Interactive Acrylics
Using Interactive Artists’ Acrylics:
When I first saw the Atelier Interactive paints I was intrigued but skeptical. They are a new formula of acrylics that not only can stay workable for longer, but can be re-activated after they have dried.
(With traditional acrylics, once they have dried, that’s it. You can layer new colors on top of an existing layer, but you can’t blend directly into the old layer, and it is difficult if not impossible to remove paint after it has dried.)
Last night, I finally tried working with the Atelier Interactives. I jumped right into it and made two complete small paintings. (I had two 4 x 6 inch canvases that seemed the perfect size for experimenting on.) I was excited about the prospect of scratching back into the paint after it had dried. And I had an idea of doing night scenes, with yellow-orange glowing through a blue black background.
I prepared my two canvases with a base coat of a warm orange color.
After the paint had dried, I put down a layer of the Binder Medium as an isolation coat.
(Note: don’t be impatient. At first I tried putting the Binder Medium down while the first coat was still tacky. This caused an unpleasant clumping effect. I wiped that area off, let it dry, and tried again. No harm done.)
For the first canvas, I began sketching in my subject matter (the glowing sign for a corner store in my neighborhood.) I used a photo that I took for reference. The dark color is ultramarine blue with a little brown in it.
I have a fondness for signs. Beautiful or ugly, they are a big part of the urban landscape.
Then I added more detail (and more colors.) I created some texture by scratching back into the paint with a scratchboard tool. (see ATM sign)
While I waited for that layer to fully dry, I started work on the second painting.
I covered that canvas entirely with a blue layer:
While the paint was still tender, I began drawing into it with a small wooden “stylus” (basically a short dowel which had been sharpened to a blunt point.) My idea was to have a tree glowing against a dark background, as if caught in a spotlight.
As the paint dried more, I added more texture with a scratchboard tool (gently, so as not to remove more paint than I wanted.) I wet areas that had fully dried, and was able to easily remove the paint with a rag. This created the texture of the leaves. A small dab of the “Unlocking Formula” was enough to completeley re-wet the dried paint, so that it was easy to wipe away. (The layer of “Binder Medium” that I had applied previously kept the orange paint in the previous layer from being re-activated as well.)
Back to the liquor store painting:
I added more highlights, and lettering on the sign. I was unsatisfied with the lettering at first, but it wiped off easily with a wet rag, and I tried again. I scratched away some more details with my trusty scratchboard knife. (I enjoy this painting style because it is similar to carving.)
The finished painting:
“Family portrait” of the two paintings, with the materials used to create them:
All artwork and text by Alexis Babayan
You can see more of my art at: http://flickr.com/photos/babayan
Water sprayer: for moistening acrylic paints so they don’t dry too quickly. (This can be used for traditional acrylics as well as the Interactive Acrylics.)
Unlocking Formula: for re-activating dried Interactive Acrylic paints, so that they can be easily wiped away or blended into. (This formula is specific to their brand of acrylics.) It can be applied with a brush (for small areas) or a water sprayer (for larger areas.)
Binder Medium: for forming an isolation coat to protect a layer of paint (so that the layer on top can be manipulated without damaging the previous layer.) It also can be used as a glaze to thin paints and produce a glossy finish.
For more info on the Atelier Interactive paints, you can visit their website at: