You’ve probably noticed how Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium transforms flat acrylics into luminous, textured works. But what sets it apart from other mediums you might consider? The right choice can dramatically shift your painting’s vibrancy and longevity. Understanding how different formulations work—and which professionals actually prefer—will help you make informed decisions that elevate your practice.
Quick Overview
- Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium retains brush strokes and peaks while delivering excellent pigment loads for vibrant color mixing.
- GOLDEN Gloss Medium provides an oil-like, resinous feel enabling smooth flow, precise glazing control, and protection against support-induced discoloration.
- Liquitex Professional Fluid Medium enhances flow and workability without sacrificing color intensity, adding luminosity while maintaining high pigment loads.
- Non-yellowing gloss varnish creates archival protection with quick-drying, flexible finishes resistant to UV rays, dust, and discoloration.
- Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium combines brush stroke retention with adhesive properties, ideal for dramatic impasto and mixed media.
| Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium 237ml (8-oz) |
| Best For Learning | Primary Function: Extends paint, retains brush strokes | Finish Type: Satin finish | Container Size: 237ml (8 oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| GOLDEN Gloss Medium Professional Acrylic 8 oz |
| Professional Grade | Primary Function: Creates glazes, extends colors, enhances gloss | Finish Type: Gloss, transparent | Container Size: 8 fl. oz. | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Liquitex Professional Fluid Medium 473ml (16-oz) Gloss |
| Best Value | Primary Function: Extends paint, retains brush strokes | Finish Type: Gloss | Container Size: 473ml (16 oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Gloss Varnish for Acrylic Painting Non-Yellowing |
| Best Protection | Primary Function: Protective varnish coating | Finish Type: High gloss | Container Size: Not specified | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium (500ML) |
| Best For Texture | Primary Function: Creates impasto effects, extends paint, adds texture | Finish Type: Transparent when dry | Container Size: 500ml (16.9 oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| GOLDEN Gloss Medium Professional Acrylic Medium (32 fl. oz.) |
| Best Overall | Primary Function: Creates glazes, extends colors, enhances gloss | Finish Type: Gloss, transparent | Container Size: 32 fl. oz. | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| GOLDEN Gloss Glazing Liquid Professional Acrylic Medium |
| Best For Glazing | Primary Function: Slow-drying extender for glazing and blending | Finish Type: Gloss, transparent | Container Size: 16 fl. oz. | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
More Details on Our Top Picks
Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium 237ml (8-oz)
If you’re building your acrylic painting toolkit or teaching color theory, Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium delivers the performance you need. This 237ml tube offers a thick, creamy consistency that retains every peak and brush stroke you make, giving you precise control over your application. You’ll appreciate its excellent pigment load, which guarantees vibrant color mixing without compromising quality. The satin finish provides a professional appearance that enhances your work’s visual appeal. Since it’s fully compatible with all Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint Colors and Mediums, you can seamlessly integrate it into your existing supplies. Plus, it conforms to ASTM D4236 safety standards, making it safe for educational environments.
- Primary Function:Extends paint, retains brush strokes
- Finish Type:Satin finish
- Container Size:237ml (8 oz)
- Consistency:Thick, creamy
- Artist Level:Educational and beginner
- Special Benefits:Conforms to ASTM D4236, safe for educational use
- Additional Feature:Retains peaks and brush strokes
- Additional Feature:ASTM D4236 safety certified
- Additional Feature:Educational use appropriate
GOLDEN Gloss Medium Professional Acrylic 8 oz
For artists seeking professional-grade control over their acrylic paintings, GOLDEN Gloss Medium delivers exceptional versatility in an 8 fl. oz. jar. You’ll appreciate its oil-like feel and resinous nature, which promote smooth flow and leveling across your canvas. This transparent medium extends your colors while enhancing gloss and translucency, allowing you to create stunning glazes with infinite control. You can manipulate transparency and viscosity to achieve your desired surface sheen. GOLDEN’s formula effectively blocks Support Induced Discoloration, protecting your work’s longevity. Made in the USA by an employee-owned company with over 40 years of professional paint production expertise, this medium offers the reliability you need for serious acrylic work.
- Primary Function:Creates glazes, extends colors, enhances gloss
- Finish Type:Gloss, transparent
- Container Size:8 fl. oz.
- Consistency:Transparent liquid
- Artist Level:Professional
- Special Benefits:Blocks Support Induced Discoloration (SID)
- Additional Feature:Blocks Support Induced Discoloration
- Additional Feature:Employee-owned USA manufacturer
- Additional Feature:Oil-like resinous feel
Liquitex Professional Fluid Medium 473ml (16-oz) Gloss
The Liquitex Professional Fluid Medium stands out as an excellent choice for artists who want to enhance their acrylic paint’s flow and workability without sacrificing color intensity. You’ll appreciate its thick, creamy consistency that retains peaks and brush strokes, giving you control over your application. The gloss finish adds luminosity to your work while maintaining high pigment loads. You can easily intermix it with Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint Colors for seamless color theory exploration and mixing. This 473ml bottle provides substantial value, and it conforms to ASTM D4236 safety standards, making it ideal for educational settings. Whether you’re refining techniques or experimenting with transparency, this medium delivers reliable, professional results.
