is approved for professional artist's use according to ASTM Standards for Artist Materials. This refers to the consistency, lightfastness of the pigments chosen, 100% acrylic binder, fine grind of the pigments used, freeze thaw stability and accuracy of labeling for pigments used and evaluation by an approved toxicologist.
Of the 94 colors, 87 within the line are considered excellent in permanency. The remaining 7 are considered as very good in lightfastness. GOLDEN does not use any colors within the HB line rated less than very good. Those colors rated as very good include the two Naphthols, Hansa Light, Permanent Green Light, Dioxazine Purple, and Primary Yellow.
It should be noted that of the colors rated as excellent in lightfastness, the Cadmium colors are especially sensitive to the combination of light and moisture, so outdoor use of these colors should be avoided.
The HB line is divided among inorganic and organic pigments.
Inorganic Pigments.
The inorganic pigments are produced either with naturally mined pigments (siennas, umber, ochres) or with synthetically manufactured pigments (Iron oxides, Carbon blacks, etc.). More typically, the pigment is a combination of the two, like the Cadmiums, Cobalts, Titaniums, etc. The inorganic pigments have been around for centuries and some for millennia.
Organic Pigments.
The organic pigments refer to the fact that this group of colors are produced from complex carbon containing chemistry. Although many of these pigments had their roots in the chemistry of the 1800's, most commercial production of these materials really can be traced to the 1930's and subsequent years. These pigments are produced by chemical synthesis starting with various sorts of materials ranging from petroleum, coal tar and natural gas. Although they have only been available for several decades, these pigments have been shown to have quite remarkable lightfastness and durability. The last few decades of pigment production have been driven by the automotive industry. They are clearly the largest users of exceptionally lightfast pigments. The automotive industry tends to be the only coatings user that can drive pigment producers to actually do first-hand research and product development.
The Quinacridone Family.
The GOLDEN HB line contains more Quinacridones than any other acrylic line of paint. The seven Quinacridones offer a transparent intense range of color from deep yellows all the way to vibrant violets. Unique within this line is the unusual Quinacridone Gold and Quinacridone Burnt Orange. Yet one of the most important colors in this line and an advancement in color science is the GOLDEN Quinacridone Crimson. This color has replaced the more fugitive Alizarin Crimson.
All of the Quinacridones, because of their very intense undertone and high transparency, tend to be excellent mixing colors. They tend not to muddy up or go gray, yet retain their brightness. The Quinacridone Red is the best suggestion when a very intense mixing magenta primary is requested. It is very close to the color gels produced by Kodak® for primary magenta at 5500 Kelvin. The Quinacridone Magenta and Violet tend to be an excellent choice in making colors in the lavender through purple range, in conjunction with various transparent blues. The Quinacridone Red Light is the least blue of the reds. The Quinacridone Red Light, Red, Magenta and Violet produce incredibly intense pinks through lavenders when mixed with white. They are suggested anytime an artist wants that punch of a fusia or fluorescent color, yet still requires permanency in his or her artwork.
Of the GOLDEN Quinacridone line the Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Orange and Crimson stand out. These colors have a luminosity that rivals anything produced in the richest oil colors. Their mass tones tend to be quite dark yet their undertones are incredibly rich. For example, the Quinacridone Gold looks very close to a Burnt Sienna in its masstone, yet its undertone has a yellow fire not possible in any Sienna. Similarly, the Quinacridone Burnt Orange offers a deep brown-red masstone, yet it has a brilliant red orange underneath. The Quinacridone Crimson is a stand-out among these colors because it was made to replace the traditional Alizarin Crimson. The Alizarin is not light-stable enough to be used on the professional artists palette. Our Quinacridone Crimson has been used even by conservation professionals to replace the fugitive Alizarin. By itself, it is an excellent match for the acrylic Alizarin Crimson. In combination with the Naphthamide Maroon, almost any alizarin can be duplicated. The GOLDEN Quinacridone Crimson retains that deep red burgundy masstone of the Alizarin as well as the bright almost rose red undertone of the color. As with all Quinacridones, it is exceptionally transparent and works particularly well as a mixing color. One of the unique mixes with the Quinacridone Crimson is with Phthalo Green B/S. Almost magically, this mixture produces one of the most intense blacks imaginable.
The Cadmium Family.
GOLDEN was the first company to introduce Concentrated Cadmiums within an acrylic line. Previous to GOLDEN, companies making acrylic paint used the less expensive Cadmiums co-precipitated with Barium Sulfate. Additionally, Golden is one of the only acrylic manufacturers to include a hue lighter than the typical Cadmium Yellow Light. This unique pigment called Cadmium Yellow Primrose is as bright as some fluorescent colors yet as stable as Cadmium colors.
The second largest color line within the HB colors is the Cadmium colors. The Cadmiums run from a glowingly bright Cadmium Yellow Primrose all the way to the Cadmium Red Dark. The Cadmiums remain as a class of pigments some of the most opaque of all colorants. Additionally, within this hue range they provide some of the most intense vibrant masstones. Because of their opacity, they tend to mix quite dull with other colorants. They mix within each other quite well as when mixing a Cadmium Orange with a Cadmium Yellow to make a deep yellow or light orange and they will retain their brightness. Yet when mixed with other pigment groups, they start to lean toward the browns and grays.
Cadmiums have been quite controversial as a pigment class because of the claims of pigment toxicity. We do know that soluble Cadmium can be quite dangerous and produce heavy metal poisoning. All of the Cadmiums used within our product line have gone through extensive testing to ensure that they have an extremely low soluble cadmium content. This is not the end of the controversy yet, because some recent studies have suggested that even non-soluble Cadmium pigments may have the potential for causing chronic toxicity. OSHA has also put extreme requirements on the work environment when using Cadmium pigments. This is of great importance legally for artists, school or any business that hires other employees or is responsible for the public safety. With the new OSHA regulations, if Cadmium dry pigments are used within the work process, it is very likely that you are within allowable limits of exposure for yourself and those within your care.
The Phthalocyanine Family.
The oldest known organic pigments are the Phthalocyanines. The HB line contains 5 Phthalocyanine colors, from Phthalo Green (Yellow Shade) to the Phthalo Green (Blue Shade), through Turquois (Phthalo) and two Phthalo Blue (Green Shade) and (Red Shade). These different Phthalocyanine colors actually contain the various pigment forms of the Phthalocyanine group.
The Cobalt Family.
Also unique within the HB line are the Cobalt pigments. This range of 7 colors include Cerulean Blue and Cerulean Blue Deep (actually containing both Cobalt and Chromium), Cobalt Blue, Green, Titanate Green, Turqouis, and the newest addition, Cobalt Teal. Cobalt Teal is an unusually clean and high chroma shade that possesses excellent lightfastness and opacity.
The Pyrrole Family.
Among the newest pigments developed is the Pyrrole line. The Pyrrole family is almost as opaque and in fact brighter than even our Cadmium colors. Pyrrole Orange, Red Light and Red exhibit excellent opacity and lightfastness, and offer clean mixing with other organics, unlike their Cadmium counterparts which will produce muddy blends.
Unique Pigments.
Some other unique pigments within the HB line include our Graphite Gray, an unusually burnishable paint, (just like pencil); our Zinc White, the only Zinc within a water borne system (great for glazing); and Mars Yellow, a color similar to terra cotta.