Disappointed, I expected better from Golden
I was painting in a very hot and dry climate and had difficulties with my acrylic paints drying too fast on me, so I was excited to learn that Golden made Golden Open acrylic paints promising a slower drying time. They do dry slower, but unfortunately at the expense of pigment load. It is very difficult to get coverage with these paints so I found it best to use them with regular acrylic paints to get more open time and better coverage.That said, I think it best to just use regular acrylic paints with a retarder on a Masterson palette with the wet sponge. So essentially these paints are useless, and I would return them if possible. I also don't like the color of the yellow ochre and burnt umber that I bought, perhaps because they have so much medium and retarder in ... MoreI was painting in a very hot and dry climate and had difficulties with my acrylic paints drying too fast on me, so I was excited to learn that Golden made Golden Open acrylic paints promising a slower drying time. They do dry slower, but unfortunately at the expense of pigment load. It is very difficult to get coverage with these paints so I found it best to use them with regular acrylic paints to get more open time and better coverage.That said, I think it best to just use regular acrylic paints with a retarder on a Masterson palette with the wet sponge. So essentially these paints are useless, and I would return them if possible. I also don't like the color of the yellow ochre and burnt umber that I bought, perhaps because they have so much medium and retarder in them. I much prefer the yellow ochre I purchased from Utrecht many years ago, much more chroma and covering power.... Show more
Johannes
originally posted on dickblick.com
Golden Open
I've been using golden open for the past year now. This paint is very good quality and I don't have to use a slow dri med with this product. This is good especially if you blend a lot. I'll be using this paint when I go out on work shops outside. It doesn't dry as fast like the other acrylics do. The only thing about this paint is that it's not as thick as heavy body paint. I use a impasto gel to thicken it a little. Works really good.Thank youJazz... Show more
Jazz
originally posted on jerrysartarama.com
Great paint
I was using a tube of Ultrecht yellow ochre and it was grainy and hard to mix with other colors. Little specks of unmixed yellow ochre kept settling out of my mixed color and showing up on my brush at inopportune times. I swapped it out for the Golden Open Yellow Ochre and problem solved! Like all the Golden Open paints I am using this one is also buttery smooth highly pigmented and easy to work with.... Show more
Tom
originally posted on dickblick.com
I highly recommend this line!
I love oil paints. However, the drying time, even with additives, can be too long for some art calls and commissions. I decided to try Golden's Open acrylic line and am extremely pleased. The smooth consistency and drying time is similar to oil painting, which I absolutely love. Plus they cost a fraction of what oil paints do! As with all Golden products, these paints offer superior pigmentation and flow. I highly recommend this line to all artists who love acrylics but not the rapid dry time as well as those who love oils but do not like the delayed drying time.... Show more
Elizabeth
originally posted on dickblick.com
I love this paint!
I bought these after becoming frustrated with oil painting. I had bought some very cheap oil paint at a bargain store thinking I would go cheap since I was starting over after not painting in 20 years. Very frustrating results. Well, these were so much easier to use! I painted the 1st piece I was satisfied with. They aren't exactly like oil paints but I like them. They stay wet long enough to be workable but the next morning they were dry enough to do another layer or move the canvas without getting paint all over. Thick paint takes longer to dry and my palette even had some wet paint the next day. They don't seem as "luminous" as oil paint but it could also be my skill level. They dry very matte but I'm sure could be varnished and/or a gloss medium added if you ... MoreI bought these after becoming frustrated with oil painting. I had bought some very cheap oil paint at a bargain store thinking I would go cheap since I was starting over after not painting in 20 years. Very frustrating results. Well, these were so much easier to use! I painted the 1st piece I was satisfied with. They aren't exactly like oil paints but I like them. They stay wet long enough to be workable but the next morning they were dry enough to do another layer or move the canvas without getting paint all over. Thick paint takes longer to dry and my palette even had some wet paint the next day. They don't seem as "luminous" as oil paint but it could also be my skill level. They dry very matte but I'm sure could be varnished and/or a gloss medium added if you want shine. I think they darkened slightly upon drying but overall easy to use with great results. I got the traditional set which worked great for landscapes.... Show more
Cat67
originally posted on jerrysartarama.com
perfect for oil painters who've moved over to acrylic