- Primary Function:Extends paint, retains brush strokes
- Finish Type:Gloss
- Container Size:473ml (16 oz)
- Consistency:Thick, creamy
- Artist Level:Educational and beginner
- Special Benefits:Conforms to ASTM D4236, safe for educational use
- Additional Feature:High pigment load capacity
- Additional Feature:Larger 16-oz container size
- Additional Feature:ASTM D4236 compliant formula
Gloss Varnish for Acrylic Painting Non-Yellowing
You’ll find this non-yellowing gloss varnish invaluable whether you’re a professional artist seeking archival protection or a hobbyist wanting to preserve your acrylic work. This water-based formula creates a permanent high-gloss finish that enhances color saturation while shielding your paintings from dust, UV rays, and discoloration. It dries quickly to a flexible, hard surface without damaging underlying paint layers or leaving brush marks. The varnish works seamlessly on canvas, wood, and mixed-media projects. You’ll appreciate the tough, transparent protective film that resists crazing and yellowing, ensuring your artwork maintains its brilliance for years. The manufacturer backs this product with a satisfaction guarantee, standing behind its quality and performance.
- Primary Function:Protective varnish coating
- Finish Type:High gloss
- Container Size:Not specified
- Consistency:Liquid formula
- Artist Level:Professional and hobbyist
- Special Benefits:UV protection, non-yellowing, anti-crazing
- Additional Feature:UV ray protection included
- Additional Feature:Non-yellowing protective coating
- Additional Feature:Fast drying time guaranteed
Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium (500ML)
Artists seeking dramatic impasto effects and dimensional texture‘ll find Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium an excellent choice for building up paint layers with precision. This 500ml gel retains your brush strokes and peaks, creating authentic texture without compromising color integrity. The medium’s translucent wet appearance transforms to complete transparency when dry, enabling you to layer richly without cloudiness. Beyond painting, you’ll appreciate its adhesive properties for mixed media projects—it bonds heavy objects and incorporates sand or textural additives seamlessly. The thick, creamy consistency gives you control while extending your paint further, maximizing coverage and depth in your artwork.
- Primary Function:Creates impasto effects, extends paint, adds texture
- Finish Type:Transparent when dry
- Container Size:500ml (16.9 oz)
- Consistency:Thick, creamy gel
- Artist Level:All skill levels
- Special Benefits:Functions as adhesive, works as clear gesso primer
- Additional Feature:Creates dramatic impasto effects
- Additional Feature:Strong adhesive bonding properties
- Additional Feature:Works as primer base
GOLDEN Gloss Medium Professional Acrylic Medium (32 fl. oz.)
GOLDEN Gloss Medium stands out as the premier choice for professionals seeking museum-quality glazes and enhanced color translucency. You’ll appreciate its oil-like resinous nature, which promotes exceptional flow and leveling—mimicking traditional painting techniques with acrylics. This transparent medium extends your colors infinitely while letting you control transparency, viscosity, and surface sheen precisely. It’s particularly effective at blocking Support Induced Discoloration, protecting your work’s longevity. Manufactured in the USA by an employee-owned company boasting over 40 years of expertise, GOLDEN combines globally sourced materials with professional-grade quality. The 32 fl. oz. jar provides substantial working material for serious artists committed to archival standards.
- Primary Function:Creates glazes, extends colors, enhances gloss
- Finish Type:Gloss, transparent
- Container Size:32 fl. oz.
- Consistency:Transparent liquid
- Artist Level:Professional
- Special Benefits:Made in USA, employee-owned company, 40+ years experience
- Additional Feature:Largest professional size available
- Additional Feature:Promotes flow and leveling
- Additional Feature:40+ years expertise brand
GOLDEN Gloss Glazing Liquid Professional Acrylic Medium
If you’re seeking a professional-grade medium that extends your working time without compromising transparency, GOLDEN’s Gloss Glazing Liquid delivers exceptional control over your acrylic applications. This 16 fl. oz. bottle of slow-drying extender lets you adjust transparency, viscosity, and surface sheen to match your vision. You’ll appreciate how it increases blending time for glazing techniques, giving you the flexibility traditional acrylics don’t offer. Made in the USA by an employee-owned company with over 40 years of paint-making expertise, this transparent medium works seamlessly with various acrylic paints. Whether you’re layering delicate glazes or refining intricate details, you’ll gain the infinite control professionals demand from their materials.
- Primary Function:Slow-drying extender for glazing and blending
- Finish Type:Gloss, transparent
- Container Size:16 fl. oz.
- Consistency:Liquid
- Artist Level:Professional
- Special Benefits:Made in USA, employee-owned company, 40+ years experience
- Additional Feature:Slow-drying blending extender
- Additional Feature:16 fl. oz. bottle format
- Additional Feature:Increases translucency and worktime
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Gloss Medium for Acrylic Paint
When you’re selecting a gloss medium, you’ll want to evaluate consistency and viscosity to make certain the product flows properly with your paint and brushwork style. You should also examine finish and sheen options, drying time, workability, pigment retention capabilities, and compatibility with your specific paint types to ensure ideal results. These factors work together to determine how well a medium’ll perform with your particular techniques and painting goals.
Consistency and Viscosity
One of the most critical factors you’ll encounter when selecting a gloss medium is its consistency and viscosity. You’ll find options ranging from thick and creamy to fluid, each serving different artistic purposes. A thicker consistency lets you retain visible brush strokes and peaks, adding dimensional quality to your work. Conversely, fluid mediums work better for glazing and smooth applications.
Viscosity also affects drying time—thicker mediums typically dry slower than their fluid counterparts, giving you extended working time. When you mix gloss mediums with acrylic paints, the consistency directly influences how the paint performs and behaves on your surface. Matching the right viscosity to your desired effect—whether impasto texture, layering, or glazing—ensures you’ll achieve professional, consistent results in your artwork.
Finish and Sheen Options
Beyond consistency and viscosity, the finish you choose fundamentally shapes how viewers perceive your finished artwork. You’ll find gloss mediums ranging from high gloss to satin, each offering distinct visual effects. High gloss finishes enhance color saturation and visual impact, making them ideal for vibrant pieces that demand attention. Satin options provide subtler sheens, preserving your paint’s natural texture while delivering a gentle glow.
Consider how light interacts with your surface. Higher gloss options reflect more light, creating pronounced shine, while satin finishes offer a balanced alternative. You should prioritize non-yellowing, anti-crazing formulations to guarantee your chosen sheen remains consistent over time. This investment protects your artwork’s appearance and longevity, preventing unwanted discoloration or surface cracking.
Drying Time and Workability
Drying time fundamentally shapes how you’ll interact with your gloss medium during the painting process. Slower-drying formulations give you extended working periods, allowing you to blend and glaze without rushing to achieve your desired effects. Conversely, faster-drying mediums suit you if you’re building layers quickly or want immediate results.
The medium’s viscosity directly influences drying speed—thicker formulations take longer to dry than thinner ones. You’ll also encounter additives in specific formulations that impact both drying time and final surface sheen. Understanding these variables helps you select a medium that matches your painting style and workflow. Consider whether you prefer leisurely blending sessions or expedited layering when making your choice.
Pigment Retention Capabilities
While drying time affects your workflow, pigment retention determines whether your colors stay vibrant long after you’ve finished painting. You’ll want to choose mediums with high pigment loads, as they preserve color intensity better than inferior formulations. When you’re evaluating options, examine how well they intermix with your acrylics—certain mediums can alter paint composition and compromise final appearance. Consider the medium’s transparency and viscosity too, since these properties directly influence layering and glazing effects. Mediums that retain brush strokes and peaks offer visual texture while maintaining true color. By prioritizing pigment retention, you’ll guarantee your artwork maintains its original depth and vibrancy for years to come.
Compatibility With Paint Types
Since different acrylic paints have distinct formulations and viscosities, you’ll need a gloss medium that works seamlessly with your specific product. Not all mediums intermix equally well with every paint brand, so compatibility directly affects your final results.
You should verify that your chosen medium enhances the qualities you’re targeting—whether that’s altering transparency, adjusting viscosity, or modifying surface sheen. Some mediums are specifically formulated to work with particular acrylic lines, guaranteeing peak performance.
Before committing to a medium, test it with your paint. This prevents frustration and wasted materials. Additionally, confirm that both your paint and medium meet safety standards relevant to your artistic context, whether you’re working professionally or educationally. Proper compatibility ensures longevity and professional-quality outcomes.
Protective and Longevity Features
Once you’ve matched your medium to your paint, you’ll want to contemplate how well it protects your finished work. Look for non-yellowing, non-toxic formulae that shield your artwork from UV rays and dust while preserving its vibrancy over time. Quality gloss mediums create a tough, transparent protective film that seals your surface against environmental damage and crazing—a common concern for acrylic artists.
Fast-drying properties matter considerably because they guarantee your protective layer becomes flexible and hard without remaining tacky. This balance maintains your original paint quality while offering durability. When you invest time in your artwork, selecting a medium that prioritizes longevity safeguards that investment. You’re fundamentally creating a lasting barrier that keeps your colors fresh and your work intact for years to come.