I didn't expect to like the Open line from Golden as much as I do but wanted to try it, and I LOVE IT. I originally was an oil painter but due to circumstances work more often with acrylic these days, but I find typical acrylics dry too quickly for the techniques I enjoy using. sometimes I use water mixable oils but they can also take forever to dry, so these Open paints are an amazing happy middle ground they stay workable for much longer but still dry by the next day. planning to get more soon, I want a full palette of these honestly. Golden is always amazing, I love their fluid line as well. #sweepstakes... Show more
Pidge
originally posted on dickblick.com
Shockingly amazing acrylic paint
When I first read about this product, I had a certain expectation. Actually using them in person, I was blown away by how smooth, blend-able, and pigmented these paints are. I had seen some negative reviews saying that opacity is a big problem with these paints. That is naturally true for some colors though, and I find most of these pigments to be comparable to heavy body when applied in layers. Transparency is very easy to build, and again, they blend very easily + the slow dry time of these paints are amazing. I have an airtight palette that allows these paints to sit for days and still be workable!... Show more
Golden123
originally posted on michaels.com
These are becoming my favorite
These Open Acrylics are becoming my favorites medium to work with. I have been an artist for many years, and love every medium: watercolor, acrylics, oils, pastels. What I love most about this particular product is that it gives me the freedom that acrylics gives me for layering and glazing quickly (like the next day as opposed to waiting multiple days to a week with oil), yet it also gives me the freedom to blend like oils. I feel that it really gives me the best of both worlds. They do feel a bit different than oils (which is probably obvious because they are still acrylics), but I've come to really like it. I've tried water-soluble oils to retain that oil feeling and outcome, but I find that although water works with them, it doesn't work super well. I ended up ... MoreThese Open Acrylics are becoming my favorites medium to work with. I have been an artist for many years, and love every medium: watercolor, acrylics, oils, pastels. What I love most about this particular product is that it gives me the freedom that acrylics gives me for layering and glazing quickly (like the next day as opposed to waiting multiple days to a week with oil), yet it also gives me the freedom to blend like oils. I feel that it really gives me the best of both worlds. They do feel a bit different than oils (which is probably obvious because they are still acrylics), but I've come to really like it. I've tried water-soluble oils to retain that oil feeling and outcome, but I find that although water works with them, it doesn't work super well. I ended up integrating them into my regular oils and use solvent, thereby removing any benefit of the water-soluble, easy cleanup. And of course, with oils, I always have a bunch of wet canvases that need a safe place to dry for weeks. The Golden Opens are dry the next day (unless you use it really thick, then give it 2), and ready to varnish in three days.I've also used the Atelier Interactives, and I really want to love them, but I like the feel of the Golden Opens better. With the Ateliers, I always seem to have the problem of lifting the previous layer (maybe it's because I use a lot of glazing techniques). And though you can certainly blend them, I find that blending with the Opens is more natural for me. There are sure a lot of great examples of very well done artwork with the Atelier Interactives, so clearly it's just whatever you decide feels better for you and whatever gives you better results. For me, I like that the Opens blend more naturally and then stay put.I will also just make a quick note that my first layer of blocking in is always done with regular, quick-drying acrylics, because I have no need for that part to blend. In fact the fast drying time of regular acrylics is perfect for that stage.... Show more
TPoz
originally posted on dickblick.com
These paints stay wet longer on the palette
These paints did exactly what I expected, stayed wet on my palette. I have been struggling with paint drying too fast on my palette so I decided to give these a try. They're the same consistency of the regular heavy body acrylics from Golden but they take a little getting used to because they dry slower on the canvas too. The set is a good starter set to use to try. Definitely recommended.... Show more
Denise
originally posted on dickblick.com
Works, But Feels Weird
The paint works, no doubt about it, but feels tacky and a little weird on the brush. Even for an acrylic painter, it feels a little strange, and I can't imagine what an oil painter (where the word "buttery" is often used) would think.It does mix well with "regular" paints, and does increase their open time proportionally, so I do find it useful there. For me, my standard mixer colors are the ones I use most, and the ones I keep in OPEN form. Others, not so much.... Show more
ERIC
originally posted on jerrysartarama.com